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Orange Beach council debates process to fill school-board vacancy, agrees to return with plan
Summary
At a Jan. 20 committee-of-the-whole meeting, councilors discussed opening up the recent school-board appointment to a broader application process and agreed to draft a resolution outlining how the school board and council will recommend and interview finalists.
The Orange Beach committee of the whole discussed Jan. 20 how to handle a recently filled school-board vacancy and agreed to develop a formal process to consider all applicants.
Mayor Kenning said the original appointment was made quickly and suggested the council open the position to applications, resumes and a structured interview process. "We want to open it up to applications, resumes, whatever, and welcome anyone who would like to apply," he said, adding that the school board could review resumes and recommend three to five candidates for the council to interview.
Several council members said 17 applicants had been received and that the school board had recommended three names. Members debated possible approaches—three-and-three, two-and-two, or a single recommended list—and raised concerns about airing character judgments publicly. One councilor asked whether the change in process would require a formal resolution; Mayor Kenning said the process would be established by resolution and the council would still make the appointment from the recommended finalists.
The council agreed to study the options and bring a draft resolution back to committee so members could settle on the recommended number of interviewees and the mechanics of recommendation and privacy protections (including use of executive session where allowable).
The committee did not vote on a final process at the Jan. 20 meeting; members agreed to continue the item at a future committee meeting.
