Vision: Invest in Others· Serve our Community· Seek Growth
Mission: To Shape the Future of all Learners and our Community

General Information:
Dr. Johnny Berry, Superintendent
750 Arabian Drive Northeast
Arab, Alabama 35016
(p) 256.586.6011 (f) 256.586.6013
www.arabcityschools.org

Meetings:
Regular board meetings are held at 6p on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Arab High School Media Center 511 Arabian Drive unless otherwise specified.

Terms:
The board is comprised of five (5) members appointed by the City Council. Members serve five (5) year staggered terms.
Pat Henry
Patrick Sularin
Kevin Walls
Chris Harper
Russ Williams

Functions, duties, and responsibilities:
The Arab Board of Education is a corporate board charged with operating and maintaining the City’s school system. The system is comprised of four schools: Arab Primary School (K-2), Arab Elementary School (3-5), Arab Junior High School (6-8), and Arab High School (9-12). The Arab City School System is accredited by AdvancED, a National Accreditation System. The board establishes policies, curriculum, budgetary controls, and general supervision over approximately 200 faculty, 12 administrators, 112 support personnel, and nearly 2,600 students.

Contact:
Melissa Cook, Economic Development Director
740 North Main Street, Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.8123
mcook@arabcity.org

Meetings:
Meetings are scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30a at Arab City Hall.

Terms:
Five (5) members are appointed by the City Council. Members serve four (4) year staggered terms.
Council Member Mike Allen serves as Council Liaison to this board.
Councilman Mike Allen – Council appointee
Laurel Tidmore
Dr. Johnny Berry
Clint Maze
Ty King
Katie Hamilton

Functions, duties, and responsibilities:
The Arab Commercial Development Authority is established and functions per Section 11-54-170 through 11-54-192,
Code of Alabama, 1975. The Commercial Development Authority has the authority to acquire, own, and lease projects to promote trade and commerce by inducing commercial enterprises to locate new facilities and expand existing facilities.

Contact:
Ricky Phillips, Director
740 North Main Street
Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.8819
rphillips@arabcity.org

Meetings:
The Board meets on an as-needed basis.

Terms:
Members are appointed by the Mayor for an unspecified term. EMA Board is made up of various city department heads and other city agencies appointed by the Mayor. 

Functions, duties and responsibilities:
The Arab Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) is responsible for protecting the city of Arab, Alabama from natural and man-made disasters. The AEMA develops plans and trains personnel to respond to emergencies, coordinates emergency response efforts, maintains communication with the public during emergencies and organizes recovery activities in the aftermath of a disaster.

Mission Statement:
The Arab Historic Preservation Commission has a broad mission to promote and ensure the historical, cultural and aesthetic heritage of the City of Arab. The Arab Historic Preservation Commission is endeavoring to enable future generations to hold on to what is significant from the community’s past.

Contact:
Kathy King
740 North Main Street, Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.5968
kking@arabcity.org

Meetings:
The Arab Historic Preservation Commission meets at 6p at Arab City Hall, 740 North Main Street, according to this schedule: January-December, meet every second Tuesday*.
*Note that additional meetings may occur March-September on the 4th Tuesday of the month if needed.

Terms:
Initial members are appointed by the Mayor and subsequent members are appointed by the City Council. Members serve three (3) year staggered terms.
Councilman Mark Gullion – Council Liaison
Christy Holmes
Brenda King
Stephen Raley
Dawn Morgan
Kathy Ramsey
Nathan Oldacre
Claudia Schultz

Functions, duties, and responsibilities:
The Arab Historic Preservation Commission was established in January 2013, to provide for the designation, protection, preservation and rehabilitation of historic properties and historic districts. Having that designation enables us to participate in federal and state programs. The “This Place Matters” program was launched to recognize specific historic buildings and places and to increase public awareness of the importance of preserving Arab’s rich history. Some of Arab’s most historic treasures have already been lost due to neglect or other causes, but now we have a way to preserve and protect them.

General Design Guidelines required for property owners within the Historical District:
If your property is within the Arab Historical District, there are General Design Guidelines you are required to follow when making changes to the exterior of any building or structure on that property. These changes must be submitted to and approved by the Historic Preservation Commission before any work can be done.

To find out if your property is inside the Arab Historical District, click here.

Mission Statement:
The Arab Housing Authority has a broad mission to provide housing to low and moderate-income families and the elderly.

Contact:
Cindy Coker, Director
720 Cullman Road
Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.5904
arabhousing@otelco.net

Meetings:
This board meets at the above address at 5:30p every third Monday of January/April/July/October with the annual meeting held on the third Monday in June.

Terms:
The board is comprised of five (5) members appointed by the Mayor. Members serve five (5) year staggered terms.
Brenda Hunt
Pat Morgan
Kim Holmes
Myra Weaver
Sammy Waldrop

Functions, duties, and responsibilities:
The Arab Housing Authority was established in 1950, with a primary function of providing decent, safe and sanitary housing for low-and moderately low-income families, and for the elderly, under guidelines established by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Authority owns, operates and maintains two housing projects with a total of 105 apartment dwelling units and 69 Section 8 Vouchers.

Mission Statement:
The Arab Industrial Development Board is concerned with the promotion and support of industrial and economic development of the
community through marketing and acquisition of sites for industrial prospects interested in locating in Arab.

Contact:
Melissa Cook, Economic Development Director
740 North Main Street, Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.8123
mcook@arabcity.org

Meetings:
This board meets at Arab City Hall, 740 North Main Street, at 7:30a on the second Tuesday of each month.

