Okay, I have read all of the comments and for those who are speculating based do on past experience some of you got it about right and others, well, not so much. Here is the facts base on what we were briefed. Please keep in mind I am not going to give some specifics because I don't want to give the other side any advantage.
First, there was a meeting last week between Senator Jabo Waggoner and five BOT Trustees including Karen Brooks the new President Pro Tem, and Tiny Bear (who despite what I had heard is still a Trustee and will remain so through his 70th year). Our team heard about this meeting earlier in the week, but it is public knowledge - Jabo brought it up when he spoke before the Senate Education Committee today.
The meeting was requested by the Trustees. You need to understand that Jabo is one of the most powerful Senators in Montgomery and when he submitted his bill, it probably scared the hell out of them. Of course they urged him to pull the bill, but instead Jabo told the Trustees that they needed to get on board, to make the bill theirs, and that would be the best way for them to deal with the political mess they are in. (In truth it there are far worst things for current Trustees that could come out of the legislature than this bill. Jabo's bill just adds two UAB and two UAH Trustees - not really a threat when you think about it.) They declined and Senator Waggoner told them he was going to press on with his bill because "it's the right thing to do".
Their response was to pull out all of the stops. You know about some of it like the UA alumni letter and the letter that Witt had published. A letter by Witt was also sent to each legislator - one Representative pulled his copy our of his trash can to show my pardner and I - I should have a copy of shortly. But their biggest response was to hit Montgomery with a big team of professional lobbyists. Their normal lobbying firm of Fine, Geddie & Associates - probably the most influential lobbyist firm in Montgomery - is on the job, but that's not all. They have also hired a couple of retired influential Senators who haven't been seen lobbying in Montgomery in years. These lobbyist are all over the Senate section of the State House, especially in the offices of Senators on the Senate Education Committee, twisting arms and taking names. And they are having some affect.
Jabo would not have brought the bills up before the committee this morning if he didn't think he had the votes to pass it. It was doable, but it was going to be close. However, on the way to meeting our side was told by two Committee Senators that Jabo was counting on that they could no longer support the bill. (We can probably thank the BOT lobbyists for their change of heart. I am not mentioning any names here because there is no use giving info to the other side info though I'm sure they know who these Senators are.)
Now knowing he didn't have the votes, Jabo arranged for the bill to be carried over before the meeting and was granted that leeway. (From what I understand the committee could have forced a vote and we would have lost - but like I said Jabo is powerful so we didn't win, but we didn't lose either.) Before bill was formally carried over Jabo did a good job of introducing the bill, and then he was followed by a Republican Senator from the Huntsville area (sorry I didn't get his name) and, as stated earlier, Democratic Senator Roger Smitherman, both of whom vigorously supported the bill. What probably impressed the Senators on the Committee was that this was the first time in anyone's memory that these two Senators have ever agreed on anything. They are polar opposites and they may have swayed some of the Senators on committee on both the Republican and Democratic side. We don't know because there was no vote, but there are some indications.
Where do we go from here - first let's stop calling members of the Senate Education Committee. Their secretaries and voice mails have been deluged with calls - probably from both sides. However, after a while people get ticked off and more calls become very counter productive. We are going to let Senator Waggoner and Herb Winches, our lobbyist, deal with the Senators on the Committee. As I said, Jabo is powerful and for several reasons he is not someone that other Senators will want to cross unnecessarily. We have not lost! This first battle was essentially a draw, but there will be others.
After the Senate committee meeting the team concentrated on members of the House Education Committee where Jack will introduce Jabo's bill. Based on my experiences and what I heard from others on the team we were fairly well received.
I'll published the members of the House Education Committee shortly. It wouldn't be a bad idea to call these folks especially if one of these House members is your Representatives or represents someone you know well. The most powerful voice is that of someone who will vote in their next election.
I have a special favor to ask: I had a long and very animated discussion this morning with the Chairman of the House Committee, a very nice lady named Terri Collins who represents Decatur. The problem with Terri is that she is under the illusion that the BOT Trustees are wonderful. She knows the Trustees from her area and says that "they are such good people". When forced to admit that these "good folks" are defending the rotten job that Watts has done, she admits it is a nightmare, but she told me that the Trustees she knows have promised her that they will do a much better job in the future.
I think that Ms. Collins needs to hear from the voters in her district. So if you are in the Decatur area, or you know someone in the Decatur area, make sure she hears from as many local voters as possible. She needs to understand that defending her friends on the BOT has political consequences. I am looking forward to having another chat with Terri after political reality has set in. Please let me if Terry gets some calls.