Elections for president and vice-president are the first order of business on the July 11 agenda for the Harford County Board of Education, which picked up two new members on Friday through appointments made by Gov. Martin O’Malley. Coming in the nick of time for the Monday meeting – the first board meeting of the 2011-12 school year – and filling vacancies left by departing board members, the latest gubernatorial appointments round out a newly expanded board that will be seated for the first time as a nine-member body with both elected and appointed members.
Board Member Leonard Wheeler is a likely shoo-in for president at the July 11 meeting, having served as vice-president for the past two years. Less certain is who will take over his old post as VP. Among the returning board members, only Alysson Krchnavy of Bel Air has served as long as Wheeler – both were appointed in 2008. But longevity is not the determining factor it once was. The presence of elected members on the school board may make the case for Bob Frisch or Rick Grambo, elected in Edgewood and North Harford respectively, should either of them make a play for the number two spot.
What’s certain is that anything can happen, especially since the two members appointed on Friday, Ron Browning of Havre de Grace and James Thornton of Bel Air, will be meeting some of their colleagues for the first time at a swearing- in ceremony planned for the afternoon before the vote.
Also in the agenda for July 11 is the swearing-in of the new student representative to the board, Tony Cofrancesco, a rising senior at Havre de Grace High School.
The annual custodial awards will be presented to the top scoring and most improved schools, based on the results of inspections conducted during the school year. The inspections for cleanliness – one scheduled and one a surprise – are conducted by the custodial training coordinator and selected custodial staff.
The consent agenda includes approval of a $104,992 contract for Food and Nutrition Department supplies and paper goods, to be awarded to low-bidder Acme Paper & Supply Co. of Savage, MD.
Also on the consent agenda is the monthly report on personnel – employees who either joined or left the school system in June, including a number of retirements. The current list can be found here and includes the high profile departure of David A Volrath, who announced his retirement as the executive director of high school performance in May and quickly landed a job at the Maryland State Department of Education.
Rounding out the agenda will be an informational report on the $48.8 million proposed capital budget request for the 2013 fiscal year. A work-in-progress, the budget presentation is among several the board receives before voting on a capital budget request, which is first submitted to the state each year by October 15, with possible amendments to follow based on funding and other factors. Topping the latest capital project priority list is a plan to relocate the special education John Archer School to a new building that will be attached to Bel Air Middle School; and the modernization of nearby Homestead Wakefield Elementary which, school officials say, is related to the John Archer move.
The plan for John Archer has come under fire from Harford County Councilman Jim McMahan and the prioritization of both John Archer and Homestead Wakefield has been the target of opposition from the PTA president at Youth’s Benefit Elementary in Fallston, who argues that Youth’s Benefit and William Paca in Abingdon are in worse shape and serve a greater number of students. The fiscal year 2013 proposal also includes a new $1 million item for a “county-wide master plan” to assess educational facilities.
A report by Superintendent Robert M. Tomback will conclude the meeting.
The published agenda for the July 11 school board meeting appears below. Published agendas are subject to change:
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
MONDAY, JULY 11, 2011
HCPS A. A. ROBERTY BUILDING
102 S. Hickory Avenue, Bel Air, MD 21014Board Open Session – 6:25 P.M. – Board Room
Board Closed Session – 6:30 P.M. – Board Executive Conference Room
Board Business Meeting – 7:00 P.M. – Board Room
7:00 P.M. Call to Order – Robert M. Tomback, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools and Secretary/Treasurer of the Board of EducationQuorum Roll Call
Election of Board of Education – President
Comments of Newly-Elected President
Election of Board of Education – Vice President
Swearing-in of New Student Representative to Board of Education
Opening – Newly-Elected President
Adoption of Agenda
Pledge of Allegiance*7:30 P.M. Recognition
• Custodial Awards Program Recognition, 2011 Spring School Inspection Score Sheet*7:40 P.M. Public Comment
*7:50 P.M. Board Committee Reports and Comments
Old Business
Action Item(s):*8:00 P.M. A. Consent Agenda:
1) Monthly Report on Personnel (Goal 3)
2) Affirmation of Monthly Contract Awards (Goal 3)
3) Minutes of Previous Meetings: (Goal 3)
• June 27, 2011
4) Decision on Contract Award for Food and Nutrition Supplies and Paper Goods(Goal 3)Discussion(s):
*8:05 P.M. B. FY2013 Capital Improvement Program Informational Report, Preview of Proposed
CIP Request, CIP Budget Request FY2013, Mr. Joseph P. Licata (Goal 3)New Business
*8:25 P.M. C. Superintendent’s Report
The make up of the new board has the potential to be very divided. The liberal and conservative blocks a pretty clearly drawn. We will have to wait to see how quickly the new members establish their views on the superintendent. It is clear that some of the current members are not happy with Tomack’s way of doing business as demonstrated over the recent flap about promotions, hires with Baltimore Co. connections, his handling of the demotion of the principals at Aberdeen and Joppatowne high schools, and budget issues; nor are these members afraid to challenge him publicly on this and other matters. Some have been speculating that Tomback may not survive the remaining two years of his contract. Even if he does it is likely to be a rough ride.
Hopefully he doesn’t make it til Christmas!
The county does not have enough money in its budget to buy Dr. Tomback out of the remaining two years of his contract. I have been told by those who were around then that it cost $750,000 to buy out Grotsky when he wore out his welcome, and that was nearly 20 years ago. The best that his opponents can hope for is that the board will be divided enough to stonewall or otherwise derail any of his new projects or changes and then not renew his contract in 2013.
I’ll be on WAMD 970 at about 5 p.m. today to talk with DJ Steve Mann about the school board meeting tonight.