The school board for the Pulaski County Special School District terminated its superintendent and dismissed the Allen P. Roberts law firm as its legal representative Tuesday evening.
The vote comes one day after the superintendent, Jerry Guess, said that he “and my lawyers of choice” have “lost the confidence” of the district’s school board and that he will leave if directed to do so by the board.
The members voted 6-1 at a specially called meeting Tuesday evening to dismiss the law firm, saying it acted too independently. Board member Mike Kemp voted no and arguing against the dismissal.
The board then went into executive session. When it emerged in public an hour later, the board voted unanimously to terminate Guess, effective immediately.
Guess, 66, has been the superintendent of the 12,000-student district since 2011. He was appointed after the state took over the district, which now operates under local control. He earned an annual salary of $215,000. His contract calls for him to be paid for six months if he is dismissed.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.