Terms:
Members are appointed by the City Council. Members serve four (4) year staggered terms.
Councilman Mike Allen – Council Liaison
John Richey
Katie Hamilton
Ty King
Laurel Tidmore
Clint Maze
Sunny Vasudeva
Dr. Johnny Berry

Functions, duties, and responsibilities:
The Arab Industrial Development Board is a corporate board that was established and functions under State law (Sec,11-54-80 through 11-54-101). Additional statutes authorize the board to issue bonds for the purchase and development of industrial property. Such projects may be equipped, sold or leased to manufacturers within statutory guidelines.

Mission Statement:
The Arab Library Board has a broad mission to establish and oversee general public library policies.

Contact:
Tanya Alexander, Director
325 Second Street Northwest
Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.3366 / announcement line
library@arabcity.org

Meetings:
The Arab Library Board meets quarterly on the 4th Tuesdays of January/April/July/October at 5p in the Library.

Terms:
The board is comprised of five (5) members appointed by the City Council. Members serve four (4) year staggered terms.
Pam Donahue
Monte Davis
Donna Copeland
Susanna Williams
David Moore

Functions, duties and responsibilities:
The Arab Library Board was created to oversee general public library policies and to submit annual library recommendations to the Mayor each year when preparing the City’s annual operating budget.

Mission Statement:
The Personnel Grievance Board has a broad mission to promote fairness to all those involved in a grievance process regarding the City and its employees and to advise the City regarding personnel issues.

Contact:
Susan Varano, Personnel Director
740 North Main Street, Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.6923
svarano@arabcity.org

Meetings:
This board meets on an as-needed basis.

Terms:
The board is comprised of three (3) members appointed by the City Council. Members serve three (3) year staggered terms.
Tommy Harris
Larry Brock
Tim Green

Functions, duties and responsibilities:
The Personnel Grievance Board was established in 1991. The primary duties and functions of the board are part of the Personnel Policy and include not only the scheduling and hearing of personnel grievances but also acting in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and City Council on problems concerning personnel administration.

Mission Statement:
The broad mission of the Arab Planning Commission is to implement growth policies, ordinances, and State Statutes that were designed to enhance and protect the general health, safety and welfare of the community.

Contact:
Kim Johnson
740 North Main Street, Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.5968
kjohnson@arabcity.org

Meetings:
Regular board meetings are held at 6p on the third Tuesday of each month at Arab City Hall, 740 North Main Street.

Terms:
The board is comprised of a total of nine members. Six of these members are usually appointed by the Mayor and serve six years. The Mayor (or his replacement), Administrative Officer and City Council Member serve during time in office.
Councilman Mark Gullion – Council Liaison
Melissa Cook *serves at discretion of the Mayor
Ed Howard *serves at discretion of the Mayor
Leslie Allen
Seth Bell
John Arthur
Rodney Willingham
Curtis Snider
Jeff Taffar

Functions, duties and responsibilities:
The Arab City Planning Commission specifically makes rezoning recommendations to the City Council, gives final approval of new subdivisions, approves and revises elements of comprehensive planning, and makes zoning code revision recommendations to the City Council.

Mission Statement:
The Arab Sewer Board is committed to providing adequate and efficient sanitary sewer service to as many businesses & residences as possible in the Arab area.

Contact:
John Barnes, Manager
654 11th Avenue NW
Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.6148
arabsewer@otelco.net

Meetings:
Regular board meetings are held at 8a on the second Tuesday of each month unless re-scheduled.

Terms:
The board is comprised of three (3) members appointed by the City Council. Members serve six (6) year staggered terms.
Steve Hallman
Jeff Noojin
Joe Handschumacher

Functions, duties & responsibilities:
The Arab Sewer Board is a corporate board charged with operating and maintaining the City’s sanitary sewer system under guidelines established by its Charter and State and Federal environmental standards.

Mission Statement:
The Arab Water Board is committed to providing an adequate supply of potable water to customers throughout the City of Arab and the surrounding area.

Contact:
Ted Hyatt, Manager
526 Cullman Road
Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.3159
hyatt@arabwaterworks.org

Meetings:
Regular board meetings are held at 6p on the fourth Tuesday of every month at Arab Water Works (address listed above) unless re-scheduled.

Terms:
The board is comprised of three (3) members appointed by the City Council. Members serve six (6) year staggered terms.
Andy Mann
Renae Warren
Catharine Willis

Functions, duties & responsibilities:
The Arab Water Board is a corporate board charged with operating and maintaining a potable water system under guidelines established by its Charter, and State and Federal environmental standards. The board has its own staff qualified to operate its treatment plant and to extend and maintain water lines for residential, business and industrial use, as well as fire protection. Besides serving customers inside the city limits, the board services a broad region outside the city, and “wholesales” water to several other small communities nearby. The Water Board billing includes its own user charges, as well as those established by the Arab Sewer Board. It also includes a majority of the solid waste collection fees collected on behalf of the City of Arab.

Contact:
Kim Johnson
740 North Main Street, Arab, Alabama 35016
256.586.5968
kjohnson@arabcity.org

Meetings:
This board meets whenever a petition is filed by a citizen or property owner for a specific appeal action. Notice for a petition hearing is published in the legal section of the Arab Tribune.

Terms:
This board is appointed by the City Council and consists of five (5) regular members and two (2) alternate members that serve a three (3) year term.
Jeff Morgan
Dale Kinney
Tyler Kelsoe
Travis Tidmore
Dawn Sparks

Functions, duties and responsibilities:
The Arab Zoning Board of Adjustment considers appeals or variances from the requirements of the City zoning regulations; reviews requests for special exceptions; and reviews appeals from City zoning administrator decisions.