[UK#24]

by Cris Ritchie
Editor 04:00 PM, Monday, September 10

HAZARD – The Perry County Board of Education has called a special meeting for Wednesday, September 12 to consider whether or not to terminate Superintendent John Paul Amis’s contract.

The notice and agenda for the meeting were released to the Herald Monday morning, with Supt. Amis’s contract being the only business item listed. Amis was hired by the board in the 1990s, and last year was named Superintendent of the Year by the Kentucky School Board Association. His current contract runs through 2016.

The agenda notes that the board will consider the issue pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statute 160.350(3), which states that the board must have at least a four vote majority to terminate the contract, along with approval by the Kentucky Commissioner of Education. If the board votes to terminate Mr. Amis’s contract, Education Commissioner Terry Holliday will have 30 days to issue a decision.

Board Chairman John C. Combs confirmed on Monday that the board would be meeting to “discuss and figure out if we’re going to terminate the contract of Mr. Amis.”

Combs declined to talk in detail or list what specific issues brought about the meeting, adding that he would wait to discuss it with the rest of the board on Wednesday.

“I’d just rather wait until they get up there and see what they’ve got to say,” Combs said. “It’s not a good feeling to have to go out here and terminate anybody.”

Superintendent Amis was not in his office Monday morning, and did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Wednesday’s meeting is scheduled for the board’s central office at 10 a.m.