School District to keep superintendent until January

Steve Marcus

Clark County Schools Superintendent Walt Rulffes listens during a School Board Meeting Wednesday, August 4, 2010. Clark County Board of School Trustees voted 5-to-1 to keep the current school superintendent until January while the search for a replacement continues.

By Anthony Ramirez

Published Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010 | 10:38 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010 | 4:47 p.m.

Superintendent Walt Rulffes

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In a sometimes contentious meeting, the Clark County Board of School Trustees voted 5-to-1 today to keep the current school superintendent until January while the search for a replacement continues.

The trustees discussed whether to temporarily keep Clark County Schools Superintendent Walt Rulffes, who announced in March that he planned to retire, until January.

The district has been hit by some of the deepest budget cuts in secondary education and wants a superintendent in place when the state Legislature reconvenes in February to review public school funding.

Four voted yes, with one no vote by Trustee Linda Young, who wanted a more temporary arrangement, such as a consulting contract. Terri Janison, president of the board, citing a conflict, abstained.

Her husband is an employee of Jim Rogers, a former university chancellor and owner of television stations, who is a candidate for superintendent. Her husband is a weatherman at Channel 3, owned by Rogers.

Rogers, 71, said that while he would do the job for free, he has also made a formal application to the board’s executive search firm, McPherson & Jacobson in Omaha, Neb.

The application deadline is Sept. 1. A list of candidates is due in mid-September.

Rulffes had wanted be gone by Aug. 13, but a new superintendent wouldn’t be in place until October at the earliest.

CORRECTION: The story originally reported the vote as being 4-to-1, but it has since been corrected to 5-to-1. | (August 4, 2010)