Back to drawing board in superintendent search

Terry Webster

Monday, Dec. 20, 1999 | 11:39 a.m.

Another chapter in the Clark County School District's convoluted superintendent search is about to begin.

Lacking any viable candidates -- three out of five finalists rejected the position -- the School Board will begin the new year with a new superintendent search.

A flap over an error-riddled cover letter for one of the candidates and white lies about the salary of another marked the first round.

Right before it ended, media mogul James Rogers, owner of Sunbelt Communications, offered to serve as an interim superintendent for the district. Rogers' Las Vegas-based firm operates eight television stations, including KVBC Channel 3.

Late Friday afternoon School Board President Ruth Johnson announced that the board's two final two candidates bowed out of the race.

That means Tuesday's School Board meeting -- the date set for naming a new leader -- now becomes a planning session for what to do next. The meeting is set for 10 a.m. at the Greer Education Center, 2832 E. Flamingo Road.

Henry Marockie, state superintendent for West Virginia schools, and retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph Redden gave their reasons for declining the position in letters written to search firm consultant William Attea, Johnson said.

Marockie cited concerns about the controversy surrounding his current salary, Johnson said. Although he told the School Board he is earning $146,000, his salary actually is $100,000. The $146,000 figure is the maximum amount a replacement could earn after Marockie retires.

For the Clark County job, Marockie wanted a base salary of $250,000, along with a $600-a-month housing allowance and a business-sponsored country club membership.

Johnson said she tried to get Marockie and Redden to change their minds.

She couldn't.

"I made phone calls to them to see if we could solve whatever problems they might have," said Johnson, adding she employed the same approach when Colorado Springs District 11 Schools Superintendent Ken Burnley decided to drop out.

Burnley ended his bid to lead the district, the country's eighth largest, shortly after School Board member Mary Beth Scow had his cover letter evaluated by an English teacher. He later claimed it had no impact on his decision.

Johnson said she was extremely disappointed about Redden's decision.

Redden, who has been caring for his ailing mother, indicated he did not feel that he could not devote 100 percent to the school district job.

"I consider it a great loss," Johnson said. "His salary request ($200,000) was well within what the board had talked about. Redden was a very strong candidate. He had weaknesses but nothing that he couldn't have overcome. I think he would have done an excellent job."

She wasn't sorry to see Marockie go.

"I didn't consider him," Johnson said, "although I would have supported him when he got here if that's what the rest of the board wanted."

Two other finalists, George Garcia, superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District in Tucson, Ariz., and James Fleming, superintendent of the Capistrano Unified School District in Southern California, were previously eliminated by the School Board. Almost simultaneously, Fleming produced a letter to Attea stating he was no longer interested.

"I guess we'll have to go out and get some more (candidates)," said board member Sheila Moulton. "I think we lost three good candidates in the process, and I am a little frustrated. Next time, I'd like to see us set a timeline and keep with it. I also hope the trustees make this their focal point and everything relating to this will take precedence."

Board members said they are disappointed, but ready to resume the search.

"I'm disappointed of course, but I feel we have a very vibrant district, and I feel we're going to get the right person for the job," said board member Lois Tarkanian. "I want the best and sometimes when you go after the best it's harder."

During Tuesday's meeting the board and Attea will weigh their options. Board members said they still want to work with Attea's firm.

"I think we'll be fine once we talk with Attea," said board member Shirley Barber. "We need to keep a positive attitude and come up with a different plan. I think we've learned a lot through this."

Scow is also adopting a "back to the drawing board" stance.

"I'm sure we'll find someone," she said.

The contract with the search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, indicates the firm will continue to produce candidates without additional consulting fees, Johnson said. The district will have to pay other costs associated with continuing the search, however, namely travel and accommodations for the candidates.

The total tab for finding a new superintendent is nearing $100,000, according to school district figures.

At last week's School Board meeting, members of the Superintendent Search Process Committee were given a send-off and a token of appreciation for their work.

Now the board-appointed committee, comprised of business and community leaders, may be making a repeat performance.

"The only thing they would do is some of the interviewing during the candidates' assessments," said Johnson. "It's my sense that they will continue, although the entire board has not discussed it yet."

Currently Rogers is the only person saying he is interested in the job. But he doesn't want to do it on a permanent basis and he doesn't want to be paid for it.

"I'd do it for nothing on a one- or two-year basis," said Rogers. "I'm 61 years old, and I don't need a whole new career. But because I believe I've developed some talents over the years, I think I can help out while the School Board is finding a permanent person to do the job."

Rogers was surprised after first being contacted by the Sun Friday. He stressed that he had made no attempts to bring his offer into the public eye.

"Nobody from the School Board has called me about it and I have no intention of trying to use politics for it," he said.

He declined to comment on the dynamics of the search.

"I have no thoughts on it other than to tell you I keep seeing all of these questions the board has," Rogers said. "I want to make sure they don't rush their decision."

Richard Morgan, dean of the UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law, sent a letter to School Board members suggesting that Rogers become an interim superintendent if the board can't immediately find the right person.

In the letter, Morgan points out that Rogers is a lifelong Las Vegan, a product of the Clark County School District and a graduate of the University of Arizona and its law school.

"He was a successful lawyer in our community, and he is an extremely successful businessman, with excellent organizational and financial skills and with a long record of success in his business ventures," Morgan wrote.

Rogers has a net worth reputed to be well over $300 million, according to the Associated Press. In 1998 he donated $50 million to the Arizona College of Law.

If he's offered the position, Rogers plans to make changes, not simply be a figurehead.

"Every asset of the school system should be focused solely on educating children," Rogers said. "That means all of the facilities have to be the best they can be at the least expense and the organization of the hierarchy has to be done in the most efficient manner with the fewest people, in order to get the greatest result from every dollar."

Rogers cited the school district's dropout rate and low test scores as his main concerns.

Tarkanian strongly supports Rogers' proposal.

"I think we should very seriously consider his offer," Tarkanian said. "I plan to say that at the meeting. I think it would offer us a lot of benefits. We wouldn't feel so rushed to find someone."

Board member Susan Brager has already said, "Anything's possible."

Moulton and Johnson were less enthusiastic about the prospect of a temporary superintendent, pointing out that Superintendent Brian Cram will remain on board until his July 2000 retirement.

Johnson said she is not comfortable with someone who wants to come in on a short-term basis, make a lot of changes, then leave. She also is concerned about buying out Cram's contract.

"We haven't really initiated that effort," said Moulton. "I think we have enough time to pick a new superintendent, not an interim."

The board will likely resume that task at full speed as soon as the holidays are over, Johnson said.

"We're ready to go into the next stage," she said.

At School Board meetings, residents have told the board not to rush their decision.

Following the recent developments, one critic said he is happy the board is starting again.

"As I've said in the past, this has been a botched process," said Louis Overstreet, executive director of the Urban Chamber of Commerce. "Collectively, this board makes some of the dumbest decisions I've ever seen, and I've lived in five major cities."

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