The announcement by Spencer Hogg last week that he would not be seeking reelection to the Chattooga County Board of Education has prompted local radio personality and small-business owner Bonnie Fletcher to announce that she plans to qualify in the Republican Primary to run for Seat Four – the Lyerly seat – on the Board of Education. 

The Chattooga Board of Education appointed Spencer Hogg to fill the open seat on the local board of education after Dr. Julia Houston abruptly resigned the position.  Spencer Hogg announced last Friday that he would not be seeking the office in the upcoming election.

Bonnie Fletcher attended Lyerly Elementary School and graduated from Chattooga High School in 2003.  She has worked for WZQZ Radio for the past nine years.  She is the wife of Justin Fletcher and they live on Highway 100 in the Lyerly Elementary School District.  The Fletcher’s have two sons – Aiden and Ace – who attend Lyerly Elementary School.   Bonnie Fletcher also owns and manages Honeybee Flowers Gifts and Sweets in Summerville, along with her parents Joe and Ellen Kinnamont .

Qualifying for candidates seeking local office begins next week for the May Primary Elections.  Local school board seats in Chattooga County are partisan races, so candidates must qualify to run on either the Democratic or Republican ticket to be on the ballot.  Currently, the county school board is made up of two elected Republicans and one elected Democrat – along with two appointed board members, Spencer Hogg and Lynn Hall.

Bonnie Fletcher released the following statement regarding her candidacy:

My name is Bonnie Kinnamont Fletcher. I am a local business owner, employee of our local radio station, a wife, a mother to two boys who attend Lyerly Elementary School and I am a 2003 graduate of Chattooga High School.

I had submitted my name for the Lyerly seat when it had been left vacant by a previous board member. I knew I wanted to be on the board but I didn’t realize just how much it meant to me until they announced one of the other candidates as their selection. I believe Spencer has done a great job in the Lyerly seat and will continue to do so through the remainder of his term. Once he announced that he would not run for re-election, I felt it was time to put my everything into running for the position.

While I may not have a political or educational background, I do have a deep love for the community, the administration of Chattooga County Schools and most importantly, the children. I have always been very involved in my children’s education, their athletics and extracurricular activities. I offer myself regularly to assist other parents and our school system because I truly believe that working together, we can provide the tools necessary for the success of each child. 

I will be submitting to qualify for the Lyerly seat and I am asking for the support of our County. We can work hand in hand to provide a bright and promising future for our schools. I have so many ideas that I would love to bring to the table and hope that I can do so. If elected, I will work hard, pray a lot and always make sure that the students are number one. Thank you all!

NOTE FROM WZQZ GENERAL MANAGER JIMMY HOLBROOK:  Bonnie Fletcher is an employee of WZQZ Radio.  Should anyone qualify against her in the Republican or Democratic Primary scheduled for May 24, 2022, under FCC regulations, she will not be allowed to be on the radio while seeking office, unless all qualified candidates agree to other terms.  WZQZ News will allow all candidates a free platform to announce their candidacy and our reporting on the election will be transparent.  WZQZ will adhere to all FCC requirements regarding political candidates – including all regulations for on-air personalities.