One Loudon County Board of Education member plans in June to bring up the possibility of buying out the contract of Director of Schools Jason Vance.

During Thursday’s board meeting, Kenny Ridings posed the question after Bobby Johnson Jr. requested the BOE draft a resolution to grant board chairman Craig Simon the authority to implement a corrective action plan for Vance and Loudon High School boys head basketball coach Josh Graves.

A recommendation from attorney Lawrence F. Giodano, who investigated possible improper actions by Vance and Graves, suggested Simon should work with regular board counsel to provide a written reprimand to Vance and require him to complete a corrective action plan that would include him attending and completing training on employee harassment.

Giordano is employed by law firm Lewis Thomason, which also employs the BOE’s regular attorney, Chris McCarty.

“According to the letter from the lawyer, we have to get a resolution to give you the power to do that,” Johnson said. “Now it’s got everything in here supposed to be followed, and this also goes with not only Vance but Graves, Coach (Josh) Graves. It’s got to be done the same way.”

The issue dates back to December when Vance sent an email to Graves, LHS Principal Cheri Parrish, LHS athletic director Ronnie Roberts and Assistant Director of Schools Mike Garren, which was later circulated in the community. Vance’s email related to a varsity rotation spot for his teen son and was criticized for what some believed to be Vance bullying Graves.

In March, the board voted to move forward with a corrective action plan for Vance and Graves.

“Resolutions and all that’s fine and good,” Ridings said. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking on this. Which is going to cost less — buying his contract out or to use attorney fees whenever he sues us? So what is going to cost less? I say buying him out is going to cost less. We as a board need to discuss that.”

The board for several years has extended Vance’s contract, in essence maintaining a four-year agreement. Members chose to take no action this year.

Ridings said he was trying to save the school board money, but Gary Ubben, board member, disagreed that it would.

“You won’t save money by buying him out for the next four years in court? How do you figure?” Ridings asked. “... We go for the next four years in court, have all the attorney fees and then lose? What happens then?”

“You would lose that suit,” Ubben added.

Ridings believes both sides can negotiate to terminate Vance’s contract.

“That’s an interesting opinion,” Ubben said.

“And that’s not only my opinion,” Ridings added. “I have a lot of people on this side of the river that think the same way I do.”

No action was taken Thursday, but Ridings after the meeting said he plans to bring it back before the school board in June.

With the board’s approval of four additional invoices on Thursday, the total amount of legal expenditures this year amount to $114,335.70, Chad Presley, Loudon County Schools business manager, said. The yearly total for 2018-19 was $36,361.88.

In other news, Loudon County Board of Education:

• Passed the second and final readings for policies on tobacco-free schools, alternative credit options, promotion and retention and basic curriculum program based on recommendation by Tennessee School Boards Association.

• Authorized a fiscal year 2020 consolidated application approval for Individuals with Disabilities Act and Elementary and Secondary Education

• Passed budget amendments for Funds 141, 142 and 143. The board also passed $22,335.70 in legal expenditures to be taken out of contingency money through a separate vote.

• Requested Vance go to the county budget committee and seek growth money and the local sales tax option to be counted up front.