The Bibb County school district is searching for a new chief financial officer, even in the middle of a legal fight with its former CFO who is suing to get his job back.

Just before 1 p.m. Monday, a job announcement for Bibb schools’ CFO was posted online, school system spokesman Donald Porter acknowledged.

The school district will be accepting applications until the job is filled, Porter said in an e-mail. Just before 4 p.m. Monday, the district had not received any completed applications.

In December, former CFO Ron Collier filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against the school system, alleging he was punished for asking questions about the legality of a $1 million check Superintendent Romain Dallemand asked Collier to write.

A revised version of his lawsuit filed in January claims Collier was later demoted to director of capital assets and contracts. School records show the director position was created in December.

Sharon Roberts is currently serving as Bibb schools’ interim CFO.

The district is looking for someone with a master’s degree in business administration, business management or accounting, as well as someone with at least 10 years of business and fiscal management experience, among other qualifications, according to the job posting.

Porter did not address questions related to the impact the lawsuit could have on Bibb schools’ decision to hire a new CFO.

Collier’s attorney Jerry Lumley said the job posting suggests Dallemand has no intention of reinstating Collier as CFO.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it,” Lumley said Monday afternoon. “Obviously it hasn’t been discussed with Mr. Collier. I can’t say that I’m surprised.”

Once the district files an answer to the lawsuit, the parties will start the discovery process, in which attorneys can begin gathering depositions and other information related to the case, Lumley said. After that process, which could take about six months, Lumley said the matter likely will go to trial.

“If Mr. Collier wins, then he will be reinstated to that position, regardless of what the school system has done to fill that position with someone else,” Lumley said.

Collier’s lawsuit also seeks to stop lease payments from the school system to the Central Georgia Partnership for Individual and Community Development, the organization that owns the Macon Promise Center building. The building is supposed to house programs aimed at improving the lives of students and families in Macon’s Unionville and Tindall Heights neighborhoods as part of the Macon Promise Neighborhoods initiative.

Earlier this month, Bibb County Superior Court Judge Edgar Ennis heard arguments for and against blocking the lease payments, but he has not yet ruled on the matter.

To contact writer Andrea Castillo, call 744-4331.