The Selma City Schools Board of Education voted to give Chief Financial Officer Grindal Harris a 3 percent raise following a heated discussion.

The board held two votes — the first whether to give a raise at all and then another to grant a 3-percent cost of living increase. The raise translates into $2,300 a year.

Both passed with a 4-1 vote with board member Brenda Obomanu voting against each recommendation.

After the first vote, Obomanu shared her opinion about the decision.

“This seems to be a trend,” Obomanu said. “Every time Ms. Harris is evaluated, we’re approached about a raise, so is this going to be the norm for us every time she gets evaluated?”

As Obomanu went on to say that certain employees weren’t given a raise, board president Henry Hicks Sr. attempted to establish order, which led Obomanu to criticize him.

“This is the problem. When you want to talk, you can say whatever you want and talk. When somebody else says something, they’re wrong,” she said.

Hicks then stood up, moved closer to Obomanu and tossed the gavel and sounding block on the table near her.

“I tell you what, Ms. O. Use the gavel,” Hicks said. “Right now I’m the chair, and I’m asking for some respect — you’re talking over me.”

DiChiara then warned the board that they must be careful not to mention “good name of character” when speaking about an employee within the system in a public meeting.

He said appropriate comments would address issues with the raise itself, such as whether or not the Selma City School System could afford a raise or whether it should be lower or higher than recommended.

“When you insinuate something that is of a negative tone, it makes the person that you are referring to feel pretty low,” DiChiara said.

With the vote already taken, DiChiara said the board should no longer focus on the decision on whether or not to give the raise to Harris.

“I’m not the chairperson, but I am the chief administrative officer of a school district that has been intervened,” DiChiara said. “So I’m going to establish the order, or I’ll just dismiss the meeting and make the decision myself.”

Board member Udo Ufomadu motioned that Harris be given a 5 percent increase, stating that there wasn’t much difference from 2 to 6 percent.

With no one willing to second the motion, it died.

Frank Chestnut Jr. then motioned for Harris to receive a 3 percent raise. After a second motion from board vice president Kirit Chapatwalla, a majority of the board voted in favor of the suggested 3 percent cost of living increase.

The Selma City School Board also made a unanimous vote to have the Alabama Association of School Boards conduct the search for the next superintendent, which was followed by another unanimous vote to have them do so under the group’s $8,500 gold package.

DiChiara would like to have the next superintendent by March and have him or her on the job by June 1, but that time line is subject to change.