ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, September 27, 1996 TAG: 9609270083
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
A bylaw proposal that triggered a bitter dispute on the Roanoke County School Board is designed to prevent individual members from giving directives or making demands on Superintendent Deanna Gordon's subordinates, Vice Chairman Michael Stovall said Thursday.
The proposal would not block members from seeking information on school finances at any time if they channeled the requests through the superintendent's office, Stovall said.
It would, however, prevent individual members from trying to "run the schools" and giving orders to the superintendent's staff without communicating with her, he said.
Stovall, the Vinton District member, said the Virginia School Boards Association's manual specifies that board members should not have direct administrative dealings with any school administrator or employee other than the superintendent.
He disputed Chairman Thomas Leggette's contention that the measure that was introduced at Wednesday night's meeting would restrict board members from seeking information on school finances.
"It's not restricting him in any way. He would just have to ask for it at board meetings or put it in writing - and direct it to the superintendent," Stovall said.
Leggette said Thursday he believes there has been a lack of communication on the issue and thinks the dispute can be resolved.
Since the board meeting's abrupt adjournment during an emotional debate, Leggette said, he has talked with Jerry Canada, the Hollins District member who introduced the measure.
"He told me he has no desire to block board members from seeking financial records, and I believe we can sit down and resolve it," Leggette said. "I think both of us misunderstood the intent of each other."
Canada said he didn't intend for the measure to apply to financial information that is readily available or can be provided with a minimum of time and cost. The dispute might have been avoided if Leggette had contacted him, he said.
Wednesday night, Leggette said the wording would prevent school administrators from spending money for photocopying and computer printouts on financial information without the board's approval. He said it would restrict him from seeking information that he is entitled to see at any time.
Under the proposal, all requests by members that would require the expenditure of public funds would have to be directed to the superintendent during the board's regular meetings.
If board members made requests at other times, they would have to be in writing to the superintendent. The superintendent would provide a written response to all board members when the information was available.
Stovall said the requirement for requests to be in writing is designed to prevent disputes over what a member might request from the superintendent when other board members are not present.
The addition to the bylaws was proposed because some members are concerned that Leggette has been making requests to the superintendent's staff since he became chairman July 1, Stovall said.
"He has sent memos and made requests for reports that would take a lot of time to prepare," Stovall said. "Staff members don't know whether to do what he has asked or to do the work that they're supposed to do for the superintendent."
Leggette, the Windsor Hills District member, denied he has made demands or given directives to the superintendent's staff. But he said he understands why some staff members might be confused because of the switch to an elected School Board.
"All of my communications have been directed through the superintendent except when she has assigned a request to a staff member who has contacted me," Leggette said. In those cases, he said, he has communicated with staff members.
With elected board members, some staff members apparently aren't sure whether they're responsible to the board or the superintendent, Leggette said.
Leggette complained Wednesday night that he has been trying to get administrators to provide a full and meaningful monthly report on school finances, but he has not received a satisfactory report. He wants a report that meets the format recommended by national or state school boards' association or other professional accounting standard.
The county's Finance Department took over the accounting for school finances six years ago after the schools ran a deficit. Canada said the school system is not in charge of its finances. County Finance Director Diane Hyatt said Wednesday night her office will provide Leggette any information he wants.
"The county staff overlooks everything we do, and our independent auditors have made no recommendations for changes," Canada said.
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