The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The City Council appears likely to replace School Board member Billy Cook on June 29, meaning it will select four of the seven board members when it meets in closed session that afternoon.
Cook announced last week that he is resigning from the board, effective June 30. Mayor Paul Fraim suggested that a decision on Cook's replacement could be postponed until July 1, when Tommy Smigiel and Andy Protogyrou are to join the council.
But a majority of the council said they preferred to make all four appointments at once.
The council is scheduled to interview finalists for the School Board on Tuesday.
"I don't think we should have to go through this process again," Councilman Paul R. Riddick said.
Smigiel, a Granby High School assistant principal, disagreed.
"With everything that's going on in the school system now, why rush the process?" he said.
The council accepted nominations from 17 residents on Tuesday to fill three board positions whose terms expire on June 30. Chairman Stephen Tonelson, Vice Chairwoman Ursula Rhodes and Linda McCluney are asking to be reappointed.
The school system has been rocked by revelations of testing irregularities and other issues that have led council members to criticize the board. But there was no shortage of board candidates. "There is a lot of talent out there," Fraim said.
Four are former or current school administrators, including Virginia Armstrong, Eleanor Rodriguez, Pamela Slobe and Linda Horsey, a member of the housing authority board of commissioners. Larchmont resident Jody Canoles Benedict is the niece of former School Board member Jean Bruce.
Suzan M. Kaufman, vice president of organizational development for Dollar Tree, nominated herself. Councilman W. Randy Wright, who has not met Kaufman, asked that she be interviewed as a finalist after hearing her speech.
Dan Montague, who twice unsuccessfully challenged Fraim for mayor, nominated himself, he said, "as a protest because Norfolk doesn't have an elected School Board."
Other candidates: Reynard Boyce Jr., who owns a Virginia Beach mortgage company; Debra Dandridge, who founded Dress for Success of Hampton Roads; Glenn Jones, an associate pastor who owns a playground development company; James Pickrell Jr., a Norfolk attorney; Charlina Hadi, who has worked in the Virginia Beach school system; Robert L. Williams, a career coach at Tidewater Community College; and Perry W. Miles, who has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and is a Naval Academy graduate.
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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Let us hope that whom ever is appointed will at least have the
determination and strength to look at the mess in the Administration Building, specifically the HR Department and then CLEAN HOUSE!
Multiple complaints regarding the classified section of HR have been voiced for YEARS!
INVESTIGATE THE RIF PROCEDURES
INVESTIGATE THE HIRING PROCEDURES
INVESTIGATE THE INTIMIDATION PRACTICES!
CLEAN HOUSE
Elected Boards
Under Virginia statutes, School Boards are separate legal entities that have the responsibility for education of our children. In most cases, school board budgets make up approximately 40-50% of the local government's total budget. Eventhough school boards do not have taxing authority in Virginia, they still have direct control over the single largest component of the local budget. As such, School Boards should be directly accountable to the taxpayer, not the body that appoints the members. Politics plays a role regardless of whether the board is appointed or elected. But with an elected board, the taxpaying voters directly control who sits on the board. Even with a public interview process, the appointments in Norfolk will still be made during a closed session of the council. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be any momentum to shift to an elected board. Council controls the process and Council should hold themselves accountable for the results.
School Board Members should be elected
The residents of Norfolk should have the opportunity to hear directly from School Board candidates and registered voters should elect them.
you are right...
re: "The residents of Norfolk should have the opportunity to hear directly from School Board candidates and registered voters should elect them." However, while it is great to make that statement here on this board, it is far more important to contact the mayor's office, the school board, and city council. To go even further, please contact your friends/family/other parents and ask them to do the same. Until we start speaking up...and in the right places...nothing will change. I've been to more city council and school board meetings than I ever thought I would have been to but until we get more people to speak up, it won't matter. But again, you are right ALL residents should have that opportunity. Incidentally, there is a meeting tomorrow night at 7:00p.m. (Norfolk Technical) to speak up about the candidates for the new superintendent. It needs to be standing room only!
Some great folks here
I appreciate them putting their names forward, or agreeing to have them put forward.
As citizens, we need to contribute to the system. This is one good way!
Some great folks here
I appreciate them putting their names forward, or agreeing to have them put forward.
As citizens, we need to contribute to the system. This is one good way!