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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Chilton County Board of Education will be holding all of its meetings for the next year at the Central Office, following a unanimous vote on Nov. 16.

For the past couple of years, the board had split its meeting locations amongst schools in each area of the county and the central office.

The discussion to have all meetings at one location was started by board member Lori Patterson.

Board member Diane Calloway said having the meeting location change each time left some unsure of where the meetings were going to be held.

“I think it does a hardship on the people at the central office to go to the different locations and also technology has to go and set up every place,” Calloway said.

She said changing the location has not led to more people in that area attending a meeting.

“I just think it would be easier on everybody if we had it at central office,” Calloway said.

Superintendent Jason Griffin said moving the meetings to locations in each area of the county had been something he campaigned on, but he would do whatever the board wanted.

He also mentioned there had been comments previously that the meeting room at the Central Office was not large enough to seat all of those that wanted to attend.

Vice President Chris Smith said he would like the meetings to be streamed live. Board member Keith Moore agreed.

“Livestreaming, I am adamantly opposed to that because of the drama that was created previously, but I will support that if that is what you want to do,” Griffin said. “Very few school boards across the state livestream their meetings.”

He said when the meetings had been livestreamed, people took snippets from the video clips and used them out of context.

Board member Brad Carter said he would like the board to explore options of having the meetings live on the radio like the Chilton County Commission does or with the locally run internet radio station.

The board asked Griffin to research these options and present the information at the next board meeting. The next board meeting will be on Dec. 14 at Clanton Middle School at 6 p.m.

For 2022, the board will meet on Jan. 18, Feb. 15, March 15, April 19, May 17, June 14, Aug. 16, Sept. 20, Oct. 18, Nov. 15 and Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. each night.

The annual public comment meeting will be held on May 17 at 5:30 p.m.