UPDATED: City Council reappoints Brian Cox to GCSC School Board

By unanimous vote, the Greencastle City Council has reappointed Brian Cox to a four-year term on the Greencastle School Board of Trustees.

Cox, who has served on the GCSC Board the past 2-1/2 years, was selected over Ed Wilson, the veteran Greencastle City Police sergeant, who was the lone other applicant for a spot on the appointed board.

City Council members, meeting in special session Thursday night, praised both candidates and offered words of encouragement for Wilson, who reportedly is also in the pool of candidate for the open Greencastle Township trustee appointment.

Brian Cox

Cox and Wilson, who both have two children in Greencastle schools, were asked if they could accomplish three things, what they would be.

Cox said he would assure that morale is “good all the way across (the board)” and make sure “everyone’s morale is up.”

He would also like to see “more buy-in from the community,” as well as see more GHS seniors obtain college credits via a dual-credit program.

Meanwhile, Wilson stressed security in the schools, including the need for school resource officers. Beyond that, he suggested better attention to mental health issues, noting “our counselors are stretched thin” dealing with students’ mental health concerns.

As a third accomplishment, Wilson would like to see better education “toward what is going on in the world” at present, including racism and mental health issues.

As for the biggest challenge facing the school and community, Wilson said he sends his two children off to school each day, hoping they will be safe, learn and come home every night.

“We have a lot of mental health issues in our schools right now,” Wilson said, adding he wanted to bring his law enforcement experience to the board. “It’s a challenge for teachers to overcome.”

Meanwhile, Cox said funding represents the biggest challenge for GCSC.

“Funding sort of directs everything,” he said, indicating that the inability to have all students with equal access to the Internet is an issue in the e-learning world, while he is also concerned with safety and students with social anxiety issues.

“But the No. 1 challenge is budget and financing,” Cox said.

Overall, in closing Cox said, “Our schools are doing well. We’re just a couple stages away from great. Our teachers are phenomenal and are going to get them there.”

Council President Mark Hammer, who served as moderator for the evening, summarized the session by saying he was “very happy with both candidates.”

Noting that Cox and Wilson came with different backgrounds, Hammer surmised, “I don’t think we can make a bad decision.”

Addressing several of the topics brought up during the evening, Councilman Adam Cohen stressed that Greencastle shouldn’t be lagging behind other county schools in mental health, school safety or acquisition of associate’s degrees through dual credits.

Suggesting the school board “kind of tiptoes around those issues,” Cohen added, “I don’t want to hear again we’re not leading the pack on mental health or we’re behind other schools on these other issues, and I’ll throw in racism as well. We’re the county seat.”

In making a motion to reappoint Cox, Councilor Stacie Langdon said she believed the city had “two very strong candidates and hopefully both end up on the school board because they both would be assets to the school board.”

“Brian brings experience, background and hopefully some momentum,” she added, “to carry out some of the things the school board can do going forward with a new superintendent coming on board.”

Cohen said he had no problem reappointing Cox, “he’s outstanding.”

But he suggested that Council appointees to the school board be charged with returning to brief the Council on where such key issues as mental health safety and racism stand.

“If there’s been any school board member who’s been forthcoming, it’s been Brian,” Councilman Hammer praised, noting his updates via emails and personal appearances. “We’ll continue to encourage that.”

Cox, the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce executive director, was reappointed following a motion by Langdon and a second from Veronica Pejril.

The 6-0 margin was achieved with affirmative votes by Mark Hammer, Adam Cohen, Cody Eckert and Dave Murray.

Councilman Tyler Wade, whose resignation is effective May 29, was not in attendance either at City Hall or via Zoom.

Cox will continue on a school board that currently includes Russell Harvey, an appointment made by school board to fill out the unexpired term of city appointee Lisa McCoy; Mike White and Bill Tobin, Greencastle Township trustee appointees (although Tobin’s term expires June 30); and Dale Pierce, Madison Township trustee appointee.