STARKVILLE — Aldermen selected Wesley Gordon Tuesday to fill the unexpired term of Lee Brand on the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board of Trustees.
Gordon, director of giving at the MSU Foundation, was selected over Donna Sims, marketing president at Renasant Bank, and Ryan Walker, an associate professor at Mississippi State’s College of Education.
Each applicant made a statement and answered questions from the aldermen during the board’s regular meeting.
Gordon, who has four children in the school system, emphasized his experience working on various boards as a strength.
“I believe in the power of public schools and what they can mean for the city,” said Gordon, 37, a Columbus native. “I’ve been part of or around boards my entire professional life. A good functioning board doesn’t micromanage. A good board works with district leadership to set policy, manage the budget and is a sounding board for the city and parents.”
Sistrunk, who moved to appoint Gordon, said Gordon’s experience serving on boards, as well as his active participation in the district as a parent, made him a good choice.
“I also like his demeanor,” she said. “You have to work with people to be effective and I think Wesley has the kind of make-up that requires. The truth is, though, I would have been pleased with any three of the applicants. I think all of them would do a good job.”
Gordon will fill the term vacated by Brand, who accepted a job in Tennessee and resigned from the board earlier this month after almost 10 years of service. The term expires in 2021.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.