ROYAL CITY — The Royal School Board chose Roger Trail of Clarkston to be the new superintendent at a meeting Thursday night.

He was up against Andrew Perkins, a longtime community member, school teacher and administrator.

“The board said it was a really tough decision,” Business Manager David Andra said. “Both were really qualified.”

On the other hand, the decision was made quickly. The board met for only about five minutes. A motion was made to offer Trail the job and it passed.

“I’m excited about it,” Trail said Friday morning.

Trail was at the meeting. Perkins was not.

Trail’s former experiences include being a special services director, a high school administrator and a Spanish teacher. He is fluent in Spanish.

“I think it’s one of the reasons they hired me,” he said.

Trail became fluent while living in Venezuela, and has a Venezuelan accent to his well-spoken Spanish. His wife is Venezuelan.