Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 21, 1990 TAG: 9005210173
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MARGARET CAMLIN NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Burns' term is to begin July 1 with a tentative salary of $95,000, depending upon further negotiations, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reported Sunday.
Burns could not be reached for comment.
He returned to Pulaski Saturday after spending two days in Columbus meeting students, teachers and business leaders and conducting a final interview with the fifteen-member Muscogee School Board.
Muscogee is a consolidated school system whose student population is more than 50 percent black.
"Our goal is to become the best school system in Georgia," said Mike Gayman, president of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, after meeting Burns Friday. "We want someone who has a vision and a willingness and the resources to lead our organization and the community in that pursuit to be No. 1."
Pulaski School Board chairwoman Irene Kegley plans to schedule a board meeting with Burns early this week. She said she did not want to comment yet on his decision.
"There's no point in worrying about it until we can get together," Kegley said.
Other board members have indicated that they would be willing to release Burns from the remainder of his four-year contract.
"It makes you wonder, though, why have a contract?" board member Ronald Chaffin said Sunday.
Chaffin said Burns called him Saturday night to say that he'd been offered the position and would like to begin the job July 1.
"We're not pleased, of course," Chaffin said. "We've got a big job ahead of us."
Chaffin said, though, that he realized Burns was an attractive candidate for any superintendent's position. "We thought if we could hold onto him for four years we'd be lucky."
Burns was one of four final candidates for the Georgia post. He was chosen over former Baldwin County, Ga., superintendent Dave Brotherton; Camden, N.Y., superintendent Richard McClements; and Muscogee County assistant superintendent Jim Buntin.
Burns came to Pulaski County last July from Indian River County, (Vero Beach) Fla. His salary is $79,500 and was budgeted to be $83,492 this coming year.
by CNB