JACKSON – The deal is signed, sealed and delivered.

Dr. Kathi Gibson, the superintendent of Weldon City Schools, has signed a contract to take over the Northampton County Schools.

According to Northampton Board of Education Chairperson Catherine Moody, Gibson has signed the contract offered to her to lead the district.

Gibson was chosen by a 5-2 vote of the Northampton school board Tuesday afternoon

in a session that was sometimes contentious and left two board members poised to walk out of the room before the meeting was dismissed.

Board members Charles Tyner and Lafayette &uot;Lott&uot; Majette were vocal in their displeasure in Gibson’s hiring.

Tyner spent more than 25 minutes recounting a half dozen reasons he felt she was not the best choice available to the board. Majette offered his opinion that the board did not follow proper procedures.

Moody, Board Vice Chairman Bill Little and members Grace Edwards, Barbara Stephenson and Roland Whitted were firm in their support for Gibson. Each said she was the best candidate interviewed and that she was the right choice to lead the district.

&uot;Dr. Gibson is very enthusiastic and has a lot of passion about moving Northampton County Schools to the next level,&uot; Moody said Tuesday.

Edwards said she was happy about the decision.

&uot;I feel very good about our decision,&uot; she insisted. &uot;With the applications we had, we selected the best candidate to take our children to where they need to be.&uot;

The contract, which Moody said is for four years, contains a base salary of $125,000 according to Tyner. He said the contract also calls for $2,000 for professional memberships and has no cap on travel and professional development.

Moody said Gibson would begin her duties July 1.

Interim Superintendent J. Wendell Hall likely will end his term early because of Gibson coming on board.

Hall confirmed Tuesday that his contract ran through July 15, but Moody said preliminary discussions appeared as though the board would allow Hall to leave on June 30.