Rogers offers to fill in as superintendent

Terry Webster

Friday, Dec. 17, 1999 | 11:40 a.m.

Media mogul James E. Rogers is offering to serve as an unpaid interim superintendent for the Clark County School District to give the School Board some extra time in its search to replace retiring Superintendent Brian Cram.

Rogers, 61, is owner of Sunbelt Communications Co., a Las Vegas firm that operates eight television stations including KVBC Channel 3 in Las Vegas.

The board has expressed anxiety about being rushed into choosing Cram's replacement. There are currently two candidates for the position -- Henry Marockie, the state superintendent for West Virginia schools and retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph Redden.

"I'm not going out there politicing," Rogers told the Sun today. "I've sent letters out to each of the School Board members and that's all I'm going to do."

Rogers said no one from the school district has responded. But School Board member Susan Brager said this morning, "Anything's a possibility."

Gov. Kenny Guinn served as interim UNLV president in 1994, giving the university time to conduct a thorough national search.