Athens City Schools board member Chris Paysinger announced Thursday he’s resigning from the board after five years due to a potential conflict of interest.

Paysinger said what started as a content development business turned into a consulting business. He made his announcement at Thursday’s board meeting.

“It’s very probable that we do some political consulting and as you know, the state of Alabama has offered a cautionary tale of what not to do as an individual that could be a conflict of interest,” he said. “In this situation, there may be things I offer advice on or analysis of, that could trickle back here and my voting on issues makes me uneasy.”

Paysinger said the school board is going in a good direction and though he thinks the chances of anything coming up that would be considered a conflict of interest are small, he would rather be cautious.

“I appreciate the board and the City Council for giving me this opportunity,” he said.

Green revisited

Athens City Council Monday will consider a request by its president Joseph Cannon to appoint Tim Green to a five-year term on the school board.

In May 2016, Athens City Council members deadlocked on whether to reappoint Green to another five-year term.

The four-member council — which was one member short — voted 2-2 on the request.

The council was one member short because District 3 Councilman Jimmy Gill died that March. No one was appointed to fill his seat because the upcoming election would decide the matter.

Green, a local executive with Regions Financial Corp., continues to serve on the school board.

At the same meeting, council members unanimously reappointed school board member Russell Johnson to a third five-year term.

The vote

When District 4 Councilman Joseph Cannon moved to reappoint Green, District 5 Council President Wayne Harper and District 2 Councilman Harold Wales dissented. Cannon and District 1 Councilman Chris Seibert favored Green’s reappointment.

Harper and Wales declined to explain specifically why they opposed Green’s reappointment, saying a change was in order. Wales said some concerns had been brought to his attention and that he had listened to them.

Green said he did not know why Harper and Wales voted against his nomination.

Some people at the meeting, including another school board applicant, spoke in favor of Green.

No one spoke publicly against him.

The council decided to interview candidates and consider nominations at a later date.

Student contestant recognized

Board members also recognized “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” contestant and Athens Middle School student Connor Higgins Thursday and presented him with an Outstanding Student Leadership certificate.

Executive Director of Athens City Schools Foundation and Chief Information Officer Dr. Chris Hamilton read comments from Higgins’ teachers, all commending his intelligence and personality.

“Most of his teachers at Athens have nothing but good things to say about him,” she said, adding that one person told her Higgins will be president one day, and another person commented on his kindness.

— Jean Cole also contributed to this article.