Lincoln County school board to seek public input on superintendent search after trustees debate internal vs. external hire

Board President Wade Poulsen outlined options for replacing the Lincoln County School District superintendent at the board’s special meeting on Sept. 30, presenting parallel timelines and rough cost estimates for both an internal promotion and an outside search.

Poulsen said an internal search could start with an October posting and allow an appointed assistant superintendent to shadow Superintendent Pam Teel through the school year, with an anticipated July 1 start date for a successor. “If we bring somebody in internally as an assistant superintendent, they can train with Mrs. Teel from February to June,” Poulsen said, while noting advertising would be minimal but that backfilling the assistant-superintendent role would impose salary costs.

Trustee Andy Free said he wants the district to hire “the best person,” whether internal or external, but urged delaying candidate interviews until two newly elected trustees are sworn in January so they may participate. Free also pressed for stakeholder involvement — teachers, administrators and parents — proposing a town-hall format and surveys to collect community preferences. “Parents should have a voice,” Free said, calling for public workshops and wider staff input.

Two district employees who spoke during public comment urged promotion from within. William Vea supported internal hiring as a way to preserve the district’s direction, and Michael B. Strong said promoting staff sends a message that employees can advance their careers in the district while helping contain costs.

Poulsen and other trustees discussed cost estimates raised in the meeting: advertising for an external search was estimated at roughly $3,000 to $5,000; an outside search firm had proposed about $18,000 plus advertisement and travel; and travel and transition expenses were roughly estimated at $2,000 to $3,000. Trustee Free also gave a rough estimate for backfilling an internal assistant-superintendent slot for several months at about $42,000 (he described this as a rough figure). The board did not record a formal vote tally for those estimates.

After discussion, the board agreed to solicit community feedback before choosing between an internal or external search. Trustee Andy Free moved that the board hold a stakeholder workshop at its next scheduled meeting to gather input on the hiring timeline and candidate priorities; Trustee Ann Smith seconded the motion and it carried. The workshop is planned for the Oct. 9 meeting at the district’s usual evening hour, with discussion of meeting location and video links to accommodate residents in Pahranagat Valley.

The meeting minutes record motions to approve the agenda and to hold the Oct. 9 stakeholder workshop; in both cases the minutes state the motions “carried” but do not list individual roll-call votes. The board adjourned at 5:45 p.m.

Next steps: the board will advertise the Oct. 9 workshop and collect stakeholder feedback before deciding whether to pursue an internal promotion, an external search, or a hybrid approach.