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“Get to know them and let them get to know me, making sure we don’t miss a beat.”

Barge added that he likes to have a wide range of advisor committees, including committees of parents, teachers and students, as well as other school staff including bus drivers, custodians and nutrition workers.

“I make it a point to make sure all groups are represented in my advisor committees,” he said. In his last superintendent position, Barge said he entered into a situation where there had been serious ethical issues and loss of trust with the community. “So, the advisor committees are very important. It allows members of the community to have an input.”

Additionally, Barge said he has an open-door policy and wants easily accessible lines of communication, via email, phone, text, and even an app, to be able to immediately communicate with parents.

As for educational standards, Barge said high expectations are critical.

“I expect all students to learn (and) that happens when we have high expectations,” he said. “High achievement is not going to look the same for every student (because) students have different passions. … As superintendent, my job is to make sure the environment is conducive to those high expectations. To make sure the environment is conducive to learning.”

Monday night’s second interview was with Dr. Kevin Maddox, who is currently Assistant Superintendent at the Homewood City Board of Education, a position he has held since 2012.

Maddox referred to the superintendent position as a “critical leadership position,” and prior to the interview, he provided the board members with his 100-day entry plan.

The plan, he said, has four overarching goals: transition seamlessly, listen intently, organize strategically and communicate transparently.

Maddox said that part of his plan for a seamless transition is to work closely with Interim Superintendent Dr. Frank Costanzo.

As for the second goal –listen intently – Maddox said he plans to initiate “Listen and Learn” sessions where community members will be invited to share their voice.

He also said he is a big fan of climate surveys, surveys that provide in-depth profiles of a school’s strengths and weaknesses.

“If you want to know everything you need to know to be the best leader, you have to ask the right people and the right questions,” he said. Maddox added that the surveys would be anonymous and administered by a third party, in order to get the most honest results. “It will be the best source of feedback that a superintendent could ever get.”

The results of these surveys would then be used to meet the third goal in Maddox’s plan: organize strategically for the next school year.

As for his fourth goal, to communicate transparently, Maddox said he wants to “communicate so well, so often, and so efficiently” that people begin to ask why he’s sharing so much.

“Over-communicate,” he said. “Things are going to happen, but when they do you have to own it, deal with it and communicate about it. People have to trust that you’re going to be forthright with them and honest. That’s the only way I’ve ever operated.”

On Tuesday night, Feb. 28, the board interviewed Dr. Bart Reeves and Mr. Tony Willis.

Dr. Reeves is currently the Alabama Association of Schools Boards Assistant Executive Director/Government Relations, a position he has held since 2021, and was the former Superintendent of Satsuma City Schools (20182021).

While Reeves appreciates the position he currently holds, he told the board that he feels his true calling is to be a superintendent, working with K-12 schools and students.

“In 2015, I had reached the point in my career I was ready to become a superintendent,” he said. “I keep finding the same calling today, and that is to get back to K-12.”

Reeves said that, if he were to be the next superintendent of Trussville City Schools, he would immediately start working with administrators and principals to prepare for the upcoming school year and student population increases, and then focus on building relationships within the community.

“Relationships are the key,” he said. “… If you have good, working relationships with your people, they will move mountains for you.”

As for how Reeves plans to keep lines of communication open with TCS parents and the community, he said, “I am a technology enthusiast.”

Reeves said he plans to use multiple platforms to communicate, including the

Blackboard App.

Additionally, Reeves said he is also a fan of incorporating technology into the classrooms, likening modern A.I. to his experience when calculators first came on the scene.

“I think we need to embrace A.I.,” he said. “I’m telling you, it’s about to change the world, folks. If your teachers and administrators are not aware of it, they need to be aware of it very soon.”

The next Tuesday night candidate was Mr. Tony Willis, who is currently the Superintendent of the Demopolis City Board of Education in Alabama. He has held this position since 2021 and is also the Supervisor of Accountability at Decatur City Schools, a title he has held since 2020.

“I’ve spent my life in education; I started at six-yearsold and never have stopped going to school,” Willis said.

When asked about his plans for the first month, three months and six months, Willis replied, “Sometimes people love to try to awe people with some massive plan. … The first thing I’ve got to do is listen.”

Willis said that he would spend his first few days on the job having one-on-one conversations with each board member individually. Then, he would begin meeting with principals, administrators, and school staff members.

“I ask three questions,” he said. “What do you love about this job; about this school system? What can we do better? What can I do as superintendent to support you better?”

By late summer, Willis said that he would expect to have advisory committees in place.

Willis added that creating a positive culture in the schools would be his top priority, and that begins with the teachers.

