Marshall County school board backs Wigley

Outgoing superintendent’s personnel recommendations approved in split 3-2 vote

By DONNA THORNTON, Editor

GUNTERSVILLE — From the lead-up to Thursday’s Marshall County school board meeting, some degree of drama had to be expected.

In the board’s previous regular meeting, an organizational chart and some personnel items recommended by Superintendent Cindy Wigley failed by a 2-2 vote, with board member Bill Hancock absent.

Since then, Superintendent-elect Clay Webber, who will take office in January, questioned those recommendations, saying in a press release that he’d “received evidence that additional personnel contracts were presented to the MCBOE [Marshall County Board of Education] and failed to receive approval, yet the names of the employees associated with those contracts were OMITTED from the minutes released.”

He said if that happened, it was a violation of the Alabama Open Meetings Act. He said he will launch a full investigation when he takes office, and if wrongdoing is found, he will “pursue every appropriate avenue to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

At Thursday’s meeting, Wigley’s superintendent’s report included information she hoped would clear up some of the rumors and “purposeful misinformation being spread by Dr. Webber.”

Webber was at the meeting Thursday and Wigley called his hand, dealing initially with the accusation that “the names of employees associated with those contracts were omitted from the minutes released.”

“First of all, the minutes have not been released. Those are not released until they are approved, which is typically the next board meeting,” she said. Those minutes were on Thursday’s agenda and were approved but as of Friday, had not been published on the district website.

Wigley said what had been released was a final agenda – an added measure of transparency that is not required, she said. 

“I’m giving you the floor to provide your evidence that you referred to in your alleged statement,” she told Webber.

“I won’t be releasing any evidence or sources,” Webber said.

“What about a name of somebody?” she asked.

Webber said the superintendent’s office had sent out the agenda to all school employees, and if names were not included, in his opinion, that was dishonest.

“Who are you saying that we removed?” she asked.

“As I said, I’m not going to release any sources or any evidence,” Webber said. “I fully intend on launching a full investigation into this as soon as I take office.”

Wigley asked administrative assistants who were at the meeting, and members of the board if there was a contract for someone removed from the agenda. They said “no.”

“This is a very serious accusation. This is violating the law. So while you’ve continued to do that over the last year and a half, accusing someone of a crime is not OK. That’s not OK. That’s what we need to address,” she said.

A voice from the crowd said, “Let’s don’t throw rocks; let’s do the school board meeting.”

Board president Mark Rains asked that there be no comments because no one was on the agenda to speak, leading to complaints from the audience about not being allowed to speak. Requests must be made days before the board meets to speak, board members said, and some complained they had not seen the meeting’s agenda in time to make the request to question it.

When Wigley recommended approval of temporary contract services/agreements, Terry Kennamer, Bill Hancock and Tony Simmons voted for it, while Laura Byars and Rains voting against. It passed 3-2. 

After the meeting, Rains said he did not have enough information to vote to approve the contracts.

What contracts were included in the motion, and whether they were the same ones that failed at the Oct. 1 meeting, won’t be clear until a final agenda or the meeting’s minutes are made public.

Among the proposed contract agreements that failed to pass at the Oct. 1 meeting were these, which would have been effective Oct. 1, 2026-Sept. 30, 2029:

• Annie Spikes, Deputy Superintendent.

• Deeya Holland, Assistant Superintendent.

• Emily Waldrop Gullion, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education and School Improvement.

• Mark Howard, Assistant Superintendent of Facilities, Operations, and Prevention.

• Larry Bolin, Assistant Superintendent of Career Technical Education and CTE Director.

“Today, I’m willing to forego recommending that the board adopt Act 2024 360 for assistant administrators, as other systems have done,” Wigley said. “However, I am still recommending supervisory contracts for three current supervisors and one newly hired supervisor, which will fill one current vacant position.”

She said the organizational chart she recommended would have left 2.5 optional positions unfilled, designed to leave flexibility for the new superintendent to fill them or other positions. It was one of the measures that failed to pass by a 2-2 vote.

Wigley said her responsibilities include ensuring $11 million in federal funds are properly spent so that none will have to be returned or expenditures reimbursed. According to her, the failure to pass contracts Oct. 1 affected that.

Referring to a position that was not filled last month, she said, “the individual who would have assumed these responsibilities has missed the state-required federal programs meeting,” she said, which provides legal counsel and guidance on complying with federal law.

“My recommendations are intended to support continuity of operations, maintain compliance with state and federal requirements, protect our financial interests, and ensure the board has flexibility necessary to make decisions regarding to organization,” Wigley said. “I remain committed to completing my responsibilities with integrity, professionalism and focus on what is best for Marshall County Schools. I remain grateful for the opportunity to serve and I am committed to leaving the district in the best condition possible.”

Many of those attending the meeting did not seem convinced by any explanations about what information is being made public and when.

“That was about as transparent as a chocolate pie,” one man said, after the meeting.

Larry Sortor, of the Scant City area of Marshall County, said he emailed to get on the agenda and didn’t get a reply. 

“It was a crooked operation from the start, and apparently this is the way they operate all the time,” Sortor said. “This isn’t anything new.” He said he’d looked for budget information online, but the last one he found posted was 2023.

The contracts and promotions, he said, should have been done earlier, before the budget was passed. “Once the budget is made, you shouldn’t be adding or subtracting from it,” Sortor opined, unless it’s an emergency.

“Promoting somebody is not an emergency,” he said. Sortor explained he didn’t have “a dog in this fight,” with no children in the school system. However, he said, he is a taxpayer so the operations of the school board matter to him.

Wigley’s statement detailed budget timelines and responsibilities – the preparation that goes into the school spending plan throughout the year before it is approved.

“Competitive salaries remain a significant factor in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, particularly in county school districts such as ours,” she said. Salary studies have been conducted, she said, to ensure the county’s salaries will allow it to hire qualified people, Wigley said.

She pointed to a “sound” $81.6 million budget for the system, with a general fund ending balance of $14,535,976, and a 2.35-month operating balance, while the state requires a one-month reserve.

Wigley said the numbers show responsible planning and spending by the board and the district employees who have also managed to move the district report card up by an entire letter grade.

“While I do not establish the timeline for these events, my term as superintendent concludes Dec. 31, 2026, and I was elected to serve until that date,” Wigley said. “I have both a moral duty and legal obligation to ensure these responsibilities are completed.

“I am also the only superintendent currently bonded to conduct these duties. I will continue to fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my ability and to serve the students, staff, schools, board and communities until my last day in office,” Wigley said.

In other action board approved travel requests and additional duties, and personnel actions. The date of the next board meeting will be announced.

Wigley offered congratulations to DAR’s Lady Patriots Volleyball squad for playing in the final four and making school history.

Superintendent Cindy Wigley presides over a county school board meeting Oct. 25 in Guntersville. Board member Bill Hancock, the deciding vote on a reorganization plan Thursday, is beside her. DANIEL TAYLOR l Special to the Leader