
DATE: Tuesday, June 3, 1997                 TAG: 9706030332

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:  123 lines

DARE SCHOOL BOARD PICKS NEW CHAIRMAN PANEL REORGANIZES FOLLOWING BOND ISSUE DEFEAT

By a 4-3 vote, the Dare County Board of Education approved a shakeup in its leadership Monday, replacing Donna Buxton as chairman with Vice Chairman Fletcher Willey.

Virginia Tillett, who served until last December as board chairman, was elected vice chair by an identical 4-3 vote. Tillett was replaced by Buxton with Willey's support.

But last week Willey, a Manteo resident who has an insurance agency in Nags Head, moved for the board reorganization in an effort to salve wounds caused during the May 20 bond referendum that was rejected overwhelmingly. A special meeting was scheduled for Monday.

The motion to reorganize was made by Willey and seconded by Sam Twiford. Willey was nominated for chairman by Allen Burrus and seconded by Twiford.

The vote for a new chairman split along geographical lines, with Hatteras Island and Manteo representatives Burrus, Twiford, Tillett and Willey voting for the change. Beach representatives Buxton, Loretta Michael and Susie Waltersvoted against the change.

Willey and Tillett were the only candidates nominated for the respective posts.

But while some see the move as a start in the healing process after the divisive battle over the $59.5-million school construction bond, other board members say the change is a violation of the panel's longstanding policies.

The new chairman of the seven-member panel tried to strike a conciliatory tone as he read from handwritten notes.

``The voters have spoken, and now is the time to begin the process of healing,'' Willey said. ``It's time to begin healing old wounds and come together and work toward doing what's best for the children of Dare County.''

Willey said that the next building plan for Dare County's schools ``should not be a school board plan. It needs to be a people plan.''

As part of the new planning process, Willey asked Tillett to head a committee to develop the best way to get public input into a future facility plan. Willey expressed hope that their work would be completed within the next 30 to 60 days.

Willey also asked School Superintendent Leon Holleman to do a complete review of the school district's finances by the end of the fiscal year, June 30.

Willey also called for a downsizing of central office staff, as well as building stronger communications between the board and faculty and staff, as well as the school district and the community.

In another cost-saving move, Willey said the board retreat scheduled for Belhaven next month has been canceled, and will be moved to a location ``closer to home.''

Willey acknowledged that some of his suggestions will be subject to board approval.

At the close of his remarks, Willey praised the deposed chairwoman, and expressed confidence in Holleman, as well as assistant superintendents Gene Gallelli and Ken Wells.

``I want to thank Mrs. Buxton for her efforts on behalf of the children of Dare County,'' Willey said. ``I know she will continue to be a champion for education in the county.''

A standing-room-only crowd of about 40 citizens packed the tiny board room at the Board of Education's central office on Budleigh Street. Some citizens in the overflow throng stood in the building lobby.

There was little discussion before the vote. However, reading from a prepared statement, Buxton said a change in leadership would establish an ``alarming'' precedent.

``I regret that some members of the board have chosen to pursue reorganization as their direction,'' Buxton said. ``At a time when we should be coming together to work toward solutions to some difficult problems, board politics is the last thing the community needs. It is the last thing the students of Dare County deserve and they seem to be forgotten in this whole process.''

Buxton said the weeks since the May 20 vote on the bond could have been better spent working toward solutions to the school district's facility needs.

``I would remind the board that there was a unanimous decision to support the bond,'' Buxton said. ``The referendum was voted down and we can draw two conclusions. The majority of the voters do not support the increase in taxes presented by the Board of Commissioners for the proposed bond. Second, the majority of voters do not support the plan put forward by the board.''

Buxton refused to step down prior to the reorganization vote.

``I regret that I cannot step aside, but the long-term integrity of the Board of Education is at stake,'' Buxton said. ``The precedent this action will set is alarming in terms of board continuity. One member of the board decided to change the vote he cast in December of 1996. On that basis, the whole leadership of the board will change, the community will be further divided and it will make it that much more difficult to gain the support we need for public education in Dare County. If another member decided next month or next year that he or she wants to reconsider his or her vote, do we go through this whole process again?''

Buxton plans to remain on the board.

``I differ from some of my board members because I believe a vote is a vote, you move on, and consider the interests of the board over individual and political gain.''

After being replaced as chairman, Buxton declined further comment.

``I said all I'm going to say in the statement,'' she said.

Michael and Walters also questioned the legality of the reorganization. Board attorney Tom White, reading an advisory opinion from North Carolina Assistant Attorney General Edwin M. Speas Jr., said the board has the right to re-organize the board.

``It is true that the statute states that the chairman shall be elected `for a period of one year,' '' Speas wrote. ``But that phrase cannot be read to limit the board's discretion or guarantee the chairman a term of one year, for those words are followed immediately by the words `or until his successor is elected and qualified.' ''

White said state law takes precedence over local board policy.

Michael, however disagreed. Under the board guidelines, board officers serve for one year. If any resign, the board will hold a vote at its next meeting.

Michael is uncertain about any future legal action to fight the change.

``I just wanted to go on the record to point out to the board that we were violating our own policy,'' Michael said. ILLUSTRATION: VOTING ON REORGANIZATION

The motion to reorganize was made by Fletcher Willey and seconded by

Sam Twiford.

Willey was nominated for chairman by Allen Burrus and seconded by

Twiford.

The vote for a new chairman split along geographical lines, with

Hatteras Island and Manteo representatives Burrus, Twiford, Virginia

Tillett and Willey voting for the change. Beach representatives

Donna Buxton, Loretta Michael and Susie Walters voted against the

change.

Willey and Tillett were the only candidates nominated for the

respective posts.