Steve Loughridge

CHATSWORTH, Ga. — The Murray County Board of Education has named a school system veteran as its new superintendent.

Board members voted 7-0 Thursday night to name Finance Director Steve Loughridge superintendent, according to Director of Administration Mike Tuck. Loughridge’s annual salary will be $135,000 and his term runs through June 30, 2021.

Loughridge had served as interim superintendent since the board removed Eric McFee as superintendent in March of 2018 after 19 months on the job. Board members declined to say why they removed McFee.

Loughridge, who has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Georgia and is a certified public accountant (CPA), was the school system’s finance director since March of 2003.

The board named Loughridge the sole finalist for superintendent in December.

In an interview after being named the finalist, Loughridge said he doesn’t expect to implement any major changes.

“We’ve got to develop our new five-year facility plan because we are in that part of our planning cycle. That will be one of the first things we start on,” he said. “We are doing some renovations at Gladden Middle School.”