HARTSELLE COUNCIL ASKS ABOUT DRUG-TESTING POLICY

10 Interested In School Board Seat

HARTSELLE -- The City Council here will interview four more candidates
before deciding if incumbent Tom McHugh retains his spot on the school board.

"We had four more applicants to apply on Friday which brings the total to
10," Mayor Clif Knight said at Monday's work session.

The mayor said Ron Abercrombie, Gary Burgess and attorneys Jeff Roberts and
Catherine Halbrooks applied for the position Friday. They will be
interviewed Monday. School board members serve six-year terms.

McHugh's seat has attracted attention because of the controversy
surrounding two baseball players who collapsed in school March 4.

One of the players tested positive for marijuana, but Superintendent Lee
Hartsell and the school board took no disciplinary action. As a result,
some council members want to replace McHugh.

The council interviewed McHugh and Shirley Wells on April 22. It talked
with four more candidates Monday night. Applicants include Brent Craig,
Greg Cain, Lynn Crow and Mark Hendrix.

It was clear from the questions that some council members are concerned
about the investigation surrounding the incident, and what several view as
a too-close relationship between Hartsell and the school board.

The four candidates said Hartselle needs a drug-testing policy for students
who participate in extracurricular activities.