Citizens will soon have a chance to voice their opinions,suggestions and concerns about a new school superintendent, theBrookhaven school board announced Tuesday.

During their monthly meeting, the board of trustees announced itwould host a forum at 7 p.m., May 11, in the Brookhaven High Schoolauditorium.

“The board wanted to have input from all of the community,” saidChairman Dr. Prentiss Smith.

The forum will be open to the public and will give residents achance to talk with board members about filling the position, whichtwill be vacant beginning June 1. At that time, currentsuperintendent Dr. Sam Bounds will assume the position of executivedirector of the Mississippi Association of SchoolSuperintendents.

“We’d like to invited everyone who has interest in our schooldistrict,” said Smith.

The position will not be filled by June 1, Smith said, but asearch firm has been hired to find the most qualifiedapplicants.

“They advised us to have the best pool of candidates, and weshould not move quite as fast as we had intended,” said Smith.

The estimated date for announcing the new superintendent isSept. 1.

Also announced Tuesday was the decision to advertise for bids torenovate/resurface the Brookhaven High School track.

“We had really hoped to expand it to eight lanes, but we wouldhave to move the stadium,” said Bounds.

The resurfacing of the six lanes with an advanced rubber tracksurface will cost nothing extra for the district because the fundshave been saved, said Bounds.

The project will bring more funds to the district because BHSwill now be able to host track events, such as south state andstate meets.

“We’re still going to keep it available to the public,” addedBounds about the number of residents who like use the track forexercise.

District officials plan to put signs up to encourage walkers andrunners to switch lanes after each lap. Damage to lane one, themost commonly used lane, can be lessened with this method, saidofficials.

Also to prevent damage to the new surface, portions of it willbe covered during events, such as football games, where playerswear cleats.

Another planned addition to the BHS stadium will be the purchaseand installation of new aluminum bleachers for the BHS band. Theadditional bleachers will free about 400 seats in the stands, saidBounds.