Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Linden Board of Education discussed the possibility of purchasing the football field at their meeting on Monday, with Superintendent Timothy Thurman expressing interest to meet with Linden Mayor Charles Moore to discuss the matter in detail.

The main concern of board members was the added cost of upkeep. “It costs a lot to maintain a football field,” Thurman said.

Thurman and the board also expressed concern that  the field could be sold to another party, which might affect the school’s play schedule. Until Marengo Academy’s recent closure, the schools shared the field and would alternate playing on Thursday and Friday if their home games coincided, a position that the board does not want the school system to be in again.

During the discussion, the board members showed interest in scheduling a meeting with the mayor regarding the field but no action was taken at the time.

The board continued filling positions for the upcoming school year. The board approved Angel Moore as special education teacher at Linden Elementary and Ruby Bell as a social science teacher and Ronald Black as a custodian for Linden High.

Resignations were accepted for Reico McCann, a special education teacher at George P. Austin Junior High, and Royce McKinney, an assistant special education teacher at GPA.

Other items discussed during the meeting include:

• entering a contract with the Alabama Association of School Boards for superintendent and school financial officer evaluation services.

• Thurman said he would look into purchasing a piece of land with a building on the site on Shiloh Street due to its proximity to LHS.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, July 24 issue of the Demopolis Times.)