By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Shelby County Board of Education has one new member as a result of the March 13 elections.

Montevallo resident Jimmy Bice will serve his first term on the Shelby County Board of Education after he defeated incumbent board member Dr. Lee Doebler by a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent in the race for the Place 1 seat.

According to unofficial election result totals, Bice received 17,574 votes, compared to Doebler’s 10,815.

Bice will serve a six-year-term on the Board of Education, and will take office in November. Doebler has been a school board member for nearly 24 years.

“I am looking forward to being a part of the team that keeps Shelby County Schools on the cutting edge,” Bice said shortly after he was declared the winner as he watched the election results come in at the Shelby County Courthouse.

In the Place 2 Board of Education race, incumbent Steve Martin defeated challenger Kevin Morris by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.

According to unofficial election results, Martin received 14,724 votes and Morris received 13,857 votes.

As a result of winning the election, Martin, who has been on the board since 1988, said he secured his spot as the longest-serving school board member in the county’s history.

“I appreciate the public putting their confidence in me. I look forward to working with the superintendent, the central office, but most importantly, I look forward to working with the people,” Martin said. “I want to thank Mr. Morris for running a good race.

“I’m thrilled to be given another term, because there are still some things I’d like to get done,” Martin added.