Last week the Selma City School Board decided to extend the contract for Superintendent Gerald Shirley from 15 months to three years. Shirley, who was appointed superintendent on an interim basis in October, was named superintendent officially in May. Since his job title change, some school board members have noticed a positive difference and that is what lead them to inquire in June’s meeting about extending his contract.

Board member Brenda Randolph-Obamanu made the motion in the meeting for the contract extension and she had several reasons.

“Selma has never given someone a 15-month contract for this position,” she said.

In previous years she said that superintendents were given a 3-year contract.

“Since he has been here, he volunteers to come in and he has done a good job. He has been in the school system for over 30 years and to go beyond that he is certified by Alabama to be a superintendent,” Obamanu said for her reasoning behind granting Shirley a longer contract.

In the meeting, Obamanu said she wanted to just move forward and the thought the contract extension could help do.

“With a 15-month contract this time next year we will have to go through the same hiring process all over again — and why?” Obamanu said. “Give him the three-year contract and let’s move forward.”

The reasoning behind the original contract being 15 months instead of the usual amount of time was to avoid the school system having to pay out extra money if the newly elected school board were to decide to remove Shirley from his position.

Shirley makes a $102,000 salary annually, not including benefits, and for three years that comes to $306,000 that the school board has to pay — whether Shirley remains superintendent or not.

President of the Selma City School Board Henry Hicks Sr. said he was more inclined to the 15-month contract because he thought it might save the school board money.

“It’s nothing against Mr. Shirley, it’s just business and being fiscally sound and saving money for the system,” Hicks said.

The current contract still saves the school system $800 a month by cutting out a travel allowance for the superintendent, which in the past they received whether they used it or not.

Obamanu said that Shirley has insisted on less of a salary than prior superintendents.

“Mr. Shirley said the school system has been very good to him and he is indebted to the system,” Obamanu said. “He wants to accept a lower salary and do all he can to make the school system successful and educate all students. We tried to give him more of a salary but he kept saying ‘that’s enough.’”

Board member Holland Powell said, though he was surprised at the motion to extend the contract, he does believe Shirley is the right fit for the job.

“I was as surprised as I believe everyone else on the board and the audience was that Mrs. Obamanu suggested and made the motion that we extend his contract,” Powell said. “But I do believe he can do the job. He is the right guy at the right time for the Selma City Schools with his tenure in the schools, his knowledge of people.”

Powell said he hopes the next board will work with Shirley to focus on the students rather than on politics.