Head BFHS football coach decision pending
July 31, 2013
With the first day of practice less than two weeks away, the decision on who is to be the Bonners Ferry High School head football this season will wait a few more days.

The school board met in special session Tuesday to consider filling this and other positions, including that of curriculum director, after receiving recommendations from interview committees. Those other positions, and two resignations, were approved with little discussion or fanfare, but Badger football proved an issue too tough to decide.

Among the hires approved; head cross county coach Tyler Warner, who assisted coach Paul Bonnell last year while student teaching at Bonners Ferry High School. Warner, hired to teach at BFHS, began his running career as a Badger under Coach Bonnell in 2006.

Robin Merrifield was approved as curriculum director.

But the position of head football coach stirred controversy even before some on the board knew that a recommendation had been made, apparently even before the nominee knew he'd been recommended.

Five applied, four were interviewed by the interview committee, which included two board members, one of whom chose not to attend Tuesday's meeting for concern that the process had been tainted.

After four hours of deliberation, most in executive session, the board publically approved the above hires and others with no public comment, then directed Superintendent Dick Conley to recall each candidate one more time, including the one not initially interviewed, to appear before the board of trustees in another special session to meet at 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 2, to explain in 10 minutes or less why they would be the best choice to head the Badger football program.

Much of that meeting, too, will be held in executive session, as it involves personnel, but the doors will be opened after, before any decision is made. The board may, but isn't required to, accept public comment ... they accepted and heard a fair bit Tuesday evening.