Tonight Dothan School Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe left a letter being critical of Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers.
Let me begin by saying that I like Dr. Dennis Coe and I like Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers.
Coe called Childers a bully and stated that he “created ongoing issues and misbehaving”.Coe went on to claim Childers “created a hostile environment and lacked professionalism”.Coe urged voters to”to select school board members dedicated to public education who don’t have personal, political, or racial agendas when they go to the polls to vote in August”.
Coe has retired effective June 30th.
WELL … I am going to disagree with Dr. Dennis Coe. Scott Childers retired from the Dothan City Schools as a Principal. We have a mutual friend who is a very successful businessman who said he learned more under Scott Childers than any other teacher he had in the 12 years of the Dothan School system. Scott Childers, in addition to his teaching career, is a very successful businessman in Dothan himself.
While I respect Dr. Coe, as an elected public servant, which Scott Childers is, as Superintendent you are not superior. You are employed by the school system, but as Chairman of the Board you are employed by the majority of qualified voters who pay for the system. As Chairman, I would demand to be informed and never blindsided. And when I was, there would not be any second chance for those employed who did not keep me informed.
Just with the job description of the School Superintendent; who drafted the job description and who placed it on the agenda of the School Board? Because either you, Dr. Coe and every member of the Dothan School Board denied having a part in the job description at an open meeting. Someone lied. And it passed in the usual 4 to 3 vote that the job announcement required a doctorate.
The Chairman of the Board and the Superintendent, in concert with each other, is to set the board agenda.
The problem with government, and I hear it at the City of Dothan, those employed think they run the entire show and how dare the elected public servants as them a question. It is the elected public servants who are answerable to the voters. Those employed have contracts with huge buy outs and educators have all types of protection so nothing can be done with them. If I am elected and responsible to the people, I AM GOING TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON or all hell will break out and we will be in full war.
And it appears that has been going on in the Dothan City Schools. So therefore it will make a hostile work enviornment. Because as someone elected there is no protection and under contract the person gets a hefty payout.
The so called censure from the State. The public might be fooled but isn’t it amazing that D3 School Board Member Melanie Hill had the letter and knowledge of it before Chairman Scoot Childers? While I supported you being appointed, let’s not forget you worked for the State of Alabama Department of Education before returning to Dothan. You were the “elected” School Superintendent in Henry County before going to Montgomery and then Dothan. So all types of connections in Montgomery. And top level educators take care of top level educators.
I call your hand on that letter and Melanie Hill having it and reading in the board meeting while Childers did not even have it. I AM NOT STUPID.
There is a 4 to 3 vote in every meeting. And while I have known Melanie Hill for many years, she felt she is not answerable to the voters. I personally experienced her rude and obnoxious behavior at a school board meeting. She felt she was above being answerable to the people who elected her as a public servant.
Dr. Coe, you have retired and time to go fishing. You will receive a pension from the Educators Retirement the rest of your life. Go fishing. But calling Childers a bully when he was not kept informed and things behind his back. I would not have tolerated that at all. As a person directly responsible to the voters you would be calling me much worse.
TO THOSE EMPLOYED IN GOVERNMENT, the people elected are responsible to the voters. And if I was one of them, I would ask questions and demand honest answers.
The School System is one that educators have created that only functions for educators. The school system needs business people and not educators running the ship. The number two person could be a good educator. It is a big business. And just because you can teach a subject does not mean you can run and manage a huge business.
In closing, it is time for those employed to understand who is responsible to the ones paying the bills, the voters!!!
DOTHAN: D5 School Board Member Amy Bonds is not seeking re-election. As the meeting began Board Member Amy Bonds stated that she felt the employment of the new school Superintendent needed to be made by the school board members which would be elected on August 5. Chairman Scott Childers and D6 Board Member Aurie Jenkins agree.
When the item came up D3 Board Member Melanie Hill, who is not seeking re-election, made the motion for the board to select two finalists for the new Superintendent. Tonight was the least meeting of Dr. Dennie Coe who is retiring after 36 years in education. Coe will officially retire in 7 days.
D4 School Board Member Brenda Guilford requested go down the line one by one of who each wanted as finalists to interview.
