The Butler County School System will soon be looking for a new superintendent.

According to reports from the Anniston Star, the Anniston Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Butler County Schools Superintendent Darren Douthitt as its next superintendent.

Anniston Board of Education President Donna Ross confirmed on Friday that the board had offered the position to Douthitt and that he had accepted its offer. Ross said the two parties would begin contract negotiations next week.

According to the reports, Douthitt would be paid a base salary of $120,000 and that Anniston would ask that Douthitt begin work no later than Feb. 18.

Douthitt started his career in education as a teacher for the Anniston City School System, teaching English, Speech, Multicultural Studies and GRE Remediation from 1993 to 1998.

He served as principal of Anniston High School from 2001-03.

Ross said Douthitt’s ties to the Anniston community were a major factor in the board’s decision to offer him the position.

“When he was here he did a great job and had a great rapport with the community,” she said. “He was a great leader at the high school when he was there, and people remembered that.

“We’re confident in his ability to lead our community in a new direction and help us achieve the goals we want to achieve in uniting the community around the schools.”

Messages left for Douthitt seeking comment were not returned.

Douthitt was hired as Butler County’s superintendent in 2010.

His contract is set to expire in May of this year.

According to Douthitt’s contract with the Butler County Board of Education, both the board of education and Douthitt are to notify the other party three months prior to the end of the contract if the party’s intention is to not renew the contract.

Douthitt’s contract was set to be discussed by the board of education at its September meeting, but was removed from the agenda after a threatening phone call was made to Douthitt.

At the time, then-president Mickey Jones said the board would discuss the superintendent’s contract at a future date. No date was set.

The board of education is scheduled to hold is monthly meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Central Office Boardroom located at 949 Oglesby St. in Greenville.
Attempts to reach BOE President Terry Williams and board members Joe Lisenby and Linda Hamilton were unsuccessful.