President takes Beachum off panel

Beachum said he had no idea he was being ousted as chairman.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The president of the Youngstown Board of Education is apparently displeased with how the chairman of the board's finance committee is handling his job.
The Rev. Michael Write, board president, announced at Thursday's board meeting that Lock P. Beachum Sr. would no longer serve as that committee's chairman.
Effective immediately, board member Jacqueline Taylor will take that position and Beachum will replace her as chairman of the policy and legislative committee, Write said.
The announcement clearly took everyone by surprise.
Beachum immediately asked why, and Write replied, "That's what my pleasure is, Mr. Beachum."
"That's not right," Beachum said, adding later that he would ask the board to override Write's decision.
Write pointed out that the board has no such authority. Committee chairmen are appointed solely by the board president, he said, telling Beachum that he no longer wanted him as finance committee chairman.
Taylor was reluctant to accept the assignment, telling Write that her "passion" is serving as chairman of the policy and legislative committee, an appointment she had sought.
Beachum said that if finance committee members were unhappy with his service, they could have let him know in writing, adding that he would resign if he's done something wrong.
Taylor is already a member of the finance committee, and Beachum is also a member of the policy and legislative committee.
No elaboration
After the meeting, Write declined to elaborate on his decision to replace Beachum, again repeating that committee chairmen serve at the pleasure of the president.
"I think Ms. Taylor will do the best job for the district," he said.
Write had named Beachum finance committee chairman in January.
"I'm asking too many questions," Beachum said when asked why he was ousted.
He said that he was making sure there were no sacred cows when it came to making spending cuts and that the district is doing what it has to do in-house to curtail spending before going to the voters with a request for a tax levy.
"I don't think it's right," he said of Write's decision.
Beachum said he will remain as a member of the board of education but won't accept any board assignments.
gwin@vindy.com