Video: Confusion Unfolds At CMSD Meeting

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – We spent much of our day at the Columbus Municipal School District’s main office.

The meeting started at 8:30 this morning, and after two executive sessions, and a lot of confusion, the meeting wrapped up five in a half hours later.

When it was all over, no one from the district would talk to us.

The biggest confusion deals with the Columbus High former head basketball coach, Luther Riley.

On June 8th, his contract was withdrawn, this morning a motion was made to reinstate his contract for a teaching position only, and at the end of the meeting, it was withdrawn again.

That’s because the board’s attorney, David Dunn, advised the board to void today’s contract because he says it’s illegal under Mississippi law to reinstate someone’s contract without the superintendent recommending that person for employment, and Superintendent Dr. Philip Hickman did not recommend Riley.

The board voted 3 to 2 to offer the basketball coach position to Alfrico Potts.

Potts was suspended from his job as coach at Mississippi Valley State in 2013, after being arrested on a domestic violence charge.

Again, our request for comments from board members were all declined.