(a) If the majority of electors voting pursuant to Section 1 of the act from which this section is derived, vote in favor of changing to an elected board, an elected board of education for the City of Selma shall be established. The board shall be called the Selma City Board of Education. The board shall be composed of five members. Four members shall be elected from districts and shall be designated Selma City Board of Education Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4. District 1 of the Selma City Board of Education shall be composed of Selma City Council Districts 1 and 2. District 2 of the Selma City Board of Education shall be composed of Selma City Council Districts 4 and 5. District 3 of the Selma City Board of Education shall be composed of Selma City Council Districts 3 and 8. District 4 of the Selma City Board of Education shall be composed of Selma City Council Districts 6 and 7. One member shall be elected from the city at large and shall serve as chair of the board. Members of Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Selma City Board of Education shall be elected by the qualified electors of the respective districts voting at the election.
(b) A member shall reside in the City of Selma and in the district the member represents during the entire term of office.
(c) A candidate for each place on the board of education shall be at least 19 years of age, a resident of the respective district for at least one year immediately preceding the deadline date for qualifying as a candidate, and shall not have a record of conviction for any crime involving moral turpitude, unless pardoned by the appropriate authority.
(d)(l) The Selma City Council shall take necessary steps to ensure that this section complies with the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended.
(2) The election to elect the initial members of the board of education shall be held at a special election called by the Selma City Council as soon as practicable after approval of this section pursuant to the Federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, if necessary. If such approval is not required, the election shall be called by the Selma City Council as soon as practicable.
(3) The initial election and the initial runoff election, if necessary, and all subsequent elections held pursuant to this section shall be conducted, the vote canvassed, and the results declared in the same manner as provided for the election of members of the city council, unless otherwise required in this section. The city council may set a qualifying fee.
(4) The initial elected members of the board of education shall assume office immediately upon the certification of the election results and shall serve initial terms of office corresponding in duration with the remaining portion of the terms of office of the members of the city council elected in 2008. The members elected to the board of education in 2008 shall assume office immediately upon the certification of the election results and shall serve terms of office that correspond in duration with the terms of office of the members of the city council elected in 2008. Thereafter, all members of the board shall be elected to serve terms that correspond directly with terms of the Selma City Council.
(e)(l) Upon the assumption of office of the initially elected members of the board of education, the Selma City Board of Education as provided in this section shall be constituted and the terms, powers, duties, responsibilities, and emoluments of office of the prior members of the board of education shall end.
(2)a. Upon assumption of office of the initial elected members of the board of education, these members shall have the powers, authority, duties, and responsibilities as are otherwise provided by law for members of city boards of education as set forth in Chapter 11, commencing with Section 16-11-1, of Title 16, and as otherwise provided by law.
b. At the first meeting after the board takes office, and every year thereafter, the board shall by majority vote of those voting, select a vice chair from among its members. The vice chair shall preside over meetings of the board in the absence of the chair.
c. All property, records, supplies, and equipment of the prior board of education shall be vested in the board created by this section.
(3) The establishment of the board of education as provided in this section shall not affect or impair any of the following:
a. Existing rights or privileges of employees of the board including, but not limited to, employment, personnel, salary, and retirement rights and privileges.
b. Existing contractual obligations of the board of education.
c. Existing civil and criminal actions.
(f) A vacancy on the board of education shall be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining members of the board of education for the unexpired term. If the vacancy is not filled by the remaining members of the board of education within 60 days, the city council, or a designee of the city council, shall notify the State Superintendent of Education who shall fill the vacancy by appointment within 30 days after notification. A person filling a vacancy on the board shall be a resident of the City of Selma and the district the person is appointed to represent.
(g) The compensation for each member of the board of education, including the chair, shall be six hundred dollars ($600) per month payable from city school system funds. The board may adjust such compensation for succeeding terms of office.
(h) An annual audit of the financial records of the city school system and of the board of education shall be conducted by the State Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. The audit results shall be made a matter of public record. All monies of the school system shall be accounted for whether reserved for capital outlay or held for any other purpose.
(i) Any member of the board of education who fails to attend more than two consecutive regularly scheduled monthly board meetings without an authorized excused absence as recognized by the board through written policy shall receive a written request from the city superintendent of education to attend the meetings.
(j) The chair of the board shall have all of the following duties:
a. To preside over all board meetings.
b. To set the meeting dates and times of all board meetings consistent with state law. The chair shall endeavor to set meeting times at a time which will afford citizens the best opportunity to attend.
c. To set the agenda of the board meetings in consultation with the city superintendent of education.
d. To ensure proper and adequate notice to the public for public hearings on the budget of the school system.
e. To maintain order at all board meetings.
f. To assist the superintendent in seeking public input into the operations and support of the city school system.
g. To vote on all matters which come before the board if he or she so desires.
h. To ensure due process for the employees of the city school system according to duly adopted written policies and applicable state laws.
i. To promote the city school system as authorized by the board.
Last modified: May 3, 2021