PORTSMOUTH
A nonprofit organization run by School Board member Sheri Bailey has failed to pay the school system more than $6,000 in rental fees dating back to June 2006, school division records show.
Bailey, who is running for a second term on the board in the May 6 election, failed to pay rent on I.C. Norcom High School facilities used by her Juneteenth Festival Co. in June 2006 and in early 2007, according to school facility rental agreements.
The company has paid only $450 of a more than $6,500 tab, the records show. For using the school, her organization was supposed to pay for such things as custodians and electricity - costs that the school system had to pick up.
"We definitely have every intention of getting it paid," Bailey said this week.
Bailey's group has used Norcom on several occasions, including in January and February 2007 to raise money for its annual festival.
The organization rented the school facilities in June 2006 over several days to throw the Juneteenth event, according to the records. The festival celebrates the abolishment of slavery in America.
Bailey, a playwright, launched a Hampton Roads Juneteenth festival in 1997, and has held it around the region.
Bailey acknowledged this week that the financially struggling organization owes money to the Portsmouth school division, but she questioned whether it was more than $6,000.
In recent weeks, she said, division Superintendent David Stuckwisch has sent her letters requesting that she pay about $4,200, and reminding her she could not use the Norcom facilities again until she had made the payment.
Reached Wednesday while on vacation in Texas, Stuckwisch said he became aware of Bailey's nonpayment in June, only days before the staging of the 11th Juneteenth Festival at Norcom.
Because the event had been advertised, Stuckwisch said he let her use the grounds but not the school building.
"Anybody who has used facilities and not paid, we would expect them to pay the debt," Stuckwisch said.
Earlier this year, in a closed session with the School Board, Bailey said, she told fellow members that the rental bill "was not being ignored" and that her group was "looking to get it paid."
School Board Chairman James Bridgeford said Wednesday that he has told Bailey her organization's use of the school building appeared to him to be a conflict of interest.
"She's asking the school system, which she is part of, to give her a place to hold an event," Bridgeford said. "I think Juneteenth is a wonderful thing, but that has nothing to do with the school system; it has nothing to do with the School Board."
Stuckwisch said that Bailey's use of a school building is "probably not a conflict, as long as it (the bill) is paid."
Juneteenth has struggled financially for years, but Bailey said she has stuck with the effort because of her passion for helping people understand slavery and its place in American history.
Several years ago, the city had provided money for the event, but the City Council is not now funding the organization, Bailey said. In 2005, in a move to trim expenditures on local arts groups, the council eliminated $3,750 for Juneteenth.
"If the city were simply to provide Juneteenth with the municipal support it has in previous years, that would be extremely helpful," Bailey said. "What I would do is apply that to that debt immediately."
Juneteenth has had other money problems. Bailey says that it also owes about $15,000 to the Internal Revenue Service.
In 1997, she says, she filed for bankruptcy because someone working for the festival stole that year's profits. She said she did not press charges. Three years later, she filed for bankruptcy again because of Juneteenth-related financial woes, she said.
Bailey said she takes responsibility for the company's predicament with the school system and plans to build a board of directors with financial expertise to avoid future money problems.
Bailey remains hopeful that she can throw the 12th annual Juneteenth Festival at Norcom again this June.
Cheryl Ross, (757) 446-2443, cheryl.ross@pilotonline.com
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board member owes money??
THIS LADY HAS TO GO!!!!! VOTE HER OUT! What kind of LEADERSHIP put her on the board in the first place? I am ashamed of our "school board" if that is what you want to call it!
How many more reasons
Will it take for Portsmouth residents to realize that Mayor Holley, Current City Council & School Board are NOT looking out for the public's best interest & NOT earned your vote too! This is exactly why i will not vote for one elected official this 6 May 2008 Election.
Standard Operating Procedure
Another wanabee politican getting elected to line their own pockets. Gee imagine that. This would be funny but it happens every day in Portsmouth. Wake up citizens and remove her from the School Board on May 6th.
Poor decisions
Ms. Bailey should immediately sign over any salary left in her school Board term and then pay off the balance at the same time. She should also work as a custodian at night to help pay off the debt she owes. As for using the school grounds and not the buildings that isn't that big a deal to me as long as the grounds were cleaned up afterwards. Ms. Bailey hasn't really hurt the school system but she has hurt her own reputation and I hope that this is addressed at the next board meeting and that she drops out as a candidate for school board.
Juneteenth -you saw us coming!