“If mama’s not happy, nobody’s happy, and mama is the teacher in the classroom,” he said.

Willis listed three words that he considers key to creating a good culture and climate in schools: relationships, relevance and rigor.

“We are working with people, and you can’t take the people piece out of it,” he said. “If you have a relationship, you get more out of people.”

As for relevance, “we don’t have time for things that aren’t relevant,” Willis said. “We don’t have time for busy work.”

Concerning rigor, Willis said this term is commonly used in reference to the students, but it is equally as relevant to the educators and staff.

“I think adults like having a challenge that, once it’s accomplished, they can feel accomplished,” he said.

Another important goal Willis said he would have as superintendent is to engage with parents and families of the students.

“We have to remember that every single student is someone’s world,” he said. “I’ve got to engage parents and families because that’s the only way we’re going to know their needs and concerns.” cept the check. Johnson Elementary School Principal Brandi Wilson said that the funds will go towards structural improvements to the building.

This article has been edited for space. To read the full article, visit www.trussvilletribune.com. To view the superintendent interviews in their entirety, visit Trussville City Schools on Facebook or www.trussvillecityschools. com.

“We have about 620 kids right now,” she said. “And we are making great headway in some outside remodeling and renovations, so we’re really excited about using some of (the funds) to do that.”

Rudd Middle School Principal Adrian Pryor is new to the position and still learning the ins and outs, he said.

“I’m still learning the system, still learning the kids,” he said. “But so far I love it. We’ve got a great group of kids out here and a great group of teachers at our school.”

Next Pinson Valley High School Principal Michael Turner spoke. He gave several updates on school sports and testing, noting that a football coach was recently hired. This was Gentrell Eatman, who used to be offensive coordinator for three years at the school.

“I know that it’s very important,” he said. “Certainly thinking about the lives that all of our teachers and coaches impact every single day.”

Later in the meeting City Attorney Shane Black delivered an update on the management at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve. He reported that there is a management change at the preserve, which had been operated by Birmingham Southern but will be turned over to Ruffner Mountain Park by the end of March.

The city has regularly given $20,000 per year to Birmingham Southern for site manager costs. Black said that at the next meeting, the council will consider a resolution to begin giving that money to Ruffner and to approve changing the lease that Birmingham Southern has to the new operators.

During enhancements, the council briefly discussed Trade Days and City Fest, with Councilwoman Glenda Kirkland announcing that Trade Days will be held on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and City Fest will be on April 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In other business the council:

• Annexed a property on Turkey Creek Road,

• Approved the voting delegates for the Alabama League of Municipalities as Mayor Joe Cochran for first alternate, Councilman John Churchwell as second and Councilwoman Clintesha Irvin as third,

• Rezoned a property on Brook Crest Way from Jefferson County R-1 to RM (Residential Medium), Changed the name of Oak Street West to Bicentennial Lane to give a searchable GPS address for the park and avoid confusion with directions,

• Authorized Cochran to enter into an agreement with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to continue services, Amended the intended salary of the revenue clerk position from $17.25$22.50 to $17.25-$26 per hour, and

• Approved a request to promote two Parks and Recreation employees from part-time to full-time.

Pinson City Council meets on the first and third Thursdays of every month at City Hall on 4410 Main Street. Live-streamed meetings can be seen on the city’s Facebook page.

Trussville Entertainment District, took place on February 11th, included games from GoodFellas Gaming, a silent art auction, student-crafted culinary creations from Hewitt-Trussville Culinary Academy, and more. More than 150 supporters showed up for this great cause, which raises money that gets directly invested into Trussville City Schools classrooms.

In its first year (2020), Casino Night raised $7,000. In 2021, the event raised $12,000.

“We are extremely blessed to once again announce that we had a successful, fun and sold out event,” TCSF Executive Director Leslie Armstrong said. “We love that the community of Trussville believes that partnering with us will make a difference in our schools, and together we can invest in our future.”

Presenting sponsors for Ca-

Daniel, Stacey Gill, Brian Jackson, Craig Jelks, and Dwight Julbert.

“Candidates will be interviewed individually by the

Students in the United States must demonstrate proficiency in English along with another language to qualify to participate, except in Hawaii where students are allowed to substitute Hawaiian in place of English.

