A full-time employee with television production expertise will be sought by public schools here to adminster programming on a Vicksburg Video channel.

The person hired may also teach a TV production course at both high schools, trustees of the Vicksburg Warren School District decided Thursday night.

Vicksburg Video made its cable Channel 16 available to the school district and cable Channel 23 available to the City of Vicksburg seven years ago.

Under then-Mayor Robert Walker, the city accepted the offer and started telecasts of its board meetings and other city events. Since then, what is now RCTV 23 has grown to a city department with 24-hour programming.

The schools initially declined the offer, but Vicksburg Video left it on the table.

&#8220It’s a pretty complicated process,” Price said. &#8220But it’s an excellent medium for what’s going on in our district.”

District 2 Trustee Zelmarine Murphy moved that the superintendent be authorized to explore a full-time employment position to deal with the channel’s development.

&#8220We need someone with expertise in this area to bring us high quality TV,” said District 2 Trustee Zelmarine Murphy. &#8220It is my wish that the same person be able to teach these skills to our students.”

The motion passed unanimously.

&#8220I agree that we really need to utilize it. We have something going on every day in our district that people need to know about,” said District 3 Trustee Betty Tolliver.

District 1 Trustee Jerry Boland agreed.

&#8220What we show the public and what we’re doing is very important,” he said.

District 5 Trustee Tommy Shelton said expenses should be monitored closely.

&#8220I just caution you to be as cost-effective as possible with this,” Shelton told Price.

Today, Channel 16 was showing a three-sentence message in white letters on a blue screen, informing the public of intent to develop programming in the next few months and asking for patience.

Price said he would start the process first thing today and although staff members Sid Hynum and Shelley Plett were doing &#8220an outstanding job” with the station, he saw great potential in having a production expert on a full-time basis.

In other meeting business, trustees: