Looking at senior administrative positions to cut

Some Wake County school administrators are sweating their futures now that school board members have asked interim Superintendent Donna Hargens to review whether jobs can be eliminated.

As noted in today's article, board members asked Hargens to look at more than a dozen senior administrative positions and come up with a recommendation on those positions next week.

Cutting some of those jobs could help offset the cost of restoring some of the parent counseling positions at Project Enlightenment. The board had also asked Hargens to make a recommendation on those jobs next week.

Up for review are an area superintendent's position, government affairs liaison, director of real estate services, program evaluators in Evaluation and Research and special education area program administrators.

The discussion started with staff presenting this list of all the senior administrator positions and up in Central Office.

It didn't take long for board members to question some of the jobs. There was a split along the 5-4 majority/minority lines.

School board vice chairwoman Debra Goldman questioned what the duties are for the governmental affairs liaison. The person, who is essentially Wake's state lobbyist, reports to Chief Communications Officer Michael Evans.

Evans said the liaison has several responsibilities:
* Helps create the legislative lobbying agenda and shares it with the Wake delegation in the General Assembly.
* Reports back on what's happening in the General Assembly
* Shares with the district's accounting and finance departments information during the state budget process
* Answers legislators questions about impact of bills on Wake
* Meets with the state Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction to share Wake's feelings on how rules and procedures should be implemented
* Monitors charter school application process

Evans said the liaison doesn't typically get involved on issues at the county and federal levels.

Goldman wasn't impressed.

"We’re paying somebody with taxpayers dollars to sit all day during the legislative sessions?” Goldman asked.

Goldman argued that they can hear things directly from the State Board on things like the charter school process. She wanted to know how many teaching positions the job could fill. (The person is paid $76,240. Throw in around another 20 percent for benefits.)

School board member Chris Malone said the position should be a part-time job and not a full-time one.

But school board member Keith Sutton said he held a similar position with the state Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. He said "it's a very necessary and important position” hearing all the discussion as it’s being formed in the legislature.

Goldman called it a passive position because the person can't bring about changes. But Sutton said she's incorrect because the person can have an impact based on board feedback.

Board member Kevin Hill said the position is "very important." He mentioned how the person, Susan Harrison, has helped arrange meetings for him with legislators.

Goldman asked how come other board members aren't getting an opportunity to meet with legislators. Hill said he just picked up the phone and asked Harrison.

This isn't the first time that there's been talk about eliminating the position as Wake has been the only district in the state to have its own lobbyist. Critics have argued it's not necessary because the N.C. School Boards Association has a lobbyist representing the 115 districts.

Hill said it's important to keep the liaison position now that Wake is no longer a member of the School Boards Association.

Goldman said they can get the information from DPI. But Sutton said DPI wouldn't move as fast.

School board member John Tedesco said that board chairman Ron Margiotta is essentially acting as the board's lobbyist when he meets with the Wake delegation.

But board member Anne McLaurin said that's only one meeting per year.

"It’s important for someone to be going out for us to let us know what’s going on," McLaurin said.

Marigotta wanted to know what the lobbyist does when the legislature is not in session.

Evans said the person is still busy checking on legislative study commissions, following bills and working with the State Board and DPI. He said the person also helps legislators who get calls from constituents who have issues with the school district.

Goldman also was the one who questioned why Wake had a director of real estate services. She asked why the job was a full-time one when they could hire a consultant.

Chief Facilities and Operations Officer Don Haydon noted how Wake had hired consultants in the past but determined it was better to use a staff person.

Haydon also said the person, in this case Betty Parker, handles acquisition of property and easement issues.

Haydon and Chief Business Officer David Neter noted how the position is funded out of the school construction program. They said savings from cutting the job couldn't be moved to the operating budget.

But Tedesco said that the money could cover some other bond-related project.

Margiotta noted that Wake isn't really purchasing properties now.

Haydon said that they still have some unspent money for land acquisition. He said they'll have to buy a lot of land for the next bond issue. But Marigotta countered it might be a few years before a bond comes up.

It was board member Deborah Prickett who questioned whether special education was top heavy with staff. It was noted how there are so many senior administrators for program support for each area of the county.

Marvin Connelly, assistant superintendent for student support services, said they have so many program support people because school level staff are not as well versed on legal and compliance issues with special ed. He said these senior administrators daily visit schools when parents and staff disagree on how to help students.

There appears to be less opposition about leaving unfilled the area superintendent position that will open up soon when Kathryn Chontos retires.

Goldman was the one who questioned why Evaluation and Research has four program evaluators.

David Holdzkom, assistant superintendent for evaluation and research, said those people help evaluate if programs are effective. He said these reviews have saved money.