Thomas Dickerson was unanimously elected vice president of the Quincy School Board during the second of two special meetings held Thursday.

Dickerson, who was president of the School Board from 2005-09, had declined a nomination for the vice presidency earlier this year at a meeting that Melvin “Bud” Niekamp was eventually elected as vice president.

Niekamp, who became president pro tempore of the board after Glenn Bemis resigned as president Monday, called the first meeting at 4 p.m. The second meeting was called by School Board members Dickerson, Bemis and Steven Krause on Monday after the announcement that Bemis had resigned from the leadership post he held for less than two months.

Early in the second meeting, Bemis nominated Dickerson to be vice president of the board. Niekamp then asked every other board member — in order, Bill Daniels, Krause, Bemis, Curtis Lovelace and Mays — to be vice president. All declined.

A vote was then held to name Dickerson vice president, and he was approved by a 7-0 vote.

During the second meeting, both Dickerson and school Superintendent Lonny Lemon asked the community to have faith in the district.

“Don’t give up on this School Board,” Dickerson said. “We’re trying to do what’s best for education.”

Lemon told the crowd: “We’re going to be OK. I believe in the faith, the resolve and good nature of this board, and my ability, and the faith in (the staff) of 1,400 employees, that we’re going to be OK.”

The second special meeting started at 6:15 p.m. and adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

—dadam@whig.com/221-3376