Moore County school board fills 1 of 4 vacancies

Pam Thompson, who serves on the Board of Trustees at Sandhills Community College, will fill an at-large seat. She was nominated by board member Ed Dennison, who said the organization needs more minority representation and another female. When board member Becky Carlson's resignation takes effect Sunday, Laura King will be the only woman on the board.

"(Thompson) is somebody that could work with the rest of the board," Dennison said after Thursday's special meeting, which was convened to tackle the problem of vacancies created by the resignations.

The board voted 5-3 in closed session last week to fire Grimesey for undisclosed reasons, and the decision prompted an uproar from parents and the community. Three of the members who voted in favor of firing Grimesey then resigned.

The remaining members voted 4-1 on Monday to give Grimesey his job back, which he accepted with a standing ovation from supporters who packed the meeting. After the second vote, another school board member stepped down.

Grimesey said Thursday he likes the choice of Thompson.

"I've met Pam numerous times. Her reputation is spectacular, and I have absolutely no doubt that she'll add great value to the board," he said.

State law requires that school boards have at least five members. The board has received 43 applications to fill the three other seats.

"I think the thing we're looking for is someone who is passionate about our students and our teachers," Dennison said. "It's extremely important that we remember that's who we're here for."