Strickland: Dr. Garrick Askew and Dr. Kari McGann: Hill: Askew and McGann Jones: Askew and McGann
Guilford: Askew and Dr, Charles Corbitt Childers: Dr. Donnie Chambers No second choice
Bonds: Chambers Jenkins: Chambers and McKann
Then there was confusion on how many votes each person received. D4 Brenda Guilford was totally confused and confusing. D6 Jenkins withdrew her second choice and went with only Chamers, which was allowed because of discussion. A second time each school board members named their choices. Board Members Strickland, Hill, Jones and Guilford named: Askew and McGann, and Chairman Childers, Bond and Jenkins named Chambers.
So on a 4 to 3 vote the two finalists to be interviews are Dr. Kari McGann ( Supt. in New Jersey ) and Dr. Garrick Askew ( Athens Georgia ).
Strickland and Hill, who are not seeking re-election and have no children in the school system, and Jones and Guilford who are seeking re-election but have no children in the school system, are bound and determined to name the new school Superintendent before they leave office. Interviews will be upcoming.
Current Superintendent Dennis Coe thanked everyone who worked with him in the system. After 36 years he is retiring. He then stood, shook every school board members hands, hands in the audience, received an applause, he was able to walk out and leave the school board meeting at the beginning.
They named an acting Chairman but did not catch the name.
Dothan School Board Chairman Scott Childers has withdrawn seeking re-election as Dothan School Board Chairman. Scott Childers has qualified as District 4 School Board Member. Childers is unopposed as no one was running for District 4.
Julia Turner has qualified as Chairman of Dothan School Board. Turner and Wes Grant will square off for Chairman of Dothan School Board.
Qualifying ended at 5 PM today. All municipal offices are officially OFF AND RUNNING!!!
DOTHAN: The deadline to qualify for Mayor of Dothan, Associate Commissioners, Dothan School Board Chairman and School Board Members is TODAY, June 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM. You must qualify with the City Clerk Office in the Roy M. Drigger’s Municipal Building ( Dothan Civic Center ).
As of this writing NO ONE has qualified for District 4 Dothan School Board.
List of Candidates who have officially qualified to run in the City of Dothan Municipal Election to be held on August 5, 2025. Official qualifying began on June 3rd and ends at 5:00 p.m. on June 24th
Those who have qualified are:
The candidates listed below have completed all requirements for placement on the ballot, and
names are printed in the order received. The official ballot will be printed in alphabetical order
by last name.
________________________________________________________________________
6/20/2025 12:29 PM Mayor
Mark Saliba – INCUMBENT
Jimmy McCray Associate Commissioner District 1
Kevin Dorsey – INCUMBENT
Vivian K. Daniels Associate Commissioner District 2
Dorinda P. McGowan
Phillipe Kirksey
Derrick Tiller Associate Commissioner District 3
David Haight
Bradley Bedwell – INCUMBENT
Kyle Scott Associate Commissioner District 4
Dave Stock
Josh Chapman Associate Commissioner District 5
Gantt Pierce – INCUMBENT Associate Commissioner District 6
David L. Crutchfield – INCUMBENT
.
The candidates listed below have completed all requirements for placement on the ballot, and
names are printed in the order received. The official ballot will be printed in alphabetical order
by last name.
________________________________________________________________________
6/20/2025 12:29 PM Board of Education Chair
P. Scott Childers – INCUMBENT
James Wesley “Wes” Grant Board of Education Member District 1
Michelle Beacham
Donald A. Hogans
Brenda C. Guilford – INCUMBENT Board of Education Member District 2
Franklin Jones – INCUMBENT
Justise Black Board of Education Member District 3
Jason Falls
Taiisha Walton
Jillian Kemp Board of Education Member District 4
Board of Education Member District 5
Beverly Jones Lampkin
Ashley Whitfield Davis
J.T. Carroll Board of Education Member District 6
Aurie Jenkins – INCUMBENT
If no one qualifies for District 4 then the newly elected School Board will appoint or the State School Supt. will appoint.
DOTHAN: In a swift and aggressive search by Dothan 911, Houston County Sheriff 911, Dothan Police Patrol and Houston County Sheriff Patrol, a stolen truck and suspect were quickly recovered and apprehended.
The stolen Southeast Gas truck was spotted in Headland Avenue. The vehicle was located about the same time by Dothan Police Patrol Division and Houston County Sheriff Patrol Division.
The suspect was sandwiched in by multiple Dothan Police Patrol and a Houston County Sheriff Deputy at Leona Street and Wilson Street.
