BOE appoints director of schools as temporary fiscal officer

TOP PHOTO: The lower conference room at the school administration building was packed with teachers, principals and other educators concerned about their jobs and their insurance at Thursday’s Budget and Finance Committee meeting and the BOE’s emergency meeting to address signing an MOU with the state’s Benefits Administration office to retain health insurance for employees.

By Charlotte Underwood

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Board of Education held a very brief “emergency meeting” on Thursday evening, approving to appoint Director of Schools Jennifer Fields as the school system’s fiscal officer. The appointment is a temporary one so that she can sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with the state’s Benefit’s Administration in order for teachers to retain their health insurance coverage.

The school district had previously been granted a month-long extension by the state on having the MOU signed after County Finance Director Jeff Marlow did not want to sign the agreement in April due to a “change in how the Benefits Administration in Nashville defines what a fiscal officer is” according to County Attorney Joe Coker, who was at that April BOE meeting.

After discussion, Marlow had agreed to sign the MOU, but with a disclaimer, which the state would not accept with his signature as finance director. Director Fields said she was willing to be appointed to sign the document if it meant employees having “peace of mind.”

“We are hoping that will suffice the Benefit’s Administration’s criteria to get this signed, sealed and delivered,” said BOE Chair Jeffrey Miller.

BOE member Brandon Johnson said he had already asked Director Fields if board attorney Dale Cantrell thought it was acceptable, and he said yes. Johnson asked if the board should contact the comptroller and confirm that it was acceptable. He also asked Richard Terry with the finance department what his opinion was on it.

“I think if you appoint her as fiscal officer, hopefully that will be acceptable by Benefits Administration,” Terry said.

Miller said they would find out soon if it was accepted and if it was not, he would be calling BOE members back for another emergency meeting.

Director Fields said she was comfortable with it as a temporary appointment.

“My concern prior was that we would do it as a temporary action and then change it because that does not seem very ethical and I was not comfortable doing that, I’m more comfortable doing this because it’s just acting as a liaison between the LEA and the Finance department because I have no fiscal capabilities here in this office because I have no access to any accounting software or any finance program so it would be strictly communication and I am comfortable with doing that and I am more than willing to do it if it’s going to ensure our employees have peace of mind that their health insurance is not in jeopardy of being taken away,” Director Fields said.

BOE chair Jeffrey Miller made the motion that the BOE authorize the director of schools to temporarily serve as the Fiscal Officer for the school system. This position “will act solely as the liaison between LEA and the County Finance Department under the governance of county financial management” according to Miller’s motion.

The motion states that the director of schools will be “responsible for facilitating communication and coordination between the school system and County Finance and ensuring the accurate and timely submissions of financial documents, contracts and reports. This designation is necessary to maintain the continuity of financial operations and ensure the timely execution of required fiscal agreements, including the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for employee health insurance coverage.”

The director will receive no extra compensation for this duty.

The motion passed unanimously. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/30/2025-6AM)