By JOYANNA LOVE/Senior Staff Writer

The Chilton County Board of Education voted 5 to 2 to hire law firm Hill, Hill and Carter as the board attorney, pending the signing of a written agreement, during meeting on Dec. 11.

Board members Chris Smith, Pam Price and Angie Sanderson, Vice President Jacqueline Sullivan and Board President Brian “Bucky” Jackson voted in favor. Lori Patterson and Keith Moore voted against.

Four law firms were interviewed by the board during a work session on Dec. 10. Jackson said each law firm was given time to make a presentation, followed but a 10-15 minute question and answer time with the board.

During the Dec. 11 voting session, each board member had initially designated the attorney they wanted to hire through a written ballot. Then, a motion was made to hire the one with the most votes.

Resigning board attorney John Hollis Jackson Jr. has agreed to help the board draft an agreement with the new law firm.

An attorney from Hill, Hill and Carter would attend each of the school board meetings to advise on legal matters. The agreement is also expected to include three yearly trainings for school board employees offered by the law firm.

Brian Jackson said the board hopes to have the agreement finalized by the end of the year.

Also during the meeting, the board approved:

• The superintendent’s salary for $106,600 for the four-year term. Previous motions had been passed by the board to determine Superintendent Jason Griffin’s salary for the time he was serving as interim after being elected in the primary and the end of the general election. There were not any Democrats running for the position. The motion passed 6 to 1 with Smith, Sanderson, Patterson, Sullivan, Moore and Jackson voting in favor and Price voting against.
• Hiring an elementary teacher for Isabella High School, an elementary teacher for Maplesville High School, a history teacher for Chilton County High School, a history teacher for Isabella High School and a mathematics teacher for Chilton County High School. Four of these positions were pending certification, meaning the school system had not yet received verification that they had completed their teaching certification.
• Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel to store old records that had previously been stored in the Verbena High School basement.