Local businessman Joe Garrison resigned from the Hennessey Board of Education during its noon meeting last Wednesday.

The board “reluctantly” accepted his resignation and Garrison was given a standing ovation for his service to the school and community.

He was also presented a plaque by Board President Dr. James Matthew Matousek.

Garrison, who was first elected to the board in 2012, wrote in his resignation that “my illness will not allow me to fulfill my duties” as a board member.

He attended Monday’s meeting and other recent meetings in a wheelchair and took part in earlier meetings via video conference after a lengthy hospital stay last year.

Garrison has twice served as school board president and as vice president this year.

He has been owner of Garrison Lumber Co. since 1991, and is a past president of the Oklahoma Lumbermen’s Association.

He has lived in Hennessey for 40 years, and is married to Diane (Berkenbile).

He was a teacher at Midwest City High School from 1972-78. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern State College in 1972, and a master’s of education degree in school administration in 1975.

Lough Named Vice President

Garrison’s position as vice president would have put him in rotation to serve as president next month.

After Garrison’s resignation was accepted, the board appointed Luke Lough as vice president.

Lough was elected to the board in 2017.

All members of the board were present for the meeting: Cris Choate (clerk), Patrick Griffin, Matousek, Garrison and Lough. Newly-elected board member David Tillman, who goes on the board to replace Matousek’s seat next month, was also at the meeting.

New Board Member Selection

The last item on the Monday agenda to discuss a “replacement” for Garrison in an executive session was skipped by Matousek, who instead called for the meeting to adjourn.

Before the meeting, the Times & Free Press reporter told Superintendent Dr. Mike Woods that she would protest the closed session because it would violate the state Open Meeting Law listed on the agenda because a board member is not a “salaried public official or employee.”

The agenda item listed 25 O.S. (Oklahoma Statute) 307(B) (1) which permits an executive session “only for the purpose of: Discussing the employment, hiring, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining or resignation of any individual salaried public officer or employee.”

After the meeting, Griffin told the reporter he knew of three other times the board had been in closed session to discuss prospective board members.

He recalled occasions when members going off the board were asked to serve another year and asked how the board was expected to discuss it.

Chandra Seiger, a regular at school board meetings, posted on Facebook before the meeting that she had contacted each of the school board members and asked to be considered as Garrison’s replacement.

She ran for the school board in 2017 and was defeated by Lough in a 242- 160 vote.

Seiger handed the board a petition at its March 8 meeting signed by 315 people who did not want Paul Hix rehired as athletic director.