The Fayette Citizen-News Page
Wednesday, February 3, 1999
BOE hires firm to aid in superintendent search

By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

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In a brief called session Monday night, the Fayette County Board of Education agreed to hire the consulting firm of Rogers Hight and Associates of Atlanta to assist with their search for a new district superintendent.

Dr. Dave Brotherton, the county's current superintendent, is retiring at the end of this school year.

The board will meet with the firm before a contract is issued to determine exactly what tasks they want performed.

According to school board attorney Phil Hartley, it is typical for such firms to screen candidates, a point debated by school board member Mickey Littlefield who suggested the board screen all the applicants.

"We have to make it clear what we want them to do," board member and personnel committee member Connie Hale said.

Board Chairman Debbie Condon said it was customary for the consultant to conduct reference and background checks, as well as train board members on interview techniques.

Hartley noted that the consultant's fee is based on the range of services provided. The average fee is about $3,000 for a consultant, as estimated by the board in a previous meeting.

The board also agreed to sign a resolution certifying the completion of payments for labor, material and services for Rising Starr Middle School. This will allow the district to draw on the remaining funds available, Brotherton explained.

A work session to discuss last week's Freedom of Information Workshop followed the called meeting. Condon, who attended along with about 50 other elected officials, municipal staffers and journalists in Fayette County, told the board they needed to be aware of "new guidelines on open records laws coming down from Gov. Roy Barnes."

"We talked about open forums and the perception that there is not enough public input," Condon said. She expressed concern over whether or not committees, such as the district boundary committee, made up of district staff members, administrators and parents, were required to hold open meetings.

Hartley said he was reluctant to give a definitive answer without knowing the specific details of the committee, adding, "I do not believe that groups that the superintendent calls upon for instance, staff meetings and citizens groups I do not believe that all those types of meetings are covered by the open meetings act."

Hartley also addressed the issue of e-mail and its status as a public document. "There is an enormous amount of confusion among public officials about this. There are some vague areas..." He clarified the point by stating that any document addressed to the board as a whole, not to one individual, would be considered public record.


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