LORDSTOWN Potential coach turns down offer

The retired Mogadore coach declined to say why he decided not to take the head boys basketball position.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- The school district will have to continue its search for a boys high school basketball coach.
Thomas McClary of Mogadore, a retired coach of the boys basketball team at Mogadore High School, was offered the head boys basketball coaching position at Lordstown High School. The board of education approved a supplemental contract for McClary along with several other supplemental contracts at their meeting Wednesday.
But McClary has decided not to take the post.
"We attempted to offer him the position, but he has decided he's not going to come," said Superintendent Ray Getz.
McClary declined Thursday to comment on his decision.
"He was the 17-year head coach at Mogadore and was the all-time winningest coach there," Getz said. "It would have been a real coup for us for him to come here."
Tense meeting: The school board meeting where the supplemental contracts were approved proved contentious with questioning of Getz by some board members regarding a proposal for open enrollment at the Gordon D. James Career Center.
Board member Roxanna Holton viewed the new policy as a change in contract language and said it would require votes from all of the compact districts that participate in the center to be approved.
Board President Becky Albrecht said the board needed more time and additional information to consider the open enrollment idea.
The center compact includes Lordstown, Niles, McDonald, Howland and Weathersfield with Lordstown as the fiscal agent.
State Auditor Jim Petro's office declared the district in fiscal emergency last December, citing a projected $1.35 million deficit by the end of this month.