Is it no wonder that we are one of the highest taxed cities around - if we are not borrowing money for projects that don't exist - now we are allowing what should be law-abiding school board members to fleece the city out of money for projects that can not even support itself. When are we going to wake up Citizens - Let your voice be heard at the polls or remain stupid and re-elect folks like Ms. Bailey - She sure is someone you would want your kids to pattern their life after.
By the way where is our accounting process that it is not passed on so that she could not have used the property after not paying the first time - sounds like the past N-telos scam - Lets wake-up people!
WITHDRAW FROM THE RACE
She should save the city the further embarrassment of running for the school board and withdraw from the election. 2 Bankrupies, money owed to both the city and IRS? Hard to believe it got to this point. If she owes the IRS then she never filed the paperwork to get this charity authorized as a non-profit organization. The city should get a judgement and withhold her pay for the remainder of her term. Bet the IRS does something sooner or later. What an embarrassment to P-Town.
Google Juneteenth
You will learn about Sheri's exquisite writing style and much more. This celebration is a crock. Portsmouth is apparently funding this organization and giving her a pass. Get a judgment and seize their assets. God help Portsmouth if the city keeps electing people like this. Let's teach our kids to use words like " Juneteenth"
This crook is on the school board??
Is it any wonder that Portsmouth is considered a low class slum?
2 low lifes, tw?
Shouldn't you also mention Bush and his homosexual prostitute?
"looking to get it paid."..... How about 'finding'?
"did not press charges"..... That must be an interesting story.
HOW DID THAT HAPPEN
My question is how did a non profit organization end up owing the IRS 15,0000.00 and not have the money to pay the bill for the rental of the school? Someone needs to look at this.
Enough
I assure you this is not a one party problem. That was a cheap shot.
It would answer an earlier board's question on why anyone would run for office though.
Democrat answer?
Steveh - how do you know Bailey is a Democrat? It does not say so in the article. And how do you know what a typical answer from a Democrat would be? But I know how a typical Democrat - me - thinks: if this were a Republican, they would have taken what they wanted, screwed Joe and Jane Taxpayer in the process, falsified documents to cover up the event, and decried someone's patriotism if they dare question what was going on.
Back to the point - Bailey, pay the money - in full - now, don't use Portsmouth school facilities for non-school events as long as you are on the school board, and consider that if your festival can't raise necessary funds to cover itself, whether through fundraising events or grants, that it may have run its course.
Has to be!
Has to be a democrat!!! Just another reason not to vote democrat!! Oh and the 2 low lifes that they have running for president!!
Of course, no one will DO anything about it!
Hmmm, with the money she owes in back rent--1/3 of a city job could've been saved...hope the high-paid consultants are looking at that type of financial mismanagement when they're deciding which services to CUT.
typical democrat answer
Her quote:
"If the city were simply to provide Juneteenth with the municipal support it has in previous years, that would be extremely helpful," Bailey said. "What I would do is apply that to that debt immediately."
A typical democrat looking for the government to bail her out. Then she won't press charges on stolen money? There should be an audit of the "organization" she is running. It smells like a skunk. The city will be lucky to get their money from this woman.
what happens in the real world....
Credit hold, COD status, and aggressive collection methods.
What happens in the bizzaro world of municipal government - "Well, you can still use the grounds."
School Board Member
Well.....what are you going to do about it? NOTHING, as usual and tell us what a great woman she is? Kick her off the board, close her business and arrest her as you would do me or any else. (Well, here comes Jesse and Al and maybe Hussein Obama!)
This is a Leader?
O.K. fellow P-Towner's, this one's obvious. How can we expect our school system to excell when we have folks like this making decisions? Don't vote her back in and let this and other debacles keep embarrassing us...enough is enough.
You have got to be kidding!
Seriously? Why on earth was she given permission to use the building in the first place. She should be thrown out on her butt and then sued to obtain every penny and lawyer fee. RIDICULOUS!
Who's pockets???
It appears that someone's pockets are getting a good lining. She "plans" on creating a board with financial expertise. That should have been after the bankruptcy if not at least after the second. Did not want to press charges against a thief from an organization she is supposedly so passionate about. I wonder where the money really ended up. She should immediately resign from the board for conflict of interests or suspend any organization activity until the bills are paid in full. The school board and the comptroller should be taken to task also - how can bills be left unpaid from year to year. Never trust politicians - and that is all a board is - and as most they worry about themselves and what they can make on a situation or position.