Cooper resigns from Whitley County Board of Education

A member of the Whitley County Board of Education, who has served on the board for nearly a decade, has resigned. 

The resignation of board member Malorie Cooper was announced during a special-called board meeting Monday morning via livestream on the district’s YouTube channel, in which Cooper was not  present.

The resignation comes due to Cooper recently moving outside of the third-district in which she serves, according to Board Chair Brenda Hill.

“It’s pretty sad. I hate to accept her resignation,” said board member Brenda Rose before making a motion to accept Cooper’s resignation. Board member J.E. Jones seconded the motion. Board members voted unanimously to accept the resignation and declare a vacancy of Cooper’s seat.

“We wish Mrs. Cooper well and thank her for her service on the board,” said Hill.

Cooper began her service on the board in 2013 after being elected during the November 2012 General Election.

With the seat now empty, the board will have 60 days to fill the seat. According to Kentucky statute, the board will be required to post a notice of the vacancy on the school district’s website and place an advertisement in the newspaper within the next 30 days. Any applicants seeking appointment for the vacancy must file a letter of intent with the board, who will then select a candidate to be appointed to the seat within two weeks of the advertisement.

Board attorney Tim Crawford said that with the resignation being accepted, the vacancy is expected to be advertised in the newspaper this week.

Cooper’s current term was set to expire in December 2024; however, the appointee will only hold the seat until November 2023. Then it will be up for voters to decide who the board member will be for the remainder of the term. The appointee can also choose to run for the seat at that time if they wish to attempt to complete the term. 

Cooper’s resignation and subsequent discussion regarding her resignation were the only items on Monday’s agenda.