As the Baldwin County school board nears a decision on its next superintendent, board members have been probing an uncomfortable question with each of the three finalists: if you’re hired by a razor-thin vote, will you still take the job?
All three candidates — John Green, Kip Stevens and Eddie Tyler — told the seven-member board they would accept the position even if confirmed by a narrow margin, such as a 4-3 or 5-2 vote, though not without some reservations. Green and Tyler said a split decision would simply mean opening a dialogue with the board members who voted otherwise. Stevens was more cautious, telling the board he would need time to think it over if he won by only a single vote, saying he’d want to understand who opposed him and when those board members would next be up for election.
The finalists also took part in a public meet-and-greet with residents and school system employees earlier in the week, giving the community a chance to weigh in before the board’s final vote, expected in the coming days.
Some residents have pushed for a unanimous decision, arguing that a fractured vote could undermine confidence in new leadership from the outset as the district transitions from interim superintendent Hope Zeanah to a permanent replacement. Board members whose terms run through 2016 and 2018 would remain in office regardless of how the vote breaks down, meaning any lingering disagreement among board members could shape district politics well into the new superintendent’s tenure.
District 6 representative Cecil Christenberry said he’s comfortable with a majority vote, even a narrow one, but believes the board owes it to the top candidate to be transparent about any division so the new hire isn’t blindsided by internal discord. Christenberry said restarting the search process entirely, rather than working through disagreement, would cost the district valuable time it can’t afford to lose.
The stakes extend beyond board politics. Lou Campomenosi, head of the local Common Sense Campaign tea party group, has raised concerns about how the vote could shape the district’s direction, particularly after a March referendum on increased property taxes for school construction failed, a defeat Campomenosi’s group helped drive. Some in the community have speculated that had the tax measure passed, the district might not have needed an outside superintendent search at all, since the previous superintendent chose to return to his role as a school principal rather than continue in the top job.
Community members widely see Tyler as the frontrunner among the three finalists, though board members have not signaled how they intend to vote. Whatever the outcome, Baldwin County’s rapidly growing student population means the incoming superintendent will inherit a district facing ongoing pressure over facilities, funding and long-term planning.