In a 5-5 vote down party lines, Hamilton County commissioners failed to take action on a resolution recognizing the resignation of former District 11 school board representative Jill Black, D-Lookout Mountain, that would have put the seat on the November ballot.
Commissioner Jeff Eversole, R-Ooltewah, was absent. In a statement from Waterhouse Public Relations attributed to Eversole, the commissioner said he had a medical emergency Monday that required surgery Tuesday morning. The statement said he is recovering and expects to resume his official duties in the next week to 10 days.
Black, who moved to Canada with her family, resigned from the seat Aug. 21. She had served on the 11-member school board since 2022 and had two years left on her four-year term.
District 11 includes Alton Park, East Ridge, Lookout Mountain and Lookout Valley.
According to Tennessee law, if a vacancy occurs on the county school board less than 60 days before the August election but 60 days or more before the November election, then nominees of political parties are selected by the party’s county caucus and a successor is chosen by voters in the November election.