Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, May 15, 1995 TAG: 9505160018
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FINCASTLE LENGTH: Medium
This School Board member, for the Amsterdam District, could be the last one the Board of Supervisors appoints.
In November, three members will be voted onto the board in a general election, after voters decided two years ago to directly elect School Board members. The Amsterdam District seat and the Buchanan District seat will be elected in 1997.
Historically, the Board of Supervisors has interviewed candidates in executive session, which means that the public and the news media are not allowed to watch the interviews.
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act allows governmental bodies to hold interviews with appointees in private.
The supervisors interviewed one of the candidates, Barry Marshall Bunn, in private last week. It has scheduled an executive session for Tuesday to interview Tracie Ragone, the only other announced candidate.
Bunn, 49, owns a Buchanan service station and is the son of a former Botetourt County teacher.
"We must be sure that we provide an adequate core education for our leaders of tomorrow," the father of two children wrote in a resume provided to the supervisors.
Ragone, 32, a native of Michigan, has lived in Botetourt County for 11 years.
"I believe that we need to have a strong board made up of people from varied backgrounds and educational diversities to represent the spectrum of students we are seeing and will continue to see in Botetourt County," the mother of two wrote in her resume.
The vacancy was created when longtime School Board member Ray Sprinkle said he would not seek reappointment.
Blue Ridge District Supervisor Wendy Wingo said she would have no problem interviewing candidates in open session. Wingo, a Roanoke school teacher, noted that Roanoke City Council long ago decided to interview potential School Board members in open session.
Wingo added that she thought it would be unfair to interview Ragone in public, while Bunn's interview was conducted in private.
She said the public does not seem to be concerned about the private interviews.
"I haven't had any complaints about it," she said.
Supervisors Chairman Bob Layman, who represents the Amsterdam District, said he had no strong opinion on the closed interviews.
"I don't know whether it matters either way," he said. "By doing it in executive session, the candidates can be more relaxed."
by CNB