Matthew Akin

Dr. Matt Akin of Piedmont, Ala. is the new superintendent for Huntsville City Schools. (Bob Gathany/bgathany@AL.com)

(Bob Gathany)

The Huntsville school board met briefly tonight, voting to approve the contract with Dr. Matt Akin, meaning he is now the new superintendent of Huntsville City Schools.

After a month-long negotiation process, the board voted 3-1 to approve Akin's contract, with board members Walker McGinnis, Beth Wilder and Elisa Ferrell voting in favor and Michelle Watkins voting against. Board member Pam Hill was absent due to illness.

"It was a long process but I think we've ended up with a good (contract) for him and for us, and we're ready to move ahead," said Ferrell, the school board president.

The contract negotiation process between Akin and the board has been ongoing since Jan. 30, when the board voted 3-2 to extend a contract to him, after a several-month search.

Akin's contract states he will make an annual salary of $195,000, plus a $900 per month car allowance and $10,000 in moving expenses. The board granted the salary he requested, negotiated down two other requests, and refused three others, said Ferrell.

Akin will officially start work on March 13. Ferrell said he has already been meeting with the district's financial officer and toured several schools during his interview visit. He attended a jazz band concert at Grissom High School last weekend, and will attend a town hall-type listening session hosted by Watkins at the Richard Showers Center tomorrow night.

"We've already built a good rapport with him," said Ferrell. "I think it's going to be a good working relationship.

Watkins said she voted against the contract because Akins had asked not to have an annual physical exam, which had been a stipulation on the contract. She thought he should have one, as his two predecessors did, or at least that he should have made the stipulation weeks ago when contract negotiations first started.

Now that the contract has been approved, however, Watkins said she is looking to move forward.

"Hopefully Dr. Akin is going to come in here, work hard and turn our school system around," she said. "I want him to focus on schools, especially in my district, because we have a lot of issues: reading problems, discipline problems. I'm looking forward to him coming in, making changes."

Akin was previously superintendent of Piedmont schools in Piedmont, Ala.