Roger Jones, a former county mayor and retired county school principal, was chosen Monday by the Greene County Commission to serve the 4th county School Board District until the August election.

It took three votes for Jones to emerge the winner from a field of four candidates.

Jones, who is now president of Junior Achievement of East Tennessee, based in Knoxville, "pondering" whether or not to run for the two-year balance of the term, but has picked up a petition and other necessary paperwork needed to file as a candidate.

School Board Member Debra Knight, who was elected to a four-year term in 2008, resigned Jan. 21.

At Monday evening's county commission meeting, each candidate was given three minutes to speak, and then was asked questions.

Jimmy R. Collins, who said his nickname has been "Casper" since high school, spoke first. Collins is the owner and operator of Casper's Body Shop and also owns a fire protection business.

Casper said he had "no agenda" and planned to run for the school board seat whether chosen by the commission or not.

Collins said he is running because he believes children need the best education they can be given. He speculated that some students now in high school may be sitting in commissioner's seats in 10 or 15 years.

Commissioner John Cox asked all the candidates the same questions, and asked them to answer "yes," "no" or "no opinion."

Asked whether he is a current or former school system employee, he said no, and has no relatives employed with the system.

Asked if he favors "letting the people of Greene County" elect a school superintendent, which current state law does not allow, Collins said he has "no opinion right now."

Asked if the school board should "have the power" to set property tax rates, Collins said "No." By law, only the county commission can set county property tax rates.

Asked by Cox if he favors consolidating the county's four high schools into two schools, converting existing high schools into middle schools, Collins said he had no opinion.

When Jones spoke, he said he spent more than 26 years in education in Greene County as a teacher, coach, and principal, at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Though he "retired a couple of years ago," Jones said he still has contacts in the county system. Jones was an active candidate for director of schools in 2007. He was accompanied to the meeting by his wife, Yhona Jones, who is principal of Mosheim School, the county's largest.

Jones also said his experience with budgeting as a county commissioner and county mayor is also a plus.

He said that, in his current job, he has been able to observe and interact with 27 different school systems in East Tennessee.

That experience, he said, has allowed him to see some "best practices" as well as "some things we are already doing better" in Greene County.

In response to Cox's questions, Jones said he is a former employee with relatives in the county system, and has "no opinion" on whether a superintendent should be elected, since "It's not our choice."

Jones said the school board should not have the power to raise or lower tax rates, and has "no opinion at this time" as to whether high schools should be consolidated.

Asked by Commissioner Robbie Morgan if he would have enough time to "be available" should an emergency arise, Jones said his job would permit that.

Karen McNew said she is the parent of a student in the 4th district and that her daughter is the fourth generation to live there.

McNew said she favors "sound, well-thought-out decisions" and believes students should be "learning to learn," since "learning is a lifelong" process.

In response to Cox's questions, McNew said she is a former substitute teacher, but has no relatives in the system.

She said she has no opinion on elected school superintendents, and no opinion on school consolidation.

She said she does plan on running for the school board in August.

Hal "Buddy" Pruitt said he was raised in Glenwood and attended Greeneville High when it was a county school, graduating in 1953.

After one semester at Tusculum College, Pruitt entered the U.S. Air Force where he was a drill instructor, returning to Tusculum College after his military service, graduating in 1962.

Pruitt said he taught at St. James School, then earned a master's degree from ETSU and was principal at Mosheim School for a year before becoming principal at West Greene High School, a position he held for 21 years. He retired from teaching after 21 years.

Pruitt said the best jobs he ever had were "teaching in the classroom" and "serving my country."

Pruitt said his daughter-in-law is a school system employee. Asked if he favors an elected superintendent, Pruitt said, "Not really. Asked if the school board should be able to raise taxes, he said, "Absolutely not."

Asked if he would favor consolidating high schools, Pruitt said, "If the money's available, it would save money." Asked by Cox if that meant "yes," Pruitt said, "Yes." Asked by Commissioner Jerry Weems if he planned to run for the balance of the term in August, Pruitt said, "No, sir."

County Mayor Alan Broyles said the voting had to be by voice. Commissioner Hilton Seay nominated Pruitt; Commissioner Bill Moss nominated Jones; Cox nominated Collins and John Waddle Jr. nominated McNew.

On the first polling, Jones received 10 votes, one short of the 11 needed for a majority in the 21-member commission. Collins received four votes, Pruitt received four votes, and McNew received one vote.

Since no one received the necessary total to win, the lowest vote-getter, McNew, was dropped, and the commission was polled again.

The next time, Jones got 10 votes again, Collins got five votes, and Pruitt got four votes, so he was dropped and the commission was polled again.

That time, Jones received 13 votes (Betty Ruth Alexander, Bill Dabbs, Brenda Grogan, Clark Justis, Jan Kiker, Bob King, Fred Malone Jr., Moss, Sam Riley, Seay, Waddle, Jerry Weems and Tim White).

Collins got six votes (Cox, John D. Carter, Rennie Hopson, Phil King, Robbie Morgan, Kevin Morrison).

Mayor Broyles then congratulated Jones, and County Clerk David Thompson administered the oath of office to him.