By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
In a race that looked to be uncontested, presumably vacant and was largely overlooked because of that, the Barren County Board of Education gained a new member.
Current Chairperson Shelly Groce said, and confirmed by Superintendent Administrative Assistant Stephanie Spence, that Danny Spears will represent the fifth school board district in 2025. The fifth district is the southeastern portion of Barren County around the Temple Hill and Eighty-Eight communities.
In October it was reported that Nikki Shelton, the person who currently represents the fifth district, would not seek reelection, which left that race without a filed candidate.
Ashton Harrison, election coordinator in the Barren County Clerk’s Office, citing Kentucky Revised Statute 117.265 said a person had to file a “declaration of intent” by Oct. 25 in order to have their votes counted during the general election. Based on Harrison’s records Spears filed his declaration on Oct. 24 at 2:37 p.m.
A board of education candidacy requires a person to submit their transcript, a declaration of intent and an affidavit.
According to the numbers gathered by the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office, Spears won his uncontested race with 5 votes — all of which came from the Temple Hill precinct. Harrison said she and the clerk contacted the secretary of state to find out if their was a minimum vote count needed and found there was not.
Groce said Spears is a good man who has said he is interested in serving the school district.
