Three seats on the Lenoir County Board of Education will be on the ballot this year, but incumbents will fill no more than two.

Board member Clay Howard will not seek reelection to his District 1 seat representing Pink Hill. Howard is ending his stint with the board after one four-year term.

“I’m not really a politician, but I have enjoyed it,” Howard said. “I’ll let somebody else enjoy it now.”

Incumbents David Fillippeli, representing District 2, and Dr. Keith Seaforth, from District 5, are expected to run again. Howard said he hasn’t heard yet about anyone who is interested in filling his spot.

“Everywhere you go, everywhere you turn, everybody’s got a problem,” Howard said. “If somebody asks me something, I’m going to try to find out an answer. I don’t think anyone has called me to complain that I haven’t gotten them an answer, even though sometimes they don’t like it.”

Howard said his goal on the board was to get members to come together, and to hire a superintendent and assistant superintendent.

“Today I can tell you this board is one board,” he said. “That’s what I’m most proud of. We can disagree but it’s the first time we’ve been able to do it civilly. When we come out of closed session, everybody’s smiling. We don’t all agree, but it’s nice that we can still be together. And I’m proud to have served with [board Chairman] Connie Mintz.”

Howard is also pushing the need for voters to approve a $68 million bond referendum for new school buildings.

“People are having mixed emotions,” he said. “Nobody likes a tax increase, but it’s only way we’re going to get any schools built. I wish everybody would go around the county and see the shape our buildings are in. It’s amazing how our teachers do as good as they do with the conditions some of them work in. In the winter they’ve go to find duct tape to keep the cold from coming in.”

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