Community Mourns Death Of Longtime School Board Member, Northport Councilman

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa County is mourning the loss of a stalwart in education and civic leadership, whose local public service career spanned six decades.

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James E. Barnett, who served numerous terms on both the Northport City Council and the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education, died Friday at DCH Regional Medical Center. He was 89 and less than a month short of his 90th birthday.

Barnett's grandson, former Northport councilman and Republican State Rep. Rodney Sullivan, described his grandfather as "one of a kind" — a man of character who loved public service, but not as much as he loved his family or his Auburn Tigers.

"He lived a life some only dream of," he told Patch. "God and family were always his top priority."

A graduate of Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Barnett enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after high school and served as a staff sergeant in the 160th Fighter Squadron during the conflict in Korea.

After returning home, Barnett and his wife Bebe would then move to Tuscaloosa in the early 1950s — a place where they would start their family and make their permanent home.

"He was great friend and had a servant's heart," Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon told Patch on Saturday. "He will be missed."

The mayor then said he ordered the flag flown at half mast at Northport City Hall on Friday night after he had received news of Barnett's death.

Barnett's first foray into politics saw him elected to the county school board in 1978, where he would serve for a decade. He would go on to be elected to the Northport City Council in 1992, serving two terms before returning to represent District 2 on the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education.

For his professional career, Barnett most recently worked as the business development officer for Smart Bank in Northport and in 2002, his service to his community would see him named Northport Citizen of the Year.

He was also a member of Northport Baptist Church.

"Mr. Barnett leaves behind a legacy of public service," Northport Council President Jeff Hogg told Patch on Saturday. "His community involvement and civic-minded relationships will always be remembered. He was a true gentleman and the definition of public servant."

Barnett would also be alive to see the James E. Barnett campus dedicated at the new Northport Intermediate School off of Rose Boulevard late last year.

During his time on the county school board, five new schools were built in District 2, including a new campus for Tuscaloosa County High School. These myriad contributions then prompted the TCSS Board of Education to honor Barnett's service by memorializing his name on its newest campus in his former district.

District 2 TCSS Board Member Jamie Lake described Barnett as an outstanding public servant with a heart for people — someone whose legacy will not soon be forgotten.

"I was honored to succeed him as the District 2 county school board representative," Lake said. "And I hope to serve as well as he did during his exemplary service to our community."

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