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Retired Employee Gets Big School Contract

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By MARILYN BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2007

TAMPA - Disagreement and debate over consultants' contracts Tuesday didn't stop the Hillsborough County School Board from approving a new $157,612 contract for a recently retired employee.

A heated exchange ended with two board members voting against the contract for a company headed by former general manager of construction Tom Blackwell to inventory and outline needs for all school sites. Blackwell retired in August as general construction manager after more than 20 years with the school district.

The board acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue in the wake of criticism over the October hiring of a consultant for $54,000 to write a district wellness policy. The contract was approved without input from three existing wellness committees and without considering other consultants.
School board attorney Tom Gonzalez repeated his defense of such consultant hirings, noting the board has broad leeway to hire professional educational services through a state Board of Education rule.

"We can set the bar higher than the legal requirements," board member April Griffin said, asking that the Blackwell contract be bid out.

Susan Valdes, the other vote against the contract, was even more adamant: "The deal is, it's a contract with no research whatsoever. No one even inquired who's able to provide these services."
Chief Facilities Officer Cathy Valdes, no relation to Susan Valdes, said she wanted Blackwell's knowledge and district experience. She later said she didn't want the same company that did the state-required inventory in 2003 for $94,217.

There are more schools now and a larger scope of work will be done - all by Blackwell's team, freeing up district staff. Portable classrooms will also be included this time, she said.

"The report doesn't necessarily have to done by a consultant, but if district staff did it, others would then have to be hired to do their work," she said.

Board member Jennifer Faliero, who became ill and left before the vote, said she would have a greater comfort level knowing Valdes had talked with some other people. She questioned Blackwell's new role, saying, "This may be his first job under this company."

In response to concerns, Cathy Valdes said, "I don't know three other people who have the same knowledge."

And one board member took her fellow board members to task. "What disappoints me is the lack of trust in the expertise sitting in this room," Carol Kurdell said. "Putting everything out to bid is not the answer."

Board member Candy Olson told her, "You go, girl!" before she supported the contract. "If we used our own staff, probably then we'd get slammed for not having an objective study," she said.

"It's $157,000," Susan Valdes responded. "It is not about lack of trust." It's about procedures, she said, adding, "Where does this board want to draw the line?"

Board member Doretha Edgecomb asked for more detailed information on future consultant contracts so the board can decide which ones it wants to approve without bids.

The district is reviewing and updating its policy manual, which board members agreed Tuesday will require more debate of the consultant issue. To do the redraft, the board approved a contract of up to $89,000 to "piggyback" onto a request for a proposal and contract already approved by the Pasco County schools for a consultant.

The status of last month's consultant contract for the wellness plan still remains in question. Griffin made a motion to rescind the $54,000 consultant contract, but board attorney Gonzalez said that may not be possible if it has been signed.

Griffin then withdrew her motion to wait for a determination by Gonzalez.

In other action, the board named two new schools opening in August and approved two new administrators.

A new middle school on the campus of Citrus Park Elementary will honor Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith, a Tampa Bay Technical High School graduate awarded the Medal of Honor in April 2005 for service in Iraq. Smith died April 4, 2003, having saved about 100 of his men in combat.

A new elementary school in south Hillsborough will honor former school board member and educator Doris Ross Reddick. She served 12 years as the only black board member, retiring in 2004. Joe Robinson asked that the school be named after her calling her "a mother of this community."

Holly Saia, principal at Twin Lakes Elementary, becomes principal at Shaw elementary Nov. 19, replacing a retiring Gloria Kolka. Tanly J. Cabrera, principal of Cahoon Elementary Magnet School, becomes department manager for the Teacher Incentive Fund Grant, a new position, also Nov. 19.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.

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