Discussions about the search for a new Guam Department of Education superintendent began this week and it wasn't without conflict.

During a special Guam Education Board meeting Thursday, GEB Chair Mark Mendiola suggested establishing a sub-committee for the search of a GDOE superintendent. This discussion comes after Jon Fernandez, who has been at the helm for almost 10 years, handed in his resignation letter from his role as GDOE superintendent, which will go into effect July 15. As KUAM News reported, Fernandez, the longest-serving superintendent in the nation and in GDOE's history filed his termination of employment letter early May to focus on family matters, after leading the island’s largest school system for nearly a decade.

"So what I am hoping to do here today is appoint a seven-member panel to do this processing," Mendiola said. "I am not taking away the role and responsibility of the board to make the decision what I am having them do is basically screen and ensure that the criteria set forth by law in addition to that whatever kinds of criteria the board may set with respect to the job announcement. Once that is completed then it will be forward to the board for its second phase which will kind of be an interview and to basically have a discussion with the candidates moving forward and negotiations for the contract."

The special committee will develop the timeline, and preferred qualifications for the next head of the island's largest GovGuam agency.

Fellow GEB members raised concerns about the proposal.

"Once this committee members are selected for them to sign a confidentially because before superintendent even turned in his official letter to the board the news was already out in the public and I am very disappointed," board member Maria Gutierrez said.

"I personally don't think there should be two separate committees I think we can do it as a body as a whole and do the screening because separating it, it doesn't give everybody a flavor of the process it took to choose a superintendent," board member Robert Crisostomo said.

"I am concerned about the kind of politics that begins to develop when you start putting people in to develop additional qualifications who simply do not run it," Board member Ron McNinch said.

Mendiola responded to their questions and suggestions by sharing the goals and objectives of the committee.

"What I am trying to do is get them to do the groundwork in terms of ensuring that job announcement goes out, timeline is set, all that stuff so once it comes to the board and we need to render a decision the decision would be made based on what's before us," he said.

Mendiola eventually made the motion to stand the sub committee, which passed.

"I am going to charge them to follow the law, come up with any qualifications that they think is important at this time so that we can get a well-rounded candidate," he said.

The special body is expected to meet as early as next week. According to Mendiola, the new superintendent will not be in before Fernandez's departure, which is mid-July.