TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hillsborough School Board Gives Travel Guidelines Initial OK

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARILYN BROWN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 31, 2008

TAMPA - The Hillsborough County School Board gave initial approval this afternoon on out-of-county travel guidelines for board members.

The rules will include setting an overall travel budget annually and members submitting projected travel plans, both requiring board approval in November.

Individual board member's budgets would vary depending on the district budget, whether a member is an officer in the sponsoring organization, the learning and lobbying value of the conference or trip and the number of board members asking to go.

A committee comprising the school board chairman, vice chairman and one other member will coordinate and review requests for travel submitted after the initial budget is approved and before they are voted on by the full board.

Chairwoman Jennifer Faliero, April Griffin and Susan Valdes opposed having a committee coordinate the plans.

An official vote on travel procedures is scheduled for Aug. 19. The special meeting today was called too late to meet the seven-day-notice requirement for a board meeting where votes could be taken.

The new rules were prompted by a request in early July from The Tampa Tribune for four years' worth of travel reports for all board members and MaryEllen Elia that revealed the board spent $148,000 in that time – in county and out. Elia spent $35,351 in her three years as superintendent.

Valdes spent $50,322 in her first four years on the board and is running for re-election.

The spending ignited a battle, with Valdes requesting the calendar of activities of Faliero and Faliero responding by asking for calendars of all board members.

On July 15, Faliero asked for and received a moratorium on new travel for board members until guidelines could be approved.

When board members Candy Olson and Jack Lamb met on July 24 to draft those guidelines, they were joined by Valdes and Griffin. There were pointed exchanges between Olson and Valdes.

Today's meeting was a contrast, with board members showing restraint.

Valdes said she is excited about the new rules. After the meeting, she said, "It will avoid a new board member coming to the board with enthusiasm to want to do a good job to fall into the same hole as I did."

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT