Jennifer Moody Albany Democrat-Herald | Posted: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 10:00 pm
LEBANON - Committee appointments and contracts for professional services took center stage Monday as the Lebanon School Board moved forward in its newest incarnation.
Debi Shimmin took the oath of office Monday for her first meeting following the May election. Shimmin replaces Tom McHill, who decided not to run again.
Sherrie Sprenger retained the position of board chairwoman on a 3-2 vote, with Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer voting no. Alexander had nominated Wineteer for the position of chairman.
Board members voted unanimously to name Wineteer as vice chairman.
Monday's agenda included various housekeeping issues, such as filling a vacancy on the district's Buildings and Boundaries Committee, approving a contract change for the Lebanon High School resource officer and reauthorizing most of the district's representatives for insurance and legal work.
Board members indicated that, new year or not, they still have the same concerns as in previous years.
Wineteer and Alexander asked the district to go out for bids for auditing, insurance, real estate and legal services instead of reauthorizing existing contracts. Both had supported the same issue in 2005, saying at the time they wanted to explore potential savings.
Shimmin and Sprenger joined the two in voting to have the four services removed from the approval list for discussion. Chris Fisher voted no.
Business Director Donna Chastain said she would bring information in August as to the timelines the district would need to follow to end existing contracts and advertise for new ones.
Wineteer cast the sole vote against the appointment of applicant Robert Benson to the Buildings and Boundaries Committee, saying he does not support the committee itself.
"The Buildings and Boundaries Committee repeatedly recommended selling district assets, which I'm extremely opposed to," he said.
Though they joined the unanimous vote to renew the school resource officer's contract, Wineteer and Alexander also questioned the $60,739 the district will pay the city for the nine months the officer spends at Lebanon High School.
Last year's contract for the police officer's time cost the district $59,505, which included a raise given in November after the board tabled the issue twice. The proposal for this year was for $60,739.
Both Alexander and Wineteer said they believe the service is valid, but perhaps not at the going rate.
Chastain said she would bring information to the board's August meeting that breaks down the contract's costs and shows how much other districts pay for such officers.
Alexander asked whether private security might be more cost-effective.
Wineteer agreed with that concept. "We're paying for a service on a premium rate that we could probably get for a little bit less," he said.
Sprenger, herself a former police officer, said she does not believe a private firm provides the same court authority, power to arrest, and sense of "presence" as a sworn officer.
Added Fisher: "We're protecting the lives of students in this community. Sixty thousand is worth it."