The county commission reached a stalemate monday night when it attempted to fill the seat on the school board vacated by Bruce Parsley.
Parsley was elected as school board member for the 6th District in 2008, but resigned the position effective in  December  to pursue a career in teaching.
Parsley’s term on the board expires in August, and it is up to the county commission to choose an interim replacement.
Boyd Trapp and Doug Stephens both applied for the position, and were interviewed by the commission in a special workshop Thursday night.
When the time came for a vote, however, the commission tied 6-6 on who  should get the job until election time.
Voting for Trapp were Elmer Ellis (1st District), Bobby Joines (2nd District), Jerry Scott (3rd District), Jeff Barnes and Marshall Ferrell (6th District), and Jimmy Poss (7th District).
Meanwhile, Jack Barton (2nd District), Bradley Hendrix (3rd District), Wayne Cantrell and David McDowell (4th District), Jerry Adcock (5th District) and Larry Summers (7th District).
John Green from the (5th District), and Mason Carter (1st District) were absent.
The tie could have been broken by County Mayor Mike Foster’s vote, but he chose not to cast a vote.
The matter was tabled until the end of the meeting, and after a short recess another vote was taken with the same result.
The seat will remain vacant at least until the next meeting on March 26, when commissioners are expected to bring the matter up again.
The commission voted last month to take applications eligible candidates from the 6th District, with a deadline for Feb. 6.
Trapp and Stephens were the only applicants.
After commissioners interviewed the two men Thursday night, a vote was scheduled to choose one of the applicants to fill Parsley’s seat at Monday night's monthly meeting, held at the UT Extension office in the new county complex.
Stephens has lived in Dekalb county  for 20 years and sells construction equipment.
He is a graduate of Sparta High School, and has been a Cub Scout master for four years.
He has two children, Emily, a ninth-grader, and Will, who is in fifth grade.
His wife is Mary Beth, a local pharmacist.
Trapp is a lifelong resident of the county, and he and his wife Linda live in the Blue Springs community.
He attended Liberty High School, and was a member of the first graduating class at the DeKalb County High School.
Trapp has two sons, Darrel and Dwane, who is deceased.
He has two grandchildren, Jayrah, who is in the seventh grade, and Jamison, a second-grader.
His daughter-in-law, Janet is a teacher in DeKalb County.
 Trapp has been involved with Little League baseball, and was president of the Quarterback Club at one time.
Trapp and Stephens have both expressed intentions to run for the seat  in the August.