Messenger Intern

Willie Thomas had not made a career decision by Monday’s City Board of Education meeting, but the Board did not waste the opportunity to show him he would be missed if he left.

And, through the praise for his contributions to the system, the Board did wish him well should he decide to accept the job in Macon County.

Thomas has been offered the superintendent position by the Macon County Board of Education.

According to superintendent Hank Jones, Thomas has not "officially accepted the offer."

Thomas, who is assistant superintendent of Troy City Schools, told the Messenger last week that he is in the final stages of negotiating the offer.

"Nothing is finalized… (but) we will have a decision within the week," Thomas said.

The Macon County Board of Education voted last Thursday to select Thomas as the replacement for Clima White, who had declined a contract extension. Thomas was among five finalists chosen from the 15 applications.

This year will mark year number 30 for Thomas’s service to the system.

Jones also announced at the meeting that utilities were down in the schools by 16 percent. The elementary school, which had the biggest decrease, was down by 22 percent.

The only increase the system was in central office.

"Only the central office had an increase and we’ll have to work on that," Jones said.