Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — Orange Beach mayor and council members spent much of their latest council meeting discussing how to fill an open seat on the city school board fairly. The focus was on conducting candidate interviews in a transparent, unbiased way. City officials highlighted that residents expect transparency in decisions affecting local schools. They also noted that the process must comply with state law and city human resources rules.

The Orange Beach City Council met on February 10, 2026, in a session that included a committee meeting on the school board appointment. During the discussion, council members reviewed the next steps for five shortlisted candidates for the open board position. The finalists are Stephen Lewis, Ryan Long, Carrie Morris, Clay Tindal, and Mallory Wilkins. Council members said narrowing the list to five was difficult and noted that several other applicants were highly qualified.



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Officials outlined a plan to interview all five candidates using a standardized format. Each candidate will be asked the same open-ended questions, with no unrelated follow-up questions, to prevent any applicant from gaining an unfair advantage. Human resources director Michelle Bugos explained that this approach aligns with the city’s HR policy, which requires that all candidates be treated equally during interviews. She said open-ended questions allow applicants to “expand on their experience” and give the council better insight into each person’s background and views.

Because the council must comply with Alabama’s Sunshine Law and the Open Meetings Act, members also debated how many could participate directly in the interviews. One option discussed was having a small group of council members, such as Ginger Harrison, Robert Stuart, and Mayor Tony Kennon, conduct the interviews in person while the remaining members watch from the council chambers with their microphones muted. Another idea was to use video interviews so all council members could see the same “back and forth and body language” without turning the session into a full workshop with deliberation.

Bugos reminded the council that the city’s standard method for hiring top positions, such as fire or police chiefs, is to prepare questions in advance and ask the same ones to every applicant. Usually, a small committee conducts the interviews, and any follow-up questions must relate directly to the original question. Council members said they want to apply these fairness principles to the school board appointment, even though the board member would not be a city employee.

Several council members voiced concerns about how to handle sensitive topics, including criminal history, in a way that is both consistent and lawful. They considered implementing a standardized set of questions for all candidates, rather than allowing different follow-up questions that could introduce bias or appear discriminatory. Their goal, they stated, is to “create a fair and equitable process” to identify the most qualified candidate for the role.

To keep the process on schedule, council members agreed to submit potential interview questions via email, with a likely deadline set for the following week. These questions will be reviewed and refined before being sent to the candidates so they know what to expect. Once the question list is finalized, the city plans to schedule interview dates, taking into account upcoming events such as the Mardi Gras parades. Council members said they want enough time to prepare while also moving quickly to fill the important school board seat.

Throughout the discussion, officials stressed that the public should trust the process for selecting the next board member. They stated that a structured, transparent interview process will demonstrate that the decision is based on merit, not politics or personal connections. The council agreed on the general outline of the process they will follow in the upcoming weeks.