Highlands replaces solicitor
During a heated special meeting on Tuesday, Highlands School Board appointed a new solicitor in a move the board's majority faction hopes will improve negotiations with the district's teachers union.
Voting 6-2, the board appointed Pittsburgh attorney Ira Weiss as solicitor and delinquent tax collector for 2006. Board members Timothy McCue and Judith Wisner voted against the appointment without comment. Board member Judy Sims was absent.
The minority faction comprises McCue, Sims and Wisner.
Solicitors are lawyers responsible for advising district officials, in addition to having other functions such as participating in contract negotiations.
Weiss replaces William Andrews as solicitor and Michael Streib as delinquent tax collector. Andrews and Streib had long-standing relationships with the district. Neither could be reached by phone for comment late Tuesday.
Board member Gary Alexander said the change was made to bring on board a solicitor the majority faction felt good about working with.
"People want to bring in people they feel comfortable with and feel comfortable working with," he said.
Alexander criticized Andrews for not being able to negotiate a new contract with the Highlands Education Association and cited that as another reason for hiring Weiss.
The district's 230 union members -- teachers, guidance counselors and some other employees -- have been working without a contract since July.
The teachers last went on strike during the 1999-2000 school year. They went on strike for 22 days in 1999 at the beginning of the school year and subsequently for 10 days in 2000.
Andrews participated in contract negotiations at that time.
Prior to the vote, Wisner asked board President John Stanoski who called the meeting and why. She also asked who created the agenda.
Wisner questioned why a special meeting was necessary to vote on business she said could have been discussed at next Tuesday's agenda meeting.
Stanoski said he created the agenda and called for the meeting at the request of board members Ron "Bangor" Lang, Ron Misjeka, Mark Peck and Chris Salego.
Lang, Misjeka and Peck ran as a slate in November's general election. They are aligned with Alexander, Salego and Stanoski.
Misjeka said after the meeting that it was important to hire Weiss prior to the agenda meeting. Misjeka said the teachers union plans to offer its proposals at that meeting and that the majority faction wanted Weiss to be present.
Dan Scannell, the district's Pennsylvania State Education Association representative, said in a phone interview late Tuesday that the union has no preference whom it negotiates with.
"We just want to do the best we can with whoever we can," he said.
At times Tuesday night, Stanoski came under fire from Wisner, McCue and residents and was prompted by members of the majority faction to ignore their questions and push forward with the meeting.
Among the residents at the meeting were former board members Debbie Beale and Karen Wantland.
McCue and Wisner argued that Stanoski should allow the questions as part of district policy. Stanoski allowed the questions with hesitation, trying to call for a vote on Weiss' appointment several times during the dialogue, which at times was heated.
Wisner said after the meeting that Stanoski didn't follow district policy by creating the agenda. Superintendent Randall Kahler is responsible for presenting the agenda to the board, she said.
Meantime, Beale and resident Deborah Lawrence questioned appointing Weiss. They cited a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ruling that Weiss committed securities fraud in handling a Neshannock Township School District bond issue.
Weiss said in a phone interview late Tuesday that he is appealing the SEC's decision. He said the ruling was a civil matter and that he believed the SEC's decision would be overturned.
Weiss said he serves as solicitor for nine school districts in Allegheny, Beaver, Washington and Westmoreland counties. He said he also serves as delinquent tax collector for about nine school districts.
Highlands School District will pay Weiss a $600 monthly retainer to attend agenda and regular meetings, among several other functions. Weiss also will charge the district a $105 hourly rate.
Alexander and Stanoski argued that hiring Weiss as solicitor could save the district money. McCue countered that Weiss' monthly retainer already exceeds what the district was paying Andrews, which was $250 for monthly board meeting he attended.
Andrews' and Weiss' hourly rates are the same.
Weiss said his fee for serving as delinquent tax collector will be negotiated. The majority of what he earns in that capacity will be paid by delinquent taxpayers as part of their settlements with the district, he said.
Also Tuesday night, the board approved several policy changes.
The board amended a policy that required its members to serve at least one year before attending the annual National School Boards Association convention.
The board also added an athletic committee to its list of standing committees and amended its public complaints policy to read that requests, suggestions or complaints directed at the board be referred to the superintendent for possible action.
Any action the superintendent calls for will have to be submitted to the board president within two school working days.
