By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A wide range of candidates recently submitted applications for Alabaster’s upcoming board of education, ranging from former educators and small business owners to a current City Council member.

City officials collected applications from Nov. 21-Dec. 31, 2011, and ended the year with a list of 36 candidates. Members of the Alabaster City Council’s Education Committee will begin interviewing the candidates in late January and early February, and will narrow the pool to about 10 candidates to be interviewed by the full City Council in February.

Education Committee chairman Scott Brakefield said he would like to have the five-member school board seated by the end of February.

The city received applications from ACIPCO Assistant Works Manager David Drake, retired teacher and principal Dr. Tommie Harrison, Watts Auto Diesel Vice President Kelly Watts, UAB Director of Costing Clay Hester, HealthSpring trainer John Mark Willis, United Healthcare Associate Director of Medicare and Medicaid Jennifer Smith and Regions Financial Vice President of Commercial Appraisal Gayla Schofield.

LifeStar Response Vice President Doug Tisdale, UAB Assistant Professor of Education Melanie Shores, University of Montevallo Upward Bound Technology Coordinator Paul Barnes, UAB Executive Director of Facilities Administration Tyrone Quarles, Shelby County Board of Education social worker Dorann Tanner, retired Saraland teacher, principal and superintendent John Myrick and Southeastern Food Merchandiser payroll clerk Cathy Bailey also submitted applications.

Other candidates included Volkert Inc. Project Manager of School Construction Gary Wright, Alabama Power employee Mike Allen, retired teacher, principal and assistant principal Danny Goggins, Farmers Insurance agent and co-owner of DJ’s Fine Meats Bobby Molan, former teacher and coach Chris Honeycutt, Creek View Elementary School PTO President Trisa Moutardier, Lawson State Community College teacher Cedric Burden, CNA Insurance Risk Control Director Henry Raymond, H&R Block District Operations Manager Eric Starling, Alabaster Career Center employee Susan Kozlowski, former teacher Linda Church, retiree Sarah Haase, University of Alabama Health Services employee Linda Church and Johnson Association Realty Realtor and PTO President Sybil Owens.

Independent court reporter Sheri Connelly, Mitchell Wayn Technologies Owner Stephan Poplin, Honda employee Maurice Waugh, former teacher and Thompson High School principal Ron Griggs, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama employee and current City Council member Adam Moseley, Walgreens pharmacist Steven Crainich, former teacher at THS and Thompson Middle School William Alexiou and former University of Alabama educator David Dixon rounded out the list.

“I’m impressed with a lot of the applications we got,” said Ward 1 Councilwoman Sophie Martin, a member of the Education Committee. “It’s going to be hard to narrow it down.”