The Etowah County Board of Education held its monthly meeting Nov. 7 at 5 p.m., where members elected new officers, recognized outstanding achievements, and approved several district initiatives and personnel actions.
Board President Tim Womack called the meeting to order, and member Amanda Johnson opened with a prayer. The first item of business was the election of a new board president. Board member Scarlet Farley nominated Jay Freeman, whose appointment was unanimously approved. Womack was then selected to serve as vice chair.
Superintendent Alan Cosby invited public comments regarding the use of public funds or other matters related to the administration of Etowah County Schools. No comments were made, though Cosby noted he welcomes future inquiries by phone.
During recognitions, Glencoe High School volleyball coach Jamie Barkley was honored for achieving 300 career wins, and Molly Partin of Ivalee Elementary was recognized for her heroic act of administering life-saving first aid to a choking student.
The board approved the minutes from the Oct. 7 meeting following a motion by member Tim Langdale and a second by Johnson. Questions about board business may be directed to board secretary Monica Snead.
Susan Bishop, chief school financial officer, presented financial statements showing an unreserved fund balance of $4.31 million as of Sept. 30, 2025, compared to $4.55 million in 2024. Property, sales and alcohol tax revenues all increased, and the district ended the fiscal year without a deficit. The board unanimously approved the budget analysis.
Cosby outlined several items for the board’s consideration, including the installation of weapons detection systems in all county high schools and LED lighting upgrades for football stadiums.
The board also approved an agreement for architectural services with B. Craig Lipscomb, a proposal for after-hours instruction at the Career Technical Center through the Alabama Construction Industry Craft Training Grant, and a revision to the 2025–26 social studies textbook adoption committee. Additional approvals included a new director of operations and safety job description and various travel requests across the district.
Notable personnel actions included the retirement of Accounts Payable Bookkeeper Beverly Winningham and the appointment of Julie Talton as assistant superintendent. Talton will continue her current responsibilities as director of elementary curriculum, continuous improvement and assessment.
The board also approved TEAMS contracts for the 2025–26 school year, faculty and non-faculty supplements, new substitute teachers and additional resignations and retirements.
Cosby concluded the meeting with informational updates for November.
Detailed agendas and minutes from all Etowah County Board of Education meetings are available at www.ecboe.org under the “District Info” section.
