Polk school board taps retired administrator for vacant District 6 seat

The Polk School District in their Tuesday meeting choose the person who would fill the unexpired term of Hal Floyd, who resigned last week due to the state’s nepotism clause.

School board members unanimously chose retired administrator Judy Wiggins to fill the seat until a special election can be held this fall.

Wiggins recently retired from the district, but had most recently been interim principal at Northside Elementary School in Cedartown, after former superintendent William Hunter moved Wesley Cupp from Northside to Rockmart High School a couple of years ago.

Hal Floyd, who had been recently joined the board in January, soundly defeated incumbent board chairman Harold McDurmon in the May 2016 primary.

He was forced to resign after it was discovered that his position on the board was not permitted under Georgia state law under a new nepotism rule that states that school board members cannot have immediate family serving as administrators in the same school system.

Floyd’s daughter-in-law was appointed assistant principal in July, and discovered the new law while doing research.

A special election to fill the District 6 seat will be held this November, along with municipal elections.