New members welcomed to Hancock County Board of Education

NEW CUMBERLAND -- The organizational meeting of the Hancock County Board of Education Monday served as the first for the board's three new members.

As part of the agenda, Jeff Woofter was selected to serve as the board's new president, with Melissa Bane as vice president. Woofter, Bane and Tiffany Gale were elected to the board in May.

"Welcome aboard. Congratulations," said Superintendent Walter Saunders, explaining to the new members how, as a result of the state's takeover of operations of the Hancock County Schools district, all items on the agenda are reviewed and either approved or denied by West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt. "Everything we have on the agenda is approved or not approved."

Saunders noted the members are still able to ask questions of the issues but will not be taking any actual votes themselves.

In beginning their terms, the new members said they will serve the residents of Hancock County, offering as much transparency as possible.

"I promise to do the best job I can," Bane said, with Gale offering a similar pledge.

Woofter, who previously served as sheriff of Hancock County before transitioning into a career in educational administration, including as the superintendent of Barbour County Schools, said he was hopeful to be able to work with the state to clear up any remaining financial concerns for Hancock County Schools.

Woofter said he had been told the operational arrangement could be a minimum of four years, but he is hopeful the term could be shorter, if possible.

"I'm looking forward to helping Mr. Saunders any way we can," Woofter said.

Saunders explained the state estimates an average of four to seven years for such circumstances, but an exact timeline hasn't been established in Hancock County's case as of yet.

"We've taken the first steps we had to," Saunders said, referring to a series of approximately 120 staffing cuts and adjustments to hours, as well as obtaining a loan of $8 million from the Legislature to address any immediate financial issues facing the district.

The loan will need to be paid off, and Saunders said the current goal is to see some positive financial numbers in the next couple of years so the district is able to begin paying back those funds while balancing the local books.