Strickland won’t run for re-election

Wayne County Board of Education member Jennifer Strickland has announced that she will not run for re-election in 2022.

Strickland made her announcement at the tail end of a board meeting that began with the passage of a joint resolution acknowledging the receipt of $20 million in state funding to rebuild or to replace Rosewood Middle School.

The resolution credited state representatives John Bell and Raymond Smith, as well as Sen. Jim Perry, with shepherding the project through the legislature’s budgeting process.

The Wayne County Commissioners also are expected to pass the joint resolution at their meeting Tuesday.

Strickland said during board comments that the announcement of the block grant funding was good news for the community.

“I know that the community is excited and a little bit nervous because we do not want to lose that community school out there,” she said. “The school has a wonderful history. There’s wonderful memories there.”

Strickland said she will work to make sure that the school’s legacy will be preserved as the project moves forward.

After discussing the project, Strickland apologized for not attending several recent school events saying that she has been ill for the last four weeks.

That is when she announced that she will not be seeking another term on the board.

Strickland is one of three board members who will have to run the coming year. Board chairman Chris West’s seat is up in 2022, as is that of Wade Leatham. Leatham will run for the first time after being appointed to replace board member Rick Pridgen, who died in 2020.

“I want to thank the Grantham and Rosewood communities for their immense support over the last seven years,” Strickland said. “It has been an amazing honor to work with the people in those communities.”

She said she will not let up in her efforts on her constituents’ behalf for the remainder of her term, adding that she will continue to “serve you in other capacities after that time has expired.”

Strickland did not indicate what her future plans will be or if she will seek another elected office.

In other business, the board suspended its rules against a chairman serving more than two terms to re-appoint West as chairman of the school board.

Longtime board member Pat Burden was named vice chairman.