The Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Board will seek an attorney general's opinion on the legality of Bill Hunt's continued service as a board member.

On Thursday, the board hired attorney Robert Gonce to represent its interests as needed. Gonce will be paid $150 per hour.

Board member Chris Bishop made the motion to hire Gonce. It was seconded by Hunt. Ernest Haygood and board Chairman Selton Killen voted in favor of hiring Gonce, while Jim Bevis abstained.

Board members agreed the most immediate need in obtaining an attorney general's opinion on whether Hunt can legally continue to fill the seat. Hunt's seat is a joint appointment made by Lauderdale County commissioners and Florence councilmen.

The appointment has caused a rift between the two entities, with commissioners voting to re-appoint Hunt and councilmen opting for a replacement.

The legislative act creating the Tourism Board states board members' terms expire in four years and doesn't give further directive. A majority of commissioners say Hunt should continue serving until a successor is appointed, but most council members say his term should have ended in October, four years after he began serving.

Gonce, a Florence attorney, said once the opinion is delivered, the board is legally protected in its operation under that ruling.

Killen said Gonce is needed to advise the board so that "things are being done correctly."

Bevis said he isn't convinced an attorney is needed and quoted Killen from an earlier meeting when Killen said the Tourism Board was not involved with the issue concerning Hunt's board seat and that it was the council's and commission's job to make that determination.

Bishop clarified to the board that his motion to hire Gonce wasn't based on obtaining an attorney solely for the issue with board appointment but "to represent us in all matters."

Killen, who is supportive of Hunt and his re-appointment to the board, said the most pressing question now is whether or not it is legal for Hunt to continue serving on the board until the issue is resolved.

Lauderdale County Commissioner Rhea Fulmer, who is not in favor of Hunt's re-appointment, said, "Due to the sensitivity of this issue, (Hunt) shouldn't be in a voting position on this board."

Gonce said since time is critical, he will request the attorney general's opinion be returned before the board's Feb. 11 meeting.

Killen said it is his hope legislation can be devised directing the board how to proceed once a term is expired. He added that in most attorney general's opinions he has researched, the current board member continues to serve until the position is filled.

Hunt, for the first time, discussed the issue publicly, and answered board members' questions Thursday.

Emotional at times, Hunt said he has abided by his commitment to serve until his successor was appointed because, "I've been told that's what all boards do. My confusion is that now it seems they're changing the rules."

He said he was asked by County Commission Chairman Dewey Mitchell, who also is the Lauderdale probate judge, to accept re-appointment to the board and he agreed.

Hunt said he knows there has been political back-biting going on concerning his re-appointment but added he's never been a part of any of it.

"This tourism board must be at full capacity in my opinion," he said. "We just passed a $1 million budget and have a major purchase facing us very soon concerning relocating the tourism offices and establishing a visitor center. I can be an asset to this board, as I feel I've always been, regarding these upcoming procedures."

Hunt said he is unwilling to be a non-voting member of the board.

He said he has deliberately kept quiet on the issue, but has been embarrassed and his family hurt by unfounded accusations. He did not elaborate about the accusations.

"I know some on this board have been making calls to get me replaced," Hunt said. "My attendance rate is 62 percent on the board, but I don't believe that's what all this is about."

Hunt said he knows of at least one councilman who has been re-appointed to boards with as little as a 30 percent attendance rate. When asked later about the councilman, he confirmed he was talking about Sam Pendleton who serves on the county 911 board. Pendleton, when contacted, said his attendance on the 911 board is "splotchy at best."

He has been a member of that board since 1992. He said he doesn't know an exact percentage of his attendance, but said it isn't high.

"At this point, the issue is not attendance, it's the law," Pendleton said. "And the law says Mr. Hunt's term has expired. Period."

Pendleton is leading an effort on the council to have Florence separate and form its own tourism board. The Council voted last week to draft legislation to formally separate from the board.

Hunt said whenever he has been absent from a Tourism Board meeting, he still kept abreast of the issues.

"I've given of my time on many boards and I can assure you, you can still be an asset even when you're not there 100 percent of the time just by lending your expertise."

Hunt estimated he has given more than 100 hours of his time to the Tourism Board and added, "I don't appreciate the insinuation that I've not been an asset to this board because I know I have."

Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735 or lisa.singleton-rickman@TimesDaily.com.