Talladega Schools

Current and future members of the Talladega City Board of Education spent over 90 minutes behind closed doors with representatives of the state board Thursday morning.

After the meeting was over, former Pell City Superintendent Dr. Bobby Hathcock was named as the state administrator who will be observing Talladega City Schools for the next few months.

When members of the public were denied entrance to the conference room where the meeting was to take place, city board attorney Charlie Gaines said the secret session had been recommended by the state board’s attorneys, not him.

Rather than seeking one of the exceptions to the state’s open meetings law, Gaines said the boards were relying on a section of the law defining what a meeting is not, specifically “occasions when a quorum of a governmental body gathers in person or by electronic communication, with state or federal officials for the purpose of reporting or obtaining information or seeking support for issues of importance to the governmental body.”

Nonetheless, the meeting seemed to produce optimism among the participants.

State schools Superintendent Dr. Tommy Bice called it “fantastic, I am very encouraged. We will be working with the board and Superintendent (Dr. Donna) King to develop a strategic long-term plan and engage everyone in that.