WELCH OUT?

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

A bit of light has been shed on the status of head football coach/athletic director Jack Welch’s employment with the Copperas Cove Independent School District, after more than a week’s worth of speculation and rumors swirling on social media and beyond.

On Monday, April 23, the district released notice of a special meeting of the CCISD board of trustees, set for Thursday, April 26 at noon.

The agenda includes a closed session to discuss “personnel matters” as well as “consultations with attorney” and “consultations between governmental body and attorney.”

The open meeting will resume after the closed session, with the board scheduled to “consider and take possible action to approve resignation and retirement agreement with athletic director.”

Welch’s administrative contract was approved by CCISD in April 2017, to go through June 2021.

Rumblings about Welch, who has been at the helm of CCISD athletics and Bulldawg football for 24 years, began early last week when talk emerged with some reports that Welch’s office was “cleaned out” and “locks changed.”

One rumor was that Welch was in the running for the superintendent position at Lake Worth ISD, where brother Tracy will be head coach and former Bulldawgs offensive line coach Vance McAnally has also taken a position. However, as of Thursday April 19, Bobby Sullivan with LWISD Human Resources/District Communication said that LWISD had not selected any finalists as of that time.

Last week, in response to queries about Welch’s employment status, the district declined to comment on “personnel matters.”

Thursday’s meeting will take place at the CCISD Administration board room and is open to the public.

The administration building is located at 703 W. Ave. D.