Superintendent search firm’s future in doubt

Terry Webster

Friday, March 10, 2000 | 11:18 a.m.

Disgusted by a deadline missed after weeks of planning and other antics, some Clark County School Board members are thinking of firing the superintendent search firm.

Board members gave consultant William Attea a tongue-lashing Tuesday after he requested more time to pursue candidates who surfaced during a national convention -- even though the interview schedule was set two months before and interviews were to begin Wednesday.

On Thursday the School Board approved Attea's suggestion that three new candidates be interviewed instead of two.

Board member Larry Mason said the board should reserve the right to bring candidates forward "at the last minute."

"There's a possibility we may not even go with this firm," Mason said. "Because that is an issue at hand."

And the issue is expected to be voted on at a special meeting Wednesday.

"I think we should follow through with this consultant and what he has, and if we don't like what he has, we terminate it, and then we move forward to something else," board member Lois Tarkanian said.

Board member Ruth Johnson said she feels the instructions to Attea have been compromised at every turn.

"I wouldn't want to take away the board's opportunity to see those candidates if they were truly qualified and competent," Johnson said. "But it just seems to be completely different than what he told us when he was here a couple of nights ago. He said more than two (candidates) would not be the thing to do."

Johnson said she is willing to look at three candidates.

The schedule currently calls for the announcement of candidates on March 20, followed by interviews on March 21 and March 22.

"We have given and given and given to this consulting firm everything they have needed to bring forth the kind of people we are looking for," Johnson said.

Susan Brager, board vice president, again stressed that the investigative background reports be completed on all candidates before they are presented.

"Over the past three days I have had great concerns about the search firm and the work that's being done and the presentations that are being made," Sheila Moulton, board clerk, said.

Attea represents the Hazard, Young & Attea search firm of Glenview, Ill.

The March interviews mark the second round of superintendent candidates for the Clark County School District, the nation's eighth-largest with 217,000 students.

The district is looking for a superintendent to replace Brian Cram, who retires in July.

Three of the five candidates Attea presented in the first round were rejected by the School Board and two others withdrew. One of the candidates, Henry Marockie, West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools, dropped out of the running after board members learned he misrepresented his salary.

Marockie resigned his position on Thursday amid allegations about his handling of public and private education funds.

Terry Webster covers education for the Sun. She can be reached at (702) 259-4091 or by e-mail at terry@lasvegassun.com