Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Smithson announces retirement

Hebs been a fixture in the Gurdon School District for more than 32 years, but retirement will soon end Bobby Smithsonbs tenure as superintendent of the Gurdon School District.

Smithson, who has been superintendent on two different occasions beginning in 1972, announced his intentions to retire during the Gurdon School Boardbs meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 15. His retirement will be effective at the end of the school year.

"I am very grateful for the many opportunities you have given me and my family," he said in a letter to board members. "I will help make the transition to a new superintendent as smoothly as possible. I will continue to serve this district for the next few months to the best of my ability."

The board accepted Smithsonbs decision to retire from the district after returning from an executive session.

The board has already begun its search for Smithsonbs successor. An ad appearing in this weekbs Gurdon Times solicits applicants for the position. It states that the starting date is July 1, and applications are to be addressed to David Williams, president of the board.

The salary for the position is based on the salary schedule, the ad states.

Smithson said he expects the board will consider applicants from both inside and outside the district.

In his letter to the board, Smithson made one last request. "My last request is I donbt want any building or part of a building to be named in my name, even if this issue should arise."

Smithson has also worked in other districts and was an assistant superintendent at Gurdon earlier in his career.

Also during the meeting, the board tabled the passage of a resolution that would identify local funding sources for potential construction projects for upcoming school years. The district must file for state funding my March 3.

Smithson said there are multiple ways the district can fund its 55 percent of the construction costs once projects are identified. The local funds can come from a raise in the districtbs milage, from second lien bonds or from surplus funds.

"If we identify our source of revenue and find out later that the funds are not available, the district is not required to follow its intent," Smithson said.

Smithson noted that the main projects on which the district will focus over the next two years will deal with safety issues such as grounding outside electrical outlets and adding inside security locks to classrooms.

The board also took action to official award the bid to Wade Abernathy Construction for the construction of the new Gurdon High School auditorium.