Norfolk to do School Board interviews in public

NORFOLK

The City Council agreed on Tuesday to break with tradition and interview School Board finalists in public.

The decision on appointments, however, will still be made in private.

Interviewing candidates in public marks a dramatic change in Norfolk, where the process of appointing board members has been carried on almost entirely behind closed doors.

The lack of "openness" in city government was an issue raised by several challengers in the council elections last month.

Candidates will be interviewed at a June 22 council meeting.

"I just want us to get out of the same old patterns," said Councilwoman Theresa Whibley, who suggested the public interviews.

The council also agreed to Mayor Paul Fraim's suggestion that it follow a similar process for filling the Ward 7 council seat to be vacated by Daun S. Hester at the end of June. Interviews for p rospective council members are scheduled for July 7 and 8. It is likely the council will appoint a successor a few days later.

Norfolk is one of only a handful of jurisdictions in Virginia in which school board members are appointed by the council rather than elected.

The school system has been rocked by revelations of testing irregularities and other issues. That demands closer scrutiny of prospective board members, Councilman Paul R. Riddick said.

"I'm disappointed in our School Board," Riddick said. "We need to make sure we have people who will direct the superintendent rather than the superintendent directing the board."

Board nominations will be made to the council on Tuesday, June 15.

Fraim said council members should give the city clerk's office a list of candidates they think should be interviewed.

Selections will be made June 29 behind closed doors.

Fraim said the three incumbents, should they seek to be reappointed, would be interviewed: Board Chair Stephen Tonelson, Vice Chair Ursula Rhodes and Linda McCluney.

The council also agreed to Fraim's suggestion that it appoint a "caretaker" to Hester's seat, which will be filled in a special election on Nov. 2. The council agreed to ask whomever is selected to pledge not to run in November.

Hester, who represents half of the city, loses her seat on June 30 because she unsuccessfully challenged Fraim for mayor in May.

Tommy Smigiel and Andy Protogyrou, who were elected to the council last month, are to be sworn in on July 1 and will help select Hester's temporary successor.

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com