BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Monday night the Elmore County Commission unanimously approved the advertisement of local legislation related to the Elmore County Board of Education’s Superintendent position. The legislation, if successful, would change the Elmore County position from one of an elected position, to an appointment.
“In a recent Elmore County Board of Education meeting, there was much discussion and a subsequent resolution passed by the Elmore County Board of Education to make modification to make modifications to the Superintendent position, specifically for that position to become an appointed position rather than an elected position. There are many statistics supporting this. Specifically, we are one of the very few counties remaining in the state that have an elected superintendent. Alabama is one of less than five states in the United States that has elected Superintendents.”
At the recent BOE meeting, the board passed a resolution unanimously to pursue legislation to allow for an appointed Superintendent of Education.
“The process for any local election is that it begins in the jurisdiction of that local legislation, which in this case, would be the Board of Education. Then it comes the County Commission for approving the advertisement of that local legislation, which will have to take place prior to being presented to the state legislature for subsequent approval,” Chairman Troy Stubbs explained.
Commissioner Bart Mercer said that the Commission has a copy of the resolution signed by all of the Board of Education members supporting the legislation.
“It is the Board of Education’s desire that the County Commission would pass this through on its way to the Legislature for them to adopt it. It would be a bit troubling if we stood in the way of these same citizens that elect us, elect the Board of Education to represent them,” Mercer said.
He continued, “Citizens of Elmore County already vote for Board of Education members. If you have someone that can serve in the capacity of Superintendent, and they have to be elected, that person also has to possess the ability and the desire, let me underscore desire, to be an elected official. There is a big difference. I think by us mandating here in Elmore County that our Superintendent of Education possess both of those qualities, I think it is a limiting factor in the pool of candidates that we have that look at Elmore County for a position.”
Mercer said that he believes the current superintendent is excellent, but for the future keeping the position as an elected one, could be a limiting factor.
