More Personnel Headaches for Solehi School Board

is drawing attention from families. The board is set to vote on personnel decisions, including the appointment of current assistant superintendent Leah Christman to the position of "substitute superintendent" in light of the pending retirement of superintendent Joseph Liberati.

This move comes on the heels of what was considered by some as

• On Aug. 22, the board voted to hire Jessica Dimmig as a part-time elementary school librarian. She is the wife of board member Jeffrey Dimmig, who abstained from the vote. Board member Corinne Gunkle was absent. Dimmig has said he will not take part in any contract negotiations that affect his wife.  
• On Sept. 26, the board as athletic coordinator, putting her in a position to supervise her husband, Todd, the high school varsity baseball coach. The vote was unanimous.

On Nov. 7, the school board changed the nepotism policy to exempt employees in extracurricular positions, such as a coach, from a rule that says, “No employee shall be immediately supervised by a family member/relative.”

Also on Nov. 7, the board accepted the pending retirement of Liberati. According to the school board agenda, Christman's new title will be "with full authority to perform the duties of Superintendent during such periods of time when Joseph Liberati, Superintendent, may be absent from the District pending his anticipated retirement in March 2012."

An email is circulating questions on whether the school board will proceed with an "adequate superintendent search."

Other personnel decisions include the elimination of the assistant business office/ finance manager, high school assistant principal and assistant director support services. The position of technology coordinator is set to become director of elementary eucation and instructional technology.

At the Nov. 7 meeting, board member John Quigley brought up the teachers contract and asked if new members elected the next day would be able to see the proposed contract before the board votes on it, but was told that discussion wasn't appropriate in an open meeting.

“We haven’t even had an official discussion yet," said board member Bill Miracle.