The Covington County Board of Education voted 3-2 Tuesday to hire Chris Thomasson as principal at Red Level Elementary School.

Thomasson previously served as the Red Level High School assistant principal.

Thomasson will replace former principal Rodney Drish, who was reassigned to the alternative school supervisor at the June 12 meeting.

Drish has since accepted a position as principal at Hillcrest High School in Evergreen. The board accepted his resignation yesterday.

Superintendent Terry Holley said there were six applicants for the RLES principal position, but at the end several withdrew.

Board members John Clark and Lynda Powell voted against hiring Thomasson and Jimmy Rodgers, Jeff Bailey, and Jimmy Prestwood voted in favor.

“I would like to say that I have my doubts and concerns,” Powell said. “I’ve been contacted by people in the community who also have their doubts and concerns. Since there is a doubt, I feel like I can’t with good conscious vote in favor. I hope that I am wrong. This situation is going to be difficult to make the faculty and community trust again.”

Clark did not state why he voted against Thomasson.

But, Bailey and Rodgers had opposite thoughts.

“I don’t have any doubt Chris can do the job,” Bailey said. “I believe he certainly can.”

“I have no doubts,” Rodgers said. “I have had teachers come to me and say, ‘We want Chris.’ And he was there some at the end of school.”

In other personnel business, the board voted to:

• employ Sandra W. Bryant as secretary at the central office, effective Aug. 1;

• transfer Kendall S. Riley from second grade teacher at Fleeta Jr. High School to reading coach at FJHS, effective at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

• employ Jennie H. Ward as science teacher at Florala High School, effective at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

• employ Carmen W. Powell as collaborative special education teacher at Red Level Elementary School, effective at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

• employ David Godwin as social science teacher with coaching duties at Red Level High School, effective at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

• employ Victoria Marie Adams as JAG teacher at Red Level Elementary School, effective at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.

• accept the resignation of Wade Alan Caudle as band director at Straughn High School, effective immediately.

• granted medical leave of absence and benefits under the Family Medical Leave Act to Alisha Robin Odom, library media specialist at W.S. Harlan Elementary School beginning Aug. 13, 2012 through Nov. 2, 2012.

• accept resignation of Rhonda Leigh Mosley as teacher at Straughn Middle School, effective immediately.

The board also:

• adopted salary schedules for the 2012-2013 school year.

• approved revisions to school board policy.

• awarded milk, bread and ice cream bids to Sara Lee and Barber’s.

• approved revisions to the wellness policies.