It appears one Columbus Municipal School District board seat will become an elected position by November 2025.
By state law, if 15% or more of a municipal school district’s student population resides in the “separate school district” — area included within the school district boundaries that is outside the city limits — then one of its board members must be elected from the added territory.
At Monday’s board of trustees meeting at Brandon Central Services, Board President Cynthia Brown reported that as of Aug. 7, 548 of the district’s 3,032 students (18.1%) live in the separate district, triggering the need for an election.
Board Attorney Chris Hemphill said the election would not be until November 2025, instead of this November, because of time constraints.
“We don’t have enough time … for (candidates) to qualify (which requires a 30-day period) and then have (another) 60 days before the election,” he told the board.
Hemphill advised the board to approve a resolution this October to formally ask the county election commission to call for the board election. The elected member would take office Jan. 1, 2026.
The city council traditionally appoints CMSD board members to five-year terms on a rotating basis, with one board spot coming up for reappointment each March. Once the elected seat is established, which will also carry a five-year term, the council will continue to appoint four of the board’s members.
The timing of the election means Josie Shumake, who is serving her second term on the board, is not eligible for reappointment in March 2026, and she cannot run for the elected seat since she does not live in the separate school district territory. Instead, her term will end two months early, Hemphill said.
Board member Robert Smith asked Hemphill if the board could have more than one member that resides in the separate territory. For example, Telisa Young, an appointed member whose term expires in March 2025, is the only current member who lives in that area.
Hemphill said, while unlikely, it’s actually legal for all four appointed members to live in the separate territory. The only stipulation is that the elected member must live there.
What about annexation?
The separate school district extends west from the city limits to the Tombigbee River and east to Lehmberg Road, according to a map provided by the Lowndes County Tax Assessor’s Office. It runs as far north as Mike Parra Road and as far south as Canfield Road.
However, the southeastern portion of the separate school district is included in a proposed city annexation plan now being adjudicated, which might complicate matters for the school board.
The council voted in March to attempt to annex two areas into the city limits, one area bounded on the east by South Lehmberg Road, on the south by the area adjacent to Scott Drive, on the west by Hargrove Road and to the north around Vernon Branch Creek — all of which is in the CMSD separate district.
A chancery court trial on the proposal is expected next spring.
If annexation goes through, it might bring enough students into the city limits to reduce the separate school district population to less than 15%, Hemphill told The Dispatch on Tuesday. He’s not sure what would happen next, especially if annexation concludes before the November 2025 CMSD board election.
“I don’t know if anyone has looked at that question thoroughly,” Hemphill said. “My guess is I would have to write for an AG opinion on that. Because I don’t know.”
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 39 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
