The Columbus Municipal School District has a new face on its five-person board.

Josie Shumake will take the school board seat currently held by Glenn Lautzenhiser, who has been on the board for 25 years. Lautzenhiser’s current five-year appointment expires Monday.

There were four applicants for the position: Shumake, Lautzenhiser, Eric Thomas and Willie J. Petty Sr.

The Columbus City Council appoints city school board members.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin motioned to reappoint Lautzenhiser. Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box seconded that motion. The motion failed 3-2, with Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor, Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens and Ward 4 Councilman Marty Turner voting against.

Turner then motioned to appoint Shumake, a retired public affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Information Agency. The council voted unanimously to appoint her.

The other CMSD board members are Angela Verdell, Jason Spears, Currie Fisher and Stephen Jones.

The city school district serves approximately 4,500 students.

CL&W board post

Also on Tuesday, the city appointed Tiffany Sturdivant to the Columbus Light & Water board.

Sturdivant, a nurse, takes the board seat previously held by Andrew Colom, who resigned his position on Jan. 21.

Three people applied for the seat: Sturdivant, Hilbert Williams and Donald R. Pope.

Turner made the motion to appoint Sturdivant to the CL&W board. The council tied 2-2 on the appointment’s vote, with Turner and Mickens in favor and Gavin and Box opposed. Taylor recused himself from the vote.

Mayor Robert Smith broke the tie in favor of Sturdivant’s nomination.

Turner confirmed to The Dispatch this morning that Sturdivant was his campaign manager in his unsuccessful run for District 5 supervisor in Lowndes County last year. He also confirmed that he is in a relationship with Sturdivant.

Turner said he does not believe he needed to have recused himself from the CL&W board appointment vote involving Sturdivant.

“She’s not my wife,” Turner said. “If she was my wife, it would be something different.”

Turner added that he would have voted for her appointment had they not been in a relationship.

Sturdivant’s term on the CL&W board expires June 30, 2018.

Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.