County BOE approves football coa

Loudon County Board of Education voted in a new head football coach for Greenback School, but not without some continued controversy.

The BOE approved the hiring of Tommy Clemmer as coach with an 8-2 vote Thursday. Board members Zack Cusick and Kenneth Presley were opposed.

The school announced March 24 that Clemmer would be the new head football coach when initial hire Zach Rayl resigned less than two weeks after accepting the position. Clemmer served 2015-2021 as an assistant coach with the program and has never been a head coach.

The naming of Clemmer received mixed reaction in the community. At a workshop April 6, BOE members and Director of Schools Mike Garren were questioned about the hiring process.

At the start of Thursday’s meeting, Cusick made a motion to have a change to the agenda so the BOE would vote in a roll call on Clemmer individually instead of being included with other coaching approvals for various schools. Presley seconded the motion.

BOE members Scott Newman, Philip Moffett, Kenny Ridings and Chairman Bobby Johnson Jr. voted against the agenda change. Johnson later voted to approve the changed agenda.

Clemmer was recommended by a committee consisting of Greenback Principal Matthew Brookshire, Athletic Director Jessica Spafford, Moffett, Matthew Tinker and Greenback community members Jimmy Stinnett and Brian Hanley.

During the public comment period, Charles Burchfield questioned why Brookshire was not required to be present for the BOE meeting. Garren said Brookshire can be contacted at the school for questions, adding there was no need to turn the BOE meeting into a “semi-trial” by asking questions of school staff.

Johnson then addressed Burchfield on whether he arranged a meeting with Garren about administration concerns at the school as was discussed during the workshop. Burchfield said he had not. Johnson suggested Burchfield’s questions could be addressed then, but Burchfield indicated that matter was a separate issue.

Johnson and Burchfield then began talking over one another before Burchfield moved on to questioning Garren and Moffett about the committee and the process of hiring a football coach.

Burchfield questioned Moffett about his committee qualifications. Moffett indicated he was on the committee as a BOE member.

Johnson then asked Burchfield what gave him the right to ask about the matter. Burchfield said he is a parent.

Tension between Burchfield and Johnson continued to escalate.

Burchfield then wanted to review the voting history of committee members, noting Hanley voted for former head football coach Greg Ryan.

Garren said voting history was public record but why they voted for a particular is personal and isn’t required to be shared.

“I feel like with these votes from the same folks, voting the same way, for the same people, and it wasn’t the way of the community,” Burchfield said. “It wasn’t the majority of the community. The majority of the community wanted Greg Ryan. I’m just trying to figure out what Mr. Moffett’s angle was.”

Burchfield then asked Moffett if he considered Ryan for the position. Moffett said his considerations were his business.

Burchfield told the BOE the community was not against Clemmer and would support him if voted in. He added that Clemmer is unproven when compared to a proven candidate who is passionate about the school.

“We have a right to be heard, we do,” he said. “We feel like Greenback is not paid as much attention to when it comes to this, and we feel like there’s been some corruption with this hire. We don’t feel like it was fair.”

Before the vote, Newman said he had not talked to a single parent who told him the Clemmer hire was a bad idea.

“I just make the motion that we vote him in there,” Newman said. “I think he’s earned the right. He’s passed his background check and everything else.”

In unrelated matters, BOE members approved:

• The proposed 2023-2024 budget for Loudon County Schools.

• Bus contracts.

• Policy updates for 6.200 Attendance and 6.411 Student Wellness.

• Numerous coaching positions for other county schools.

• Meal prices for adults and students for the upcoming school year.

• Adoption of the Envision mathematics textbook.

• A request of $15,000 to help the North Middle School football program offset transportation costs to Lenoir City.