The school board voted to approve funding and a description for a new position designed to follow and inform the superintendent of state legislation impacting Hamilton County Schools. The position is called executive director of strategic priorities and pays $109,400 annually.
The director-level position answers directly to Dr. Robertson and is 75-percent funded by donors. The new position is an adaptation of an existing position, so it does not add another salary to the budget.
"It's a low-risk opportunity to try something different," Dr.
Robertson said. He said the district's various paid education lobbyists have not benefited the system enough, and that the General Assembly is "really hard to follow."
"They move so fast and so slow," he said.
"If it doesn't work, we don't do it again," he said.
Board member Larry Grohn argued that the position is a "glorified lobbyist" and praised board member Ben Connor, chair of the legislative committee, and Hamilton County Schools attorney Scott Bennett for keeping up with changes and staying ahead of them, too. He and Rhonda Thurman said they work directly with local Rep. Greg Vital and Sen. Bo Watson to decipher applicable issues and to advocate for Hamilton County.
"A call from us means more to them," Ms. Thurman said, than a call from someone who is paid to do it. Ms. Thurman and Mr. Grohn voted against the funding and description.
But Dr. Robertson reiterated that the new position would enable the district to plan ahead in broad areas like workforce development, apprenticeships and others.
"I'm, at times, too passionate," he said, and revealed that sometimes his passion is really frustration.
"The man needs the position," said board member Tiffanie Robinson. "He found the money to cover it." She said this position would help find more funding for Hamilton County Schools and even for school buildings.
"Let's grow up. Like, we need a position like this," she said.