Dougherty County Board of Education swears in three members to new four-year terms

ALBANY — Prior to the start of Monday night’s Dougherty County Board of Education meeting, Probate Judge Nancy Stephenson administered the oath of office to three members of the board.

Melissa Strother of District 4, Dean Phinazee of District 6 and Milton Griffin of District 2 were all sworn in to new four-year terms on the board. The board also entered into a contract with a firm acting as a governmental affairs consultant and legislative representative.

Griffin, the senior member of the board and the former owner of Junebug’s Grocery, was elected to the board in November 2000. He is active in Dixie Youth Baseball and the Holiday Society Club, and attends Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church.

Strother, a sixth-generation resident of Albany, was elected to the board in 2014. She attended Auburn University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in human development and family services.

Phinazee was elected to the board in 2014. He is a retired educator with the Dougherty County School System where he taught math and reading to fifth-grade students.

He a graduate of Pike County High School in Zebulon. In 1972, he earned his bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Albany State University. In 1977, he was awarded his master’s degree in elementary education from Georgia State University.

Phinazee earned his specialist in education degree from Albany State in 1995 and his doctorate in religion from Bethany Divinity College and Seminary. He previously taught at Calhoun County Schools, Albany State and DCSS. He also served as the director of the Child Development and Staff Training Project at ASU.

In action items, the board approved entering into a seven-month contract with Cason Group, LLC for services as a governmental affairs consultant and legislative representative to the Georgia government on behalf of DCSS in a nonexclusive capacity.

The firm’s duties include identifying national and state issues that may have an impact on the DCSS; develop and facilitate effective strategies for engagement of governmental entities and the community; confer with state legislators to obtain support for legislation favorable to DCSS interests; among other duties.

The firm will be paid $4,000 monthly over the life of the contract, which also contains four additional one-year terms as an option.

The next school board meeting is set for Jan. 30.