“When these kids apply for academic scholarships with colleges, they’re competing sino Night included Trussville To Go, 4 Africa, and Lathan Architects. Ferus Artisan Ales was the Venue Sponsor, and Alabama Roofing sponsored the bar. Food was prepared by the Hewitt-Trussville Culinary Academy and sponsored by the Hewitt-Trussville Band Foundation. Our drink sponsor, Brian Bento Restoration and Construction bought the first 100 drinks for attendees. Our ticket sponsor this year was Amari and Gray Law Firm and table sponsors were CCI Planning and Engineering, Hitchcock and Maddox Financial Partners, Nelms Pharmacy, Barnett Furniture, Emergency Pet Care, Landmark CPA, Lee Marlow; Realtor, Meals by Misty, Morrette Law Firm, Rushing Law Firm, and Sargent McDonald Team. Our security sponsor was Chas Brown with State Farm. Grand Prizes were donated by Accent Limo and Valerie’s Incredible Edibles, Samuel and Sons, Webster and Henry Law Firm and the YMCA Trussville. Door

BOE selection committee in the coming weeks,” according to the statement. “Questions received from the community will also be included in the interviews. The BOE selection committee will present their recommended finalists for con- against other students who also have many recognitions within different extracurricular circles,” Cook said. “This is another way for them to stand out from students who have not incorporated that language learning into their curriculum.”

The Global Seal of Biliteracy website says recognitions like the bilingual seal can help students gain college credits and advanced placement. The organization says sideration to the entire council prior to the scheduled April 11th City Council meeting.” it can also help students wishing to study abroad and help them stand out with potential employers or qualify for different pay grades.

Prizes were awarded throughout the night and donated by Tula J Boutique, Wrapsody Trussville, Caroline and Company, The Varsity, Wildgoose Garden, Sunnie Leigh Floral Arrangements and Tips to Toes Hair and Nail Studio. In addition, art for the silent auction was donated by Laurel Browning Art, Grace Ann Lambert Art, Brynlea Franklin (10th grade art student at HTHS), Chelsea Propst, Beth Huffstutler, Anna Dickson, and John Shadrick. Together these pieces brought $2300.00 towards the total earnings.

WhistleStop Garden Shop decorated with extravagant floral arrangements and Spring Green Lawn Care, Joint Chiropractic and WhistleStop provided the beautiful Casino atmosphere.

For more information on how to partner with TCSF and sponsor our events, please contact Leslie Armstrong, Executive Director of Trussville City Schools Foundation, by emailing director@tcsf.org.

The finalist chosen by the City Council will fill the seat being vacated by Mark Sims who has served one term on the BOE.

Currently, the World Languages department at Hewitt-Trussville plans to offer the test for the seal to students in Spanish, French and Latin. Students who speak other languages can also test in their heritage language if they are fluent in English.

Trussville

From front page away with the help of donations.

“We were very lucky again this year that we were able to get a donation of trees from Alabama Forestry and a monetary contribution and some trees from Alabama Power,” Mitchell said. “As a result of that, we didn’t spend one cent of city money for the Arbor Day event this year.”

He reported that the city was presented with an acknowledgement from Tree City USA this year for the commission’s efforts. Girl Scout Troop 30679 was present to help plant an Arbor Day Tree near Heritage Hall.

Mitchell spoke of a “Tree Talk” presentation that was held last Thursday where it was suggested that the city begin with a tree care and tree removal service and that the commission would be willing to help with this. Mitchell said that the city also needs to move forward with replanting trees.

“We’ve got to get on with replanting these trees,” he said. “We probably should’ve been replanting trees 20 years ago.”

Additionally, Mitchell reported that during the giveaway on Saturday there were 400 trees to begin with but that he received a call from the power company, which had 5,000 pine trees that they asked to bring to them for the giveaway. These trees were largely seedlings and saplings.

The trees had all been given away before 11:30 a.m., he said.

“It was just super, running out of trees,” he said. “It really was.”

After the consent agenda was passed, several spoke during public comments, the first among them being Arnold Reichert. He had spoken at the Feb. 15 meeting where he addressed a planned restroom project at the historic

Mall district, speaking out against it.

At tonight’s meeting, Reichert asked Mayor Buddy Choat where the funds for the project came from.

“Well, we’re paying for it out of our general fund now but the money is coming from some funds from the state of Alabama over a period of three years,” Choat replied.

Afterwards Reichert suggested that the council knew that the project would not be popular with the residents of the district and that no one from the city talked to them before the project was approved.

Later Brian Payne spoke on the same subject and asked if the plans were presented for the Design Review Committee. Choat said that they were presented to the committee and that they were returned with suggestions for several changes. Payne asked if they were approved but Councilman Ben Short said that it was not required of the council to have a vote on it.

Payne also asked if research had been done to ensure that construction would not impact any sinkhole-prone places in the area. Choat said that there had not been.

