Lum Wright Jr. and Dr. Michael Winters will report to their new positions as administrative assistants to the superintendent following a split vote Thursday night by trustees of the Vicksburg Warren School District.

Voting in favor were District 1 Trustee and board President Bryan Pratt, District 2 Trustee Zelmarine Murphy and District 5 Trustee Sally Bullard, who was not present but participated in the entire meeting by teleconference.

Voting no were District 3 Trustee Jim Stirgus Jr. and District 4 Trustee Joe Loviza.

“I’m happy we can finally move forward with the appointments of these two individuals to these positions,” Dr. Elizabeth Swinford, superintendent said following the sometimes contentious meeting.

Stirgus criticized spending and “the administration’s” handling of district operations, and was halted twice in his remarks by objections from Swinford and Pratt, and comments from acting board attorney Blake Teller that he was veering into an evaluation of the superintendent in public, which is illegal.

“In my opinion, this administration has failed and continues to fail our constituents and our students,” Stirgus said. He said expenses consistently exceed revenues, the district is “top heavy” in administration and that Wright and Winters had already been rejected by the board.

Countering, Murphy said the board’s role is to set policy and the superintendent’s is to select and recommend employees to the board for approval.

“It’s not our place, in my humble opinion, to go out and seek employees,” Murphy said. “We set policies and have guidelines and they are followed. We are not in the position to call the shots.”

“People need to understand the legalities of our job,” Bullard said. “We are micromanaging here, and that is not our job.”

Both Loviza and Stirgus objected to Swinford’s releasing to the public that board members had been polled by phone for the initial votes on the appointments.

Loviza said he received notes and phone calls from members of the public who wanted the process done in an open meeting.

Loviza asked to vote on the two positions separately, but that motion was not made before their approval.

Following the vote, Loviza explained that he did not feel the position Winters has filled is necessary.

“They are two distinctly different jobs,” he said. “I think one (Wright’s) is needed and the other is not,” Loviza said, adding his opposition was not a reflection on character or job performance. “They’re both good people.”

The two replace Debra Hullum, the former assistant superintendent for operations who retired June 30.

“Now we plan to look at reducing or eliminating some other positions to see if we can save some money in other areas,” Swinford said.

As examples, she said Wright’s previous position as athletic director has been eliminated, and the position of transportation director will be evaluated for possible downgrading.

Wright, who has logged about 23 years with the district, about 15 as AD, said he would be at the district office today as he assumes oversight of athletics, transportation, facilities and security. He said he is excited about the challenge and pleased to work with additional staffers.

For now, Wright said, former transportation director David Keen, who retired June 30, is continuing to assist in preparations for the start of school Aug. 6.

“Buses will roll,” Wright said following his appointment. “We’ve got good people at transportation and we will be ready to go.”

Wright said he would also sit down with the district’s athletic officials to discuss reorganizing the AD duties.

Winters, who has been principal of Vicksburg Junior High School since 2006, did not attend the meeting, but reached later at his home said he was excited about the opportunity to serve at the central office.

“It’s bittersweet (to leave VJHS) because I’ve put in a lot of years there and built a lot of good professional relationships,” he said. “And I have a heart for the students there and will miss being around them, but I’m also glad to have this opportunity.”

Winters has put in about 11 years as a VWSD school administrator, including stints as principal of Warren Central Junior High and eighth-grade principal at VJHS.

He said he would finish this week in principals’ meetings and begin Monday overseeing finance, child nutrition, human resources and career and technical education.

Wright will be paid $98,450 and Winters, $89,450 in the new positions.

In the only other action that drew discussion, the board approved a slate of candidates for “change in status,” including naming Antonio Cooper interim principal at Vicksburg Junior High School to open school and until the position can be advertised and permanently filled.

That vote also was 3-2, with Pratt, Murphy and Bullard in favor and Stirgus and Loviza opposing.

Swinford also told the board that the only apparent effect in the VWSD of the federal waiver to No Child Left Behind requirements is that the district no longer has to offer school choice at Warren Central Intermediate and Vicksburg Intermediate schools.

Students involved in school choice will be allowed to remain at their school of choice, but parents will have to provide transportation, she said.