Beachler and Wycoff elected to lead Burke County Board of Education

Burke County’s first school board meeting with recently elected board members kicked off with a decisive vote Monday night as Tiana Beachler was elected chair and Jamey Wycoff secured the position of vice chair.

Crystal R. Carpenter, Clerk of Superior Court, swore in Wycoff, Sonya Rockett, Brad Camp, and Jeffrey Reid Beck at their first official meeting. Newly elected board members were joined by family and friends to celebrate the occasion.

Leslie Taylor began with a chair nomination for former vice chair, Aaron Johnson. Johnson secured two votes, not enough for the majority vote.

Beck nominated Beachler; she secured six votes, as Johnson voted twice — once in favor of himself and second in favor of Beachler. The final vote was 6-1 with Beachler claiming victory against Johnson.

Vice chair nominations began with Taylor again nominating Johnson to remain in his vice chair seat. Johnson received two votes. Camp nominated Wycoff; Wycoff won with seven votes as Johnson and Taylor voted twice in vice chair elections — once for Johnson and once for Wycoff. The final vote for vice chair was 7-0.

The evening concluded with a message of hope and encouragement as the floor opened for public comment.