Another was Michelle Moskal, who asked the council about a piece of land behind her property on Dew Drive. She asked what the plans for it were, to which Choat said that it is intended to be a walking track for a park. Moskal asked that the council consider putting up a fence between it and her property.

During discussion of the regular agenda, the council passed a resolution to authorize a land swap between Trussville and GSI Holdings to enable road construction linking Commerce Lane to Camp Coleman Road. This will be located near the railroad tracks and will provide a way for motorists to get around any train blockages.

The meeting ended with the council going into executive session to discuss potential litigation. In other business the council:

Designated Choat as the authorized voting delegate to the Alabama League of Municipalities with Councilwoman Lisa Bright to be first alternate and Councilwoman Jamie Anderson to be second alternate, Accepted the resignation of Park and Recreation Board member Chris Cobb,

• Appointed J.T. Murphy to the Board of Zoning Adjustments, replacing interim member Jef Freeman, Appointed Josh Wooten to the Downtown Redevelopment Authority with a term to end on Nov. 23, 2028,

• Held a public hearing and then passed a resolution to abate a property on Smith Sims Road,

• Approved a video surveillance and security installation contract with IPointUSA for the city gymnastics center, and

• Approved unpaid leave for a city recreation member in probationary status from June 3 to June 16.

The Trussville City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at City Hall on 131 Main Street.

Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp@gmail. com.

The planned raid was led by Trussville police on the evening of Feb. 27. City Manager Ronnie Dixon updated the Council on the situation in his report.

“It was carried out by Trussville PD,” Dixon said. “We condemned that house and then Trussville’s city judge came and fought it and we wound up leaving that house standing with them saying that was not a drug house.

“Well, now it got raided last night,” Dixon continued. “We need to start the process of condemnation and demolition again if y’all want to.”

The city passed a resolution condemning the house located at 6556 Clay Palmerdale Road in June of 2021 and accepted a bid for demolition at the Aug. 10, 2021, meeting.

Leon Shaw spoke to the Council on Aug. 24, 2021 ,and the Council delayed demolition of the property until the rightful owner of the home could be determined in court.

“That’s definitely the community drug house. It has been for several years,” Dixon said. “It’s not in livable condition. We have the opportunity to tear it down.”

Dixon said he anticipated Shaw would again retain counsel to prevent the demolition and wanted to get guidance from the Council before beginning the paperwork to restart the process.

“We’re not talking about something the community does not want done away with,” Dixon said. “They’ve asked us over and over again.”

The Council will have to follow the procedure of passing a new resolution condemning the property and solicit bids for the demolition of the structure. The resolution should be on the agenda at the March 14 meeting.

Councilmember Dr. Orletta Rush shared information about the recent Magic City Dance Off, which was held Feb. 14, at Pinson Valley High School. The annual event is an inclusive dance competition held for special needs students in Jefferson County Schools.

Clay-Chalkville High School students won the high school division of the competition for the second year in a row. Homewood High School took second place and Pinson Valley High School won third place.

“It was an awesome event for special needs students that were there,” Rush said.

“I was very proud for ClayChalkville High School for winning.”

Nine schools participated in the dance competition and 12 schools attended. Dancers are spread out across two divisions for middle school and high school. Erwin Middle School won their division. North Jefferson Middle School and Hueytown Middle school came in second and third, respectively.

Rush mentioned the sponsors who helped make the event a success. Tyson Foods, Golden Flake and DJ Ulises Echeverry donated products and services. Pinson Valley High School hosted the event and teachers from Gardendale and Mortimer Jordan high schools prepared food for the participants.

The next meeting of the Clay City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 28, at City Hall.

Center Point

From front page meeting, members of the City Council fielded complaints from citizens about fees for debris removal and comments about trash dumping around the city.

“I just found out recently about the debris pick up for $50,” said Tracy Stewart Sr., a 19-year resident of the city of Center Point. “I’m disabled. Fifty dollars might seem like not a lot of money to some people, but that’s a little something for me.”

Stewart said he has driven around the city near his home and he sees yards filled with box springs, mattresses and other types of debris. He said people are beginning to dump stuff illegally rather than pay the fee for the city to haul it away.

“What I do, I load the stuff up on my truck and take it out to the landfill. That’s cheaper for me to do that,” Stewart said. “I don’t know what the issue is with us being able to get stuff picked up, but the $50 ain’t going to do it.”

Waste Management ceased debris services in the city May 1 of last year. Center Point was able to temporarily fund debris pick-up using grant funding but began charging a $50 optional fee in October.

“We’re now picking up the debris because Waste Management decided they were going to stop,” said Mayor Bobby Scott. “It’s an expensive task. When Waste Management dropped it, we had