The new football/track complex at Clarksdale High School took center stage during the Clarksdale Municipal School District’s meeting Thursday.
The board approved the sale of $8.5 million in bonds to fund the construction of the complex, while the latter part of the meeting was devoted to whose name will adorn the complex.
The plan is to start construction on the new stadium July 1 and be playing football there by the fall of 2019.
Board member H. Clay “Sandy” Stillions spoke for Mike Jacob, of Clarksdale, who submitted a presentation designed to offer former school superintendent Bob Ellard as a candidate.
“Bob Ellard led this school district through some treacherous times,” Jacob’s presentation read, “with dignity and grace and I can’t think of a better person to name the stadium after.”
Anthony Collier, also of Clarksdale, offered the name of Jesse Murphee, a former Clarksdale High School head football coach, as someone “deserving of having his name on the new stadium.”
“He took the Wildcats to five state championship football games and won three of them,” Collier told the board.
Rob Tyner, president of the board, thanked both Jacob (through Stillions) and Collier for their nominations and said the board would take the proposals under advisement but wouldn’t make a decision until the project nears completion.
Earlier in the meeting, the board adopted a resolution approving and ratifying the sale and issuance of general obligation bonds.
This action (1) authorized the negotiated sale of the bonds to Duncan Williams, Inc., acting as the underwriter for the bonds, to market and price the bonds. The move also authorized the superintendent (a) to execute a Bond Purchase Agreement with the underwriter if certain conditions are met, (b) to execute a Bond Purchase Agreement with the underwriter, (c) to qualify the bonds for municipal bond insurance and (d) to designate a bank to serve as paying agent for the bonds.
The bonds were qualified for municipal bond insurance by Build America Mutual Assurance Company, and the underwriter recommended the Bank of New Albany to serve as the paying agent.
Board member Delores S. Harris seconded Stillions’ motion and the board voted unanimously in favor the resolution. District School Superintendent Dennis Dupree informed the board that the $8.5 million should be “in the bank” by June 30.
The board approved all certified and non-certified personnel recommendations, including the Clarksdale High School football coaching staff as follows: Henry Johnson, head coach; Johnny Maddox, defensive coordinator; Fred Brister, defensive line coach; Greg Wilson, offensive line coach; Birley Gibson, running backs coach; Wesley Love, wide receivers coach; and Curtis Kemp, quarterbacks coach.
Also approved were CHS basketball personnel, including: Farrington Hill, head coach; Corney George, assistant boys coach; Greg Wilson, head girls coach; and Chasity Buckley, assistant girls coach.
In other action, the board paid claims totaling $732,449.49.
