Members of the Lee County School Board came under fire from the public Monday evening, then one member of the board turned on the others as the meeting progressed.
Keokee resident Paul Bobrosky started things off early in the meeting, taking the board to task for recent actions involving the school superintendent's position. Bobrosky at first questioned how much the taxpayers were shelling out to train former Superintendent Gary McCann for the job of Title 1 director.
McCann resigned earlier this year as superintendent and was transferred to Title 1 director. Former Superintendent Robert McCoy was hired as interim superintendent until July 1 while the board found a permanent superintendent. Last month, the board voted on a split decision to hire Fred Marion, brother of board member John Marion, as superintendent. This prompted Chairman Bob McNeil to resign from the board in protest.
Bobrosky said the system has plenty of other teachers and administrators who would have liked to have the job and asked if the position was advertised before it was offered to McCann. Upon learning that it was not, he accused the board of being unprofessional, possibly politically motivated, and then suggested that a recall election might be in order.
Bobrosky persisted in knowing how much McCann was being paid and after repeatedly guessing more than $50,000 annually, board member Phil Hensley admitted it was $86,000.
When he complained that the board was paying two superintendents, board member Pete Sumpter pointed out that it was actually paying three through the end of the month.
Near the end of the meeting, the board took up the issue of Fred Marion's contract. When Chairman Gary Brown stated that the contract would be for a term of four years, beginning June 1, at an annual salary of $87,500, Hensley questioned why he was starting out higher than McCann did.
"Because it's a year later," quipped Brown, adding that Fred Marion had more time in service than McCann.
Hensley disputed the latter contention, saying McCann had more years of service and that Fred Marion simply had more time in the county. The motion to approve the contract passed 2-1-1 with Hensley voting no and John Marion abstaining from the vote.
Prior to this issue, Hensley had objected to the transfer of several personnel as recommended by Fred Marion. Hensley questioned whether some personnel had applied for the jobs they were recommended for and whether others had been advertised. He further pointed out that in one instance a wife, if transferred, would be directly supervising her husband.
During a discussion of the motion to approve the transfers, Hensley advised the superintended that "this is not a very good way to start your first meeting."
Fred Marion fired back that his recommendation stood and that a motion had been made and even seconded. Hensley called for a roll-call vote and was the only board member to vote against the transfers.
Also during the meeting, attorney Greg Edwards reported on several questions raised by Hensley at a recessed meeting following Marion's hiring. Edwards presented the board with information and his opinion that the hiring was legal and that several issues Hensley raised were of a procedural nature rather than a legal nature.
He further opined that no conflict of interest was involved when John Marion voted to hire Fred Marion.
The attorney also reported that a writ of election has been filed with the circuit court to fill the seat vacated by McNeil. Edwards told the board it has 45 days from the resignation to fill the seat until the November election. Otherwise, he said, the court will appoint a replacement.
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