School board narrows list of applicants

Clovis’ public school board members on Monday selected five finalists for the superintendent’s position, but declined to name them publicly.

School board members Max Best and Mark Lansford said the board selected the finalists. Lansford said board members plan to announce the five on Friday after board President Terry Martin has time to inform the finalists.

Lansford also said the school board meeting was held entirely in executive session at the school administration office. He said board members never convened in open session and never voted to adjourn into executive session.

Lansford said board members were all present.

New Mexico’s Open Meetings Act does allow for public bodies to meet entirely in executive session if they give public notice.

Best said the finalists for the superintendent’s job would not be announced until administration officials could make a courtesy call to those selected.

Other board members could not be reached for comment.

The application deadline for the superintendent position was Feb. 28. Officials said they received 11 applications prior to the deadline.

Monday’s meeting was intended to narrow the field to replace Neil Nuttall, who resigned in December to take a position at a Missouri junior college. Nuttall was Clovis’ superintendent for seven years.

The board last year selected longtime educator G.C. Ross to serve as interim superintendent. He will serve through June 30 and cannot be one of the finalists, according to an interim job description.