Terry Spicer to plead guilty to bribery charge

Elba City Schools Superintendent and former state Rep. Terry Spicer will continue to serve as the head of Elba schools despite agreeing to plead guilty Nov. 15 to bribery.

Gappa Wise, an Elba City Schools Board member, made a motion during an Oct. 24 board meeting to place Spicer on administrative leave with pay. The motion died for lack of a second, however.

Wise attempted to discuss a board reaction to allegations against Spicer, but was interrupted when the meeting was called into executive session. No reason was officially given for the session.

The motion to place Spicer on administrative leave was made after the board reconvened. After leaving the meeting during the executive session, Spicer did not return until the meeting was adjourned.

Wise's action came on the heels of reports that Spicer allegedly accepted bribes from lobbyist Jarrod Massey in exchange for business opportunities and prospects and from Enterprise developer Ronnie Gilley for his support in passing gambling legislation.

Gilley testified during a recent federal gambling corruption trial involving numerous state legislators and businessmen that he had given Spicer "a box of cash" in exchange for his support in passing pro-gambling bingo legislation.

Massey also admitted in court he had paid Spicer about $3,000 a month-money he said was given in exchange for Spicer's help in obtaining clients and relocating businesses to the Elba area.

Both Massey and Gilley pleaded guilty to numerous charges including bribery for their alleged roles in the alleged vote-buying scheme geared towards passing gambling legislation in the state.

The current bribery allegation against Spicer is not his first brush with political controversy. His actions have been the point of public contention for several years.

Spicer was one of 13 legislators employed by Alabama's two-year college system when the state board of education approved a policy prohibiting legislators from holding such employment while serving in the legislature.

What has since been dubbed a "double-dipping" ban was adopted in August 2007 and set for enactment in 2010.

Prior to the enactment of the ban, seven state legislators either retired or resigned from their positions at community colleges including Spicer.

He was employed at Enterprise State Community College as the assistant to the president for economic and community development before accepting a position in October 2009 as superintendent of Elba City Schools.

Spicer became the center of controversy when his employment negotiations with the Elba School Board became public in September 2009.

As an employee of the college, Spicer was receiving a salary of $100,000. His salary increased to $106,941 during his first year as superintendent.

The announcement prompted the Alabama Republican Party to call for Spicer's resignation from the state legislature, arguing his position as superintendent would constitute "double-dipping."

"Terry Spicer is a serial double-dipper who was forced by ethics requirements to leave one taxpayer-funded job only to immediately accept another," Alabama Republican Party Communications Director Philip Bryan said in a press release. "Let's hope, for the sake of Elba, Coffee County and Alabama taxpayers; that he will do the honorable thing and resign from the Legislature."

Spicer left his legislative future in the hands of Elba City School Board.

The board, however, agreed to hire Spicer and offered their support of him remaining in the legislature, Spicer said.

"I've been very productive for my district," he said in a previous interview with The Southeast Sun, adding that he hopes the people of Coffee County continue to give him the opportunity to serve them as representative.

But after serving as District 91 representative for almost 12 years, he lost a reelection bid to Republican state Rep. Barry Moore during the November 2010 midterm elections.

If convicted of a felony, Spicer will not be eligible to hold the position of superintendent.