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Hillsborough Schools To Keep Wellness Contract

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By MARILYN BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2007

TAMPA - Despite three votes by Hillsborough County School Board members to reconsider a $54,000 consultant contract to write a district wellness policy, the issue died Tuesday when four board members voted not to put it back on the agenda in December.

Board member April Griffin tried to get the board to reconsider its October approval of the contract for Cindy Coney, but only Susan Valdes and Jennifer Faliero voted with her. The contract had been signed, but could have been rescinded with 90 days notice, school board attorney Tom Gonzalez determined.

The contract has raised questions about which consultant contracts require bids and why three school district wellness committees were not consulted before the Coney contract was proposed.

In unanimous votes, Faliero was named new school board chairman, replacing Jack Lamb; Carol Kurdell was named vice chairman.

The board also unanimously voted to limit their comments to two minutes each for routine items on the consent agenda and to speak for just one minute if they need to respond again on an item.

Board member Candy Olson proposed speaking for two minutes and not again without board agreement on an item, saying, "We repeat ourselves." Griffin proposed adding the minute for response. Griffin agreed that "we ramble."

Tuesday's meeting lasted two hours, three hours shorter than many in recent months.

In other action, the board:

•Officially named the new elementary school at the Museum of Science & Industry the MOSI Partnership School.

•Approved Sarah Jacobsen Capps, administrator for LaVoy Exceptional Center, as principal of Lanier Elementary, effective Dec. 3. She replaces Todd Schofer, who is retiring.

•Suspended John Sinibaldi, 47, music teacher at Plant High, without pay pending dismissal proceedings. During the 2006-07 school year, he allowed a middle school student to participate in the Plant High Marching band program, despite being directed not to, a district letter charges. That same year, he text-messaged a student more than 525 times during and after school hours, inappropriate and unprofessional behavior for a teacher and band director, the letter states.

•Suspended without pay Roger Roberts, 44, a science teacher at Tomlin Middle School. He was arrested Nov. 16 and charged with a fourth DUI.

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

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