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Egos Hit Head-On At School Board's Travel Policy Meeting

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By MARILYN BROWN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 25, 2008

TAMPA - A school board committee of two assigned to draft travel guidelines became a meeting of four Thursday with an equal number of reporters plus a television cameraman sitting in.

School board travel rules were produced, more travel records were requested by a board member and a new question was raised: Should there be a policy on school board members and employees accepting trips and other perks from vendors?

It looks like that may happen, but working it out may be ugly if Thursday's initial meeting is an indication.

Even before the meeting started, the sniping began.

Board member Candy Olson - there to meet with board member Jack Lamb - walked into the tiny conference room at the same time as board member Susan Valdes.

It was icy.

Valdes, under scrutiny for having the board's heftiest travel expenses, was not part of the two-member committee assigned to draft travel guidelines.

Valdes started defending her trips as Olson sifted through papers.

"Stop whining!" Olson ordered as she looked down at her materials.

"I'm not whining," Valdes responded, just before Olson took Valdes to task for her assertion in Thursday's Tampa Tribune that she was the hardest-working board member.

"I think I'm hard-working, too," Olson told her.

"Well, fine," Valdes snapped.

They exchanged "Stop being snippy with me" commands before Lamb walked in, sat next to Olson, and the meeting started.

Within a half-hour, the three had been joined by board member April Griffin, four reporters and a television cameraman.

Business was done, despite Olson dismissing some of Valdes' questions and explanations by curtly telling her, "Stick to the subject" or "You need to talk to the board chair."

Valdes' stony expression reflected a standoff of board members embroiled in a clash of personalities and power.

The board has no formal travel budget or policy, an omission that drew attention after The Tampa Tribune requested board travel records for the past four years. Records show the board spent $148,000 in that time, with Valdes spending $50,322 of that.

That information coupled with the campaign season helped escalate a recurring division of the board. Valdes, up for re-election next month, requested school board Chairwoman Jennifer Faliero's calendar, but said she didn't know what she is looking for.

Faliero then requested calendars for all board members and wouldn't say why.

Griffin, who acknowledges she is Valdes' best friend, said she has requested travel records for all top administrators.

In addition, the board should know whether vendors who do business with the board have paid for any employee travel.

School board attorney Tom Gonzales said that although there is no formal board policy, state law requires that any employee or board member approving business with a specific company cannot take gifts such as travel from that company.

Any gift to elected officials of more than $100 must be disclosed.

Proposed guidelines, drafted Thursday and planned for full board discussion at a July 31 workshop, include:

• A philosophy that travel rules and behavior should align with student achievement, reflect what is happening in the district and be of value for networking, learning what works or lobbying.

• Out-of-county travel reimbursed by the district would require a form explaining benefits and estimated costs and would be approved by a board vote.

• Reimbursed travel would require reporting back to the board with materials, memos or occasional brief comments at board meetings.

• A travel budget would be established, taking into consideration new board members needing training, representation on out-of-county boards or committees, representing the board to receive an award and lobbying.

• A travel oversight committee made up of the board chairman, vice-chairman and one other board member would help staff construct the travel budget and preapprove travel requests.

• Board members who receive but don't use tickets for benefits paid for by the Hillsborough Education Foundation could have to pay for the ticket or lose the privilege for a time.

Lamb asked Pinellas County School Board member Jane Gallucci for her district's travel policy.

Gallucci said Thursday her district has a travel budget of $35,000 to $40,000 a year, divided among the seven board members.

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

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