Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Chilton County Board of Education member Pam Price was selected to continue serving as board president during the Dec. 13 board meeting.

Lori Patterson had also been nominated for the position.

Price was selected by a 4-3 vote. Price, Jaqueline Sullivan, Brad Carter and Diane Calloway voted for Price. Christ Smith, Patterson and Keith Moore voted for Patterson.

The board selected Calloway as vice president.

A motion to keep the same president and vice president as the previous fiscal year had been made at the November meeting, but it failed to secure the four votes needed to pass. Calloway and Moore had been absent then, but they were present on Dec. 13. In November, Patterson said she would like the decision to be considered again when all board members were present, which they were on Dec. 13.

The board approved six resignations during the meeting, including David Jackson of Jemison Intermediate, Isabella High nurse Raeanna Carter, Clanton Elementary and Intermediate counselor Susan Walker, Clanton Middle nurse Chrysta Russell, IHS Child Nutrition employee Darlene Rhodes and Superintendent Jason Griffin, whose term ends this month.

Three new classified employees and two certified employees, including Jackson’s replacement were also hired.

The board again discussed committing funding to the Chilton County E911 board to partner in funding the P25 radio countywide emergency communications system. Tabling the issue until January was approved 4-3.  Price, Calloway, Sullivan and Smith voted in favor. Carter, Patterson and Moore voted against.

Price said the decision should wait until the new superintendent took office. Areas where the system does not work were discussed.

“I still have concerns about this much money being paid, and then not getting full service,” Sullivan said.

The Chilton County Board of Education has been asked to contribute $95,000 for 10 years for use of the P25 emergency countywide communications system.

Carter and Smith said the county is working on a solution for better service coverage. Smith said funding from the school system would be a part of revenue to complete additional infrastructure to help the issue. Moore and Griffin commented that 100% coverage everywhere in the county may not be possible because of the county’s topography.

The school system has already been using the system. It has spent about $480,000 on the P25 radios it has, according to information from the finance department.

Also during the meeting, the board approved:

• Volunteers for multiple schools.
• Out of state field trips.
• Naming the Verbena High School softball field in honor of Moore.
• Naming the Chilton County High School gymnasium after Larry Mahaffey.