DOTHAN: 08:32 AM Rickey Stokes filed Friday for an emergency injunction stopping the Dothan School Board from entering into a signed contract on the Dothan School Superintendent.
AGAIN, some RACIST INDIVIDUALS have attempted to turn this into something racial. Nothing in the papers filed by Rickey Stokes has anything to do with race or the individual selected. It is about the four school board members alleged violations of the Alabama Sunshine Law. So do not believe the racist individuals who are attempting to turn this into a racial topic.
The Judge set everything for Friday court hearing. Board Member Brenda Guilford, who is not the Chairman of the Board, has called a special school board meeting for today, August 11, 2025 at 5:30 PM. The purpose is to sign the new Superintendent contract. Which RSN asked for a copy and was refused.
Rickey Stokes has hired Steve McGowan of the McGowan Firm to represent him in this matter.
And the contract there is hidden items on payment to the new Superintendent, which again is alleged violations of the Alabama Open Meetings law.
In the order issued this morning by 20th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Todd Derrick, he sets the issues for hearing. But the last paragraph is a warning to the Dothan School Board. It reads; ” Although the Court will not issue a temporary restraining order prior to the hearing, all parties are reminded that the Alabama Open Meet Act states, in part, that “the court may invalidate the act or actions taken during a meeting held in violation of this chapter…””.
The Alabama Open Meetings law could make the board members who sign the contract liable, personally, possibly, if the court rules they have violated the Alabama Open Meetings law. The contract they are poised to sign, and refuse to provide copies prior to the meeting, as RSN understands is almost $ 300,000.00 a year total compensation. The contract is a five year contract set to end in 2030, which would total $ 1.5 million dollars. So potentially, the board members who sign the contract, if ruled they have violated the Alabama Open Meetings law and the court rules the actions are not valid, could result in a lawsuit against the board members who sign the contract prior to court. And potentially the individual school board members could be held liable for the $ 1.5 million dollars as I understand.
School Board Order by Rickey Stokes on Scribd
