NELSON CO., Ky. (WDRB) -- For the first time since its meeting last week where board members voted to potentially merge its two high schools, Nelson County Schools' Board of Education met to formally accept the resignation of one of its members.

Tuesday evening's board meeting at Central Office brought a crowd, once again protesting a potential merger.

"I want my kid to be known, heard, seen, loved and taken care of," said parent Carla McKay.

Parents have protested, students have walked out, and schools were closed for two days last week because of staffing shortages as they too protested.

As those protests continued outside Tuesday board meeting, board president Diane Berry and member David Norman, they declined requests to comment.

Katrina Nickell: "I was just wondering if you guys would do a quick interview to talk about your decisions, the vote?"

Diane Berry: "We can't, we can't, we can't do it. We can't make comments, when you make a comment you have to involve all the board and maybe the board doesn't feel the same way I do. So that's--"

Katrina Nickell: "As board president would you like to?"

Diane Berry: "No." 

The meeting was to formally accept Damon Jackey's resignation. Jackey announced his resignation after the board adjourned at last week's meeting.

Jackey, and member Tracy Bowling, both voted against a potential merger.

Member Amanda Deaton made the motion to merge.

Both Deaton and Bowling declined requests to comment.

"I don't wish to at this time," Deaton said.

"Unfortunately, we don't really have individual statements, we sort of speak as a board," Bowling said. "So until the board is ready to make a statement, unfortunately, that's where we are."

Jackey said part of his reason for resigning is the way his colleagues on the board have acted this last year, even accusing them of making unethical and possibly illegal decisions.

"What I started to see was more and more of were things I consider to be unethical behaviors," Jackey said.

Since the board accepted Jackey's resignation, it now has 60 days to fill the vacancy.

From Oct. 30 until Nov. 6, Nelson County Schools will run advertisements in the newspaper to advertise the vacancy. No earlier than Nov. 22, it will begin the process for selection from applicants. No later than Dec. 22, it will select an applicant to fill a vacancy at an open meeting.

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