Coahoma Community College president Dr. Valmadge Towner has three top candidates in mind for the new men’s basketball coach.
Towner announced this during Monday’s board meeting and said there was a “great committee in place” to make sure the best possible candidate was hired.
Former Tigers coach Micheal Stringer publicly announced his resignation in May.
“I’m not there yet,” said Towner on the coaching search. “The money is what the money is. It’s not a lot of flexibility we have in salaries. I mean it is what it is. I need you to consider doing this as I ask the board chair. We’re behind on that, really, really behind. I just need a day or two to talk to those candidates, see which one we can really tie down with and then call you, let you know who that person is. Of course, it will not be official, but then if you agree that this is someone you could consider in July voting on and affirming, then I would like to go on and call a press conference.”
Towner said he would like to get a new coach on board since CCC is already behind in recruiting. Towner added the hiring of football coach Travis Macon was announced after he talked to board members, but he was officially approved at the next month’s meeting.
Macon just completed his first season as the football coach.
“Steve, we can’t vote by email?” board member Lois McMurchy asked board attorney Steve Brandon.
“We do have quite a bit of flexibility particularly since COVID,” Brandon replied. “The secretary of state last year sponsored amendments to the Open Meetings Act and some other stuff that allow us to take votes by telephone. I don’t recall email. What I recall is telephone. I can certainly look at that. And it doesn’t have to be with everybody on the phone. You can simply poll the board members or interact with them on an individual basis. Ideally, everybody should be on that call, but until that authorization is rescinded by the secretary of state (we can).”
“I suggest we use that,” said McMurchy in response.
Towner was open to the idea.
“If you would permit doing that, I wouldn’t do anything publicly until I spoke with each of you starting with the chair (the Rev. Dennis Hawkins) in letting you know who the person is, getting your feedback on whether or not you can support that and then rolling out with inviting you to come to a press meeting,” said Towner, adding a press conference would likely be next week.
“But we need to get this person on board ASAP. We’re just not ready.”
Towner said a coach should have been hired last month, but the hiring committee had not met.
“Take your time and just don’t settle,” Hawkins said.
“That is something I’ve come to find out over 20 years,” said Towner in agreement. “If I don’t feel good about you day one, it won’t turn out good in day two or three.”
