The Pell City Board of Education and city of Pell City have collaborated on information to educate the general public on Act 2024-111. This material, which includes an informational guide and frequently-asked-questions, addresses the Nov. 5, referendum that could affect the governance of the Pell City Board of Education.

The guide can be found online at pell-city.com/act111

The FAQ can be found online at pell-city.com/act11faq

Act 2024-111 will appear before St. Clair County voters on this year’s General Election ballot. If approved, for the first time ever, it will allow county residents the opportunity to serve as voting members of the Pell City Board of Education.

St. Clair residents whose children attend Pell City Schools, but live outside the city limits of Pell City have never had voting representation on the Pell City Board of Education in the 42-year history of the system. These residents now make up approximately 53 percent of the population of Pell City Schools.

In 2021, the BOE adopted these residents as the “Pell City Schools Attendance Zone and Tax District,” and voters subsequently passed a ballot measure approving a 5-mil ad valorem tax that supports the system. In an effort to provide these residents with voting representation, the Board of Education researched the issue and proposed the appointment of all board members, with at least two members being appointed from the”Attendance Zone.”

If approved, all members of the Pell City Board of Education would be appointed by the city council for the city of Pell City.

Sen. Lance Bell developed Senate Bill 141 by working alongside Pell City Schools, the city of Pell City, and St. Clair County Schools. Bell proposed the bill during the 2024 Alabama Legislative Session.

“We are proud of the members of this Board of Education for doing what no other board has been willing to do in addressing issues of voting representation for residents of the Attendance Zone,” Mayor Bill Pruitt said. “We offer them our thanks and support.”

According to a press release form the city, “the board of education and council determined jointly that educating the general public on the referendum in advance of the election was of the utmost importance, and they developed these materials to explain the history of the Attendance Zone and the reasons for proposing an appointed board.”

Residents, especially those connected to students in the Pell City School System, are encouraged to review the material and reach out to the council and board of Education with questions or comments.