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Sullivan Board of Education rejects contract extension for Barnes in 3-4 vote

BLOUNTVILLE — Sullivan County Director of Schools Jack Barnes may be on his way out as head of the largest school system in Northeast Tennessee.

The Sullivan County Board of Education failed in a 3-4 vote to approve a motion extending Barnes’ contract — set to expire June 30, 2010 — until June 30, 2011.

The vote shows an erosion of support from a 2008 vote in which five board members voted to make him the “candidate of focus” during the director’s search. The system has almost 12,000 students.

Voting for the extension on Wednesday afternoon were Vice Chairwoman Betty Combs of the Bluff City area, Jerry Greene of Bristol and Chairman Ron Smith of Piney Flats.

Voting against the extension were Jack Bales of Sullivan Gardens, Larry Harris of Colonial Heights, Jim Kiss of Bloomingdale and Dan Wells of Lynn Garden.

“I work at the board’s pleasure, and that’s pretty well it. I’m just leaving it at that,” Barnes said after the meeting.

Greene made the motion to extend the contract, which Combs seconded.

“We have a lot of things coming up, and we’re moving forward,” Combs said. “The morale in the county (schools) has increased.”

She also cited applications for almost $20 million in low- or no-interest economic stimulus bonds for school building programs, including a proposed $15 million in additions and renovation to Ketron Intermediate School in Bloomingdale.

“I think at least another year would see us trying to go in the right direction,” she said.

Smith cited Barnes’ conservative fiscal leadership that resulted in a year-end surplus or fund balance of about $6.1 million.

The vote came after a recent assessment of Barnes’ performance as mediocre by the BOE.

For the first year in the position — according to a compilation board attorney Pat Hull released in August — Barnes got mostly a C-plus grade, with one that approached a B-plus, on a scale of 0 to 4.0. On board relations Barnes got a 2.62, community relations 2.66, staff and personnel relationships 2.40, facilities and finance 2.86, vision 2.54, and student achievement 3.23.

After Wednesday’s meeting, the four who voted against a contract extension said they believed the vote meant the BOE soon would start looking for a new director, although Harris said other options — including another contract extension motion at a later meeting — could occur.

“I don’t know what will happen,” Harris said. “I kind of assumed we’ll be looking for a new director, myself.”

Kiss echoed that sentiment, as did Bales.

“That means the contract won’t go past June,” Bales said. “There’ll be a new person sought.”

Wells said he would “let my vote stand as it is,” but added it was clear the majority of the board supports “pursuing someone else for the position.”

Barnes’ proposals this year and last year to close some county schools as part of a plan to consolidate them into existing schools and build some new schools didn’t set well with some board members, including Kiss, who opposed making the 8-12 Sullivan North High School a split middle and high school.

In May 2008, in the search for a replacement for retiring Director of Schools Glenn Arwood, the board voted 5-2 to tap Barnes as the “candidate of focus” in a four-way race among finalists chosen with help of the Tennessee School Boards Association.

The only other local finalist was Evelyn Rafalowski, still in the Central Office. She finished fourth among the final four when BOE members chose their top two.

Barnes’ two-year contract was finalized in June 2008 by a 6-0 vote, with then-Chairman Bales not voting.

Barnes had been assistant director of schools for Sullivan County. Before assuming that position, Barnes served as supervisor of secondary education for the system, principal of Indian Springs Elementary, assistant principal of Sullivan East High School, and was a science and biology teacher at Colonial Heights Middle School.

Rafalowski was assistant director of schools for human resources in Sullivan County before Barnes moved her to supervisor of transportation, athletics and technology after he took office.

Rafalowski formerly served as technology coordinator for the system, vice principal of Sullivan Central High School, and as a teacher/coach in several county schools.

Aside from moving Rafalowski, Barnes moved Deborah Morelock and Mary Rouse, director of elementary education and supervisor of special education, respectively, from those posts. Morelock and Rouse both became elementary principals.

In addition, Barnes dissolved the business manager’s position when Harry Trent retired and did not keep Chris Morelock, a non-tenured employee who had been working with Trent so that he could take over the post. He is the husband of Deborah Morelock.

Barnes appointed Gene Johnson, former Miller Perry Elementary principal, as assistant director of schools over K-12 curriculum, hired David Timbs of Johnson County as supervisor of testing and accountability, and hired former Brookside Principal Betty Odum to head special education.

Janie Barnes, Jack Barnes’ wife, remains a supervisor and is spokeswoman for the school system.

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Agreed!

Bowdrie C | 9/10/2009 - 8:13 AM - (Suggest Removal )

Guess what goes around finally came around. Poetic justice.

Gomez Adams | 9/9/2009 - 10:06 PM - (Suggest Removal )

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