A former business manager for the Greenwood School District has been nominated to serve on its school board.
Deirdre Mayes says, if approved by the City Council, she will join the five-member board with a clear emphasis in mind.
“The decisions I make will be for the good of the children, the parents and the employees,” she said this morning.
Mayes served five years as the school district’s business manager before retiring in 2013. Prior to that, she spent more than 17 years as Greenwood’s city clerk. Mayes currently works part time at the Greenwood accounting firm Fred T. Neely & Co.
Mayes has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Millsaps College and an MBA from Delta State University.
Mayor Carolyn McAdams said she appreciated the deep financial background of her nominee.
“If anyone know budgets, she does. ... She’s ready to serve and willing to do it,” McAdams said.
Mayes said she’s particularly concerned about recent critical audits of the school district by the Mississippi Department of Education and last week’s downgrading of the district to probationary status.
“We need to look at it as a board,” she said.
If approved, Mayes will serve out the remainder of former board member Kathy Whicker’s five-year term, or roughly two years. Whicker resigned from the board in July.
The nomination of Mayes is scheduled to come before the City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday. The initial reaction of a couple of councilmen indicates the vote should be smooth going.
Ward 6’s David Jordan, a longtime supporter of Mayes, said her background will help the board.
“It probably needs someone who knows about business. I think she’ll be an asset — if they listen to her. She’ll do a good job there,” he said.
Council President Ronnie Stevenson said Mayes was a great employee with whom most of the council is familiar. He predicted that she would be quickly — perhaps even unanimously — approved.
“I can’t imagine her facing any problems,” he said.
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
