Warden Will not Seek Reelection

The chairman of the Metro school board said today she will not run for re-election this August.

After one four-year term and two years as chair, Marsha Warden will leave the board. She says the position has become all-consuming. Warden jokingly says her husband has been nagging her about the job, which pays only a part-time salary of 14-thousand dollars.

“He says, ‘woman, when are you going to go back and get an honest paying job. I don’t want to die at my desk. I want to retire one day.’ You know, and I really have. I need to go back and if I’m going to work this hard, get a real paying job.”

Warden is a nurse, by trade, but says she has no time for a day-job.

With her decision, Warden likely will not get to vote on who will replace Pedro Garcia as the next director of schools. But, she says, at least she’ll be able to pick the search firm before she leaves office.

There has been unusually high interest in Warden’s seat on the school board, with seven other candidates picking up petitions. Warden says she’s willing to help anyone interested in running. The deadline to file is Friday.

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Warden says she’s been grooming Lee Limbird for the position. She’s a professor at Meharry Medical College. She also compliments the work of Alan Coverstone, an active parent. Both turned in petitions to run Monday. Paul Brenner is the only other challenger who has filed to run for the seat by end of business Tuesday.

Other candidates who picked up petitions:

Sonny Farmer

Stephen W. Hicks

Metro Councilman Eric Crafton

James Lech