TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Lawmakers: School Board Member's Absences Inexcusable

ADVERTISEMENT

By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair@tampatrib.com

Published: March 10, 2009

Updated: 03/10/2009 09:29 pm

Cathi Martin

LAND O' LAKES - Three state lawmakers have called on Gov. Charlie Crist to consider removing Pasco County School Board member Cathi Martin because of her history of absences from board meetings.

Rep. John Legg, Rep. Will Weatherford and Sen. Mike Fasano sent a letter to Crist on Monday saying Martin "continues to fail her obligations to the citizenry of Pasco County."

"Martin has declined to resign and continues to accept her annual salary and the accompanying benefit package afforded to full-time district employees even though she has and continues to miss multiple school board meetings," the three lawmakers wrote.

Martin has been criticized in the past about her attendance. Health problems and other issues have caused her to miss numerous school board meetings, workshops and other functions since she was re-elected to a third term in 2006.

The issue had been dormant for a while, but took on new life after a teacher's termination hearing scheduled last week had to be postponed because of Martin's absence.

The legislators said in their letter to Crist that the problem was brought to their attention "by multiple constituents and various local media sources."

Martin's absence last week left attorneys and a court reporter "cooling their heels" and left "the fate of a teacher's career" hanging in the balance, they wrote.

"To be honest, I feel sorry for Cathi," Weatherford said Tuesday. "She's had issues that have made it hard for her to serve. I pray for her; I hope she gets those issues cleared up.

"That said, we need board members who can participate to the fullest extent possible."

Legg said he considers Martin's chronic absences an "absolute dereliction of duty."

"It's one thing to have some absences over a short period of time," Legg said. "But we are going on 2 1/2 years of this."

The situation is now starting to cost taxpayers money and inhibiting the functions of the school board at a time when it faces serious issues, such as a budget shortfall, he said.

All three legislators are Republicans and Martin is a Democrat, although school board races are nonpartisan and a candidate's party affiliation doesn't appear on the ballot.

Legg said Tuesday that partisanship has nothing to do with the letter to Crist. Other Democrats, such as former board member Marge Whaley, have served on the school board without any attempt to remove them, he said.

"Marge Whaley, we didn't see eye to eye on a lot of issues, but she did her job," Legg said.

This isn't the first time there has been a concerted effort to remove Martin.

Her frequent absences led the Pasco Republican Executive Committee in May 2007 to try to oust her.

The Republicans initially wanted a recall election, but state law doesn't provide for recalls for school board members.

The state constitution, though, allows the governor to suspend officials for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties or commission of a felony.

Legg said the lack of the recall option is why the three lawmakers turned to the governor. Voters likely would have already moved forward with a recall if that were a possibility, Legg said.

He said he doesn't expect the governor to "take our word for it" about Martin, but he hopes Crist will look into the situation and come to the same conclusion the three Pasco lawmakers did.

Martin could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

She did speak about her absences publicly on at least one occasion in the past.

At the school board's April 17, 2007, meeting, Martin talked for several minutes about her health problems, her son's health problems and an automobile accident, all of which caused her to miss meetings. She also discussed other troubles she faced during the previous months, including the suicide of a niece and the death of her family's dog.

At that point, Martin, now 53, had undergone knee and shoulder surgery because of injuries she said dated to when she was a high school cheerleader.

Martin has held the District 3 seat on the board since she was elected to her first four-year term in 1998.

Tom Jackson contributed to this article. Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT