School Board member delayed by paperwork

Zachary — The Zachary Community School Board intends to name former Zachary Fire Chief Boyce Smith as the new District 7 interim member, but a technical problem prevented him from being sworn in at a board meeting Thursday.

District 7 member Carl Kelley resigned to take a job out of the state, but his resignation letter was notarized in New Jersey and lacked specific language indicating where it was signed, Finance Director Gordon Robertson said.

A resignation letter that Kelley prepared for the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office was delivered to the wrong address, Robertson said.

Board President Jannie Rogers said Smith officially would join the board during its July 12 meeting if the paperwork is completed properly.

Smith said he approached Kelley more than a year ago to say he would like to serve on the board if Kelley decided not to seek re-election.

“I wouldn’t run against him because I think he was doing a good job, but I told him I might like to serve myself one day,” said Smith, who retired last year as the city’s fire chief.

Kelley joined the board in 2008 after Beth Kimmell, one of the board’s original elected members, resigned to move to Texas. Kelley took office after winning a special election in October 2008 and was re-elected in 2010.