Once sandwiched and stopped the suspect was non compliant for a brief period of time. When the suspect realized he was vastly outnumbered he made the correct decision and gave up.
The stolen vehicle and suspect in custody. Dothan Police Criminal Investigation Division is in charge of the investigation.
OZARK: 01:53 AM. Ozark – Dale County 911 dispatched Ozark Police and Ozark Fire – Rescue to 150 Aventura Court in Ozark to a person unresponsive and not breathing.
On the arrival of Ozark Police the Patrol Division found a male subject unresponsive and blood everywhere. The male subject was deceased on the scene.
Ozark Police Criminal Investigation and Crime Scene Investigation units were dispatched to the scene and Dale County Coroner John Cawley. The 33rd Judicial Circuit District Attorney Kirke Adams was notified.
The suspect fled on foot. WASP ( Wiregrass Aviation Support Unit ) was requested and deployed for air support. Later a Dale County Sheriff Deputy encountered a suspect near the scene on Apple Circle in Ozark.
WASP was cancelled as the person of interest was detained. The person detained was transported to Ozark Police Department for questioning.
Ozark Police Criminal Investigation units is in charge of the investigation.
DALE COUNTY: On Saturday, June 21, 2025 the family, friends, fellow law enforcement, fellow first responders and citizens of Dale County came together to pay tribute to a man who devoted 28 years to serve and protect others.
The Celebration of Life Services for retired Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson.
As Retired Dale County Sheriff Bryant Mixon described, at about age 14, Wally Olson met him and said that he wanted to one day be the Sheriff of Dale County. Sheriff Mixon gave to Wally Olson a badge. One he kept shiny. Several years later Sheriff Mixon hired Wally Olson beginning in the jail. From that point, and working with Ariton Police Department, Wally Olson worked his way through Alabama Police Academy , as class President, on through the ranks to become the elected Sheriff of Dale County.
In 2013, just 5 years after becoming Sheriff, Wally Olson was faced with something no other Sheriff has been faced with. Jimmy Lee Dykes, a 65-year-old Vietnam War-era veteran, boarded a Dale County school bus, killed the driver, and took a five-year-old boy hostage. On the afternoon of February 4, law enforcement agents entered the bunker, killed Dykes, and rescued the child. Midland City, Alabama, U.S. When Wally Olson arrived on the scene, he never left for the 6 day stand off. Area law enforcement responded and assisted. Sheriff Olson never hesitatted to call in state and federal resources to assist. But Sheriff Wally Olson remained on the scene and in command. The child was removed safe.
Current Sheriff, Mason Bynum, was also a Dale County native who came to Wally Olson and, like Olson, wanted to become Sheriff of Dale County when Sheriff Wally Olson retired. Sheriff Olson hired Mason Bynum, who was hired as a jailer. And Mason Bynum worked his way through the department to become Chief Deputy under Sheriff Olson. On the retirement of Olson the dream of Mason Bynum became reality.
Sheriff Bynum said that Wally Olson never could get his phone on silent. He would have ring tones like ducks. Sheriff Bynum related that when one person called, no matter what, Sheriff Wally Olson would answer. And that was his mother. Sheriff Wally Olson served as President of the Alabama Sheriff Association. At one particular event Alabama Governor Ivey was speaking and Sheriff Olson was on the stage. The ducks started and Sheriff Olson answered during the Governor’s speech because it was his mother calling.
While Wally Olson loved his job as Sheriff, and the people of Dale County, his first love was in Jesus Christ followed by his wife, two daughters, his mother and dad. They were his pride and always lighting up when speaking of his wife and two daughters. Sheriff Mixon said that they had to get him married to Brandy to get him back to work because he was so in love.
Sheriff Wally Olson never met a stranger. No matter who you were, no matter your color or economic status, Wally Olson was there for you. He would always tahe time to talk to you and help as best he could, anyone. He loved people and serving which he did with compassion, fairness and an unwavering belief in doing the right thing.
He worked at Ft. Novosel and Fuqua – Bankston Funeral Home after retiring from serving as Dale County Sheriff.
The Ozark Civic Center was filled with people from all walks of life paying tribute to Wally Olson.
THANK YOU to Sheriff Olson’s wife, Brandy, two daughters Emma Claire and Ellie Grace, his parents Gary and Alice Olson. You gave your husband, dad, and son to the people of Dale County and guests who served and protected.
