Bennett selected for board

Jay School Board is back to full membership.
During a brief special meeting Monday, the board selected rural Redkey resident Tammy Bennett from a group of five applicants to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Mike Masters. His last day was Dec. 31, and the board had 30 days to choose his replacement.
“I’m very excited,” said Bennett, 44, 1074 S. Indiana 1. “Before Mike even thought about resigning, there had been a time that I had thought about trying to be more involved … I love the kids. My first and most important thing to me are the kids.”
The meeting, which followed an hour-long executive session, lasted only about a minute, with board member Cory Gundrum making the motion for Bennett to be selected and a 6-0 vote following. Board members Kristi Betts, Beth Krieg, Ron Laux, Greg Wellman, Mike Shannon and Gundrum had also met in executive session to discuss the candidates Jan. 4.
Other applicants for the position were Linda Brackman, 31 N. Oak St., Redkey; Phil Ford, 3603 S. 1150 West, Dunkirk; Jeff Geesaman 4411 S. Indiana 1, Redkey; and Travis Shawver, 348 E. Main St., Redkey.
Though there was no public comment or discussion about the selection Monday, when asked after the meeting board president Betts said each of the board members had spoken with all of the candidates. She noted that all five candidates were “excellent,” and added that Bennett was selected because she brings experience to the board that the rest of the group does not have.
“She’s gone through consolidations before,” said Betts, referencing Bennett’s time as a student at Montpelier Elementary/Middle School in Blackford County. “She’s familiar with the boards in the surrounding areas and the things that they do. And we just feel that she can bring skills as a seventh person that the six currently seated don’t possess.”

Montpelier is now an elementary school only after the two middle schools in Blackford County consolidated into one.
Bennett is a Blackford High School graduate who went on to Amber’s Beauty School in Muncie and worked as a beautician for 12 years. She has worked at Tyson Mexican Original in Portland for four months, previously worked at Bell Aquaculture and was also a stay-at-home mom for more than a decade. She has also volunteered with preschool students at Westlawn Elementary School.
She and her husband Tab have three children — Mitch, a Jay County High School graduate, Devan, an eighth grader at West Jay Middle School and Garrett, a second grader at Westlawn Elementary.
“My own children I think have gotten a lot from Jay School Corporation as far as their education,” said Bennett. “The most important thing is just to make sure the kids are the first and most important thing.”
Bennett will serve for the rest of 2016, completing the final year of Masters’ term. Her seat, which represents Knox and Richland townships outside the City of Dunkirk, is up for election in November.

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