In a special meeting Monday morning, the Rock Hill School Board hired seven new janitors to keep its new buildings clean.

Three of new janitors used to be teachers aides and this could cause a problem with bus drivers who also wanted those positions.

The board voted unanimously to hire Shirley Mullins, Hardy Barker, Faye Fox and Tommy Mullins as full-time, 12- month custodians.

But board split three-to- one on the hiring of Patricia Gore, Deborah Barnard and Dora Bridges as part-time, nine-month custodians. Board member Wanda Jenkins voted against hiring them, while board members Jackie Harris, Troy Hardy and Richie Donohoe voted in favor of hiring them.

"Were there bus drivers who bid on these positions?" Jenkins wanted to know.

"Yes," Superintendent Lloyd Evans said.

Jenkins said after the meeting that she believed the custodians' positions should be given to the bus drivers who bid on the jobs, since they had far more years of seniority than the teachers aides.

The aides' positions were abolished earlier this year, even though the aides still were under contract with the system.

"My main concern is seniority," Jenkins said. "I feel they should have the right to these jobs and in the past they have (gotten them)."

Jenkins pointed out that the bus drivers are among the lowest paid employees in the system, and the move to the janitor's job would have meant an additional $3,000 a year in salary.

Board member Carl Large remains at Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital in Russell, Ky., after collapsing Thursday just before a special board meeting was supposed to have started.