Metro might make homeowners pay for stormwater control

By MICHAEL CASS • Staff Writer(Tennessean) • January 31, 2008 Read Comments(2)Recommend Print this page E-mail this article Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this? Metro property owners should pay a monthly user fee to help the city catch up on 2,000 stormwater projects and cut down on flooding across town, a city consultant recommends in a report due out Friday. For most single-family homes, the fee would be $4.98 a month, based on the size of surfaces like rooftops and driveways that don’t absorb rain. Water bills might be divided into separate water, sewer and stormwater lines. But before they sign off, some frustrated officials want to make sure the money really would ensure that Metro starts clearing out clogged ditches, tackling erosion and repairing broken walls around town. “If I’m going to vote for a water fee increase, they need to show me evidence that they’re going to address the issues in my district,” Councilman Greg Adkins, who represents the Crieve Hall area, said Thursday. “People keep calling and calling and calling. I want to make sure my constituents are served.” Like a 2001 study said, the new report says Metro needs a dedicated funding source to pay for a stormwater program that isn’t coming close to meeting pent-up demand. The program’s annual budget is about $12 million, but it needs $25.8 million for both operations and capital projects, consultant Andy Reese of AMEC Earth and Energy concludes. At that rate, it would take eight years to catch up on the backlog of complaints and other projects. Those needs would cost $85 million to fix today, but the list will grow and maintenance will be required, said Councilwoman Emily Evans, who represents Belle Meade and West Meade. Metro Water Services also would add some employees to its 91-person Stormwater Division staff, Evans said. The fee change would correct inequities in the stormwater program, she said. Some property owners produce little stormwater but are required to pay water and sewer rates. Others — like parking lot owners — produce a lot of runoff water but pay nothing because they don’t use water or sewers. But Evans said the study is only a starting point for discussion by council members, Mayor Karl Dean’s administration, Metro residents and other groups, potentially leading to a new fee starting with the next budget year on July 1. “We’re not married to anything,” Evans said. Metro Finance Director Rich Riebeling called the recommendation “an idea that has some merit.” “But it’s going to need a lot of study,” he said. Frustrations mount Garrett Dawson, a musician and songwriter who lives in Crieve Hall, said he’s tired of seeing the “war zone” in his back yard, where stormwater backing up in a utility and drainage easement has wiped out the soil under the roots of his trees. If the water ever came over a bank below his lot, “it would be a straight shot into my garage,” Dawson said. After years of struggling to get Metro to fix the problem, Dawson said he’d be willing to pay a monthly stormwater fee. “It’s cheaper than a new carpet,” he said. “It’s cheaper than new furniture. It’s cheaper than the lawsuits the city’s going to get hit with eventually. In the long run, it’s a bargain.” Adkins said he’s told Metro Water Services, which took over the stormwater program from Public Works in 2002, about Dawson’s problem several times. But the department rates requests at A, B and C priority levels and lags on the B or C requests, he said. Dawson said his problem received a C rating. “Nothing ever happens, unless it’s catastrophic,” second-term councilman Adkins said, adding that the consultant’s report didn’t address enough of the lower-priority concerns. “This has given me more headaches than any other issue in my area.” Evans said the federal Environmental Protection Agency, concerned about water quality, is pressing Metro for improvements. For the past 15 years, state law has allowed cities to collect stormwater user fees to help themselves improve water quality, and Franklin, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga and Memphis have done so, she said. “If we don’t do it this way, the EPA may fine us,” Evans added. “That money’s going to Washington, D.C. We might as well flush it down the toilet.” At the same time, Metro hasn’t raised water rates since 1996, and sewer rates were reduced in 1999 and haven’t been touched since, Evans said. Metro isn’t allowed to use property tax revenues to pay for water and sewer services, which have to support themselves financially. Dawson said he’s felt the impact of that shortfall in funding as he’s asked for help with his easement. “They keep telling me there’s no money,” he said. But Metro did do one thing for Dawson. He said the city reduced its most recent assessment of his property’s value after he showed assessors photographs of the flooding in his yard. “I can’t sell my house,” he said. “The value has decreased because of the city.”

School board asks mayor to help find Garcia's replacement

Some on the school board wary of idea for selecting new schools director By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 30, 2008 Read Comments(2)Recommend Print this page E-mail this article Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this? Metro school board members voted 7-2 on Tuesday to request the mayor's help to find a temporary and permanent replacement for former Director of Schools Pedro Garcia. It isn't clear what the mayor's involvement would be, though most board members made it clear that they did not want him to have all the power in selecting a new director. The motion comes less than a week after the mayor met privately with individual board members and as more people in Nashville are calling for drastic changes to fix problems in the school system. "It's not a new thing for the mayor to be involved in the process," said Ed Kindall, who represents north Nashville and voted in favor of the motion. "But this does not in any way relinquish the authority or legal duty of this board." Not all board members were comfortable with a formal vote to include the mayor. David Fox, who last week said he wants the mayor to disband the board and appoint new school representatives, voted against the motion because it was "open-ended." "I think it would be a bad idea to do anything to expose the board to a loss of control and further blurring what are blurred lines of funding authority and accountability," said Fox, who represents the Hillsboro area. Karen Johnson, who represents Antioch, introduced a motion that called for the involvement of voters in addition to the mayor, but it was voted down in favor of the original motion, made by board member George Thompson. Tennessee law says the school board has sole authority to appoint the director. The board is to meet with the mayor today to discuss education issues. Get draft of budget At Tuesday's meeting, the board got the first draft of the 2008-09 budget. Metro schools will need $19.2 million more than this year's budget just to keep things as they are now, according to the $616.8 million proposal for the next fiscal year. An additional $13 million will be needed to help the school pass testing standards under No Child Left Behind. The $19.2 million would be 3.2 percent more than the current budget. It includes money for pay raises, to open a new high school and avoid cutting any programs. It does not include salary increases for support staff. The additional $13 million would finance several new positions, including more teachers for English language learners and more literacy and math coaches. But because the district doesn't know how much money it will get from the federal, state or Metro governments, it's hard to say what the final budget will look like by the time it is approved this summer, said Chief Financial Officer Chris Henson, who is serving as interim schools director. "We have not received any revenue projections at this point from the Metro finance or from the state Department of Education," Henson told the board of education. Much of the district's funding will be dedicated to helping Metro Nashville schools meet No Child Left Behind standards, something that hasn't happened in four years. Funding will also be determined by the results of a state audit of the district, which began this week. The school board must turn over its final budget to the mayor's office by March. A public hearing will be held Feb. 12, and the board is tentatively schedule to vote on the budget Feb. 26.

Computer security expert hired as laptop case broadens

By JANELL ROSS • Staff Writer (Tennessean)• January 30, 2008 On the same day that Metro police made a third arrest in the theft of Davidson County Election Commission laptops, Mayor Karl Dean announced a new hire: a computer security specialist. "While it's unfortunate that it took an incident at the Election Commission office to bring necessary attention to this issue, we now have the opportunity to improve the way sensitive information is handled by Metro, and possibly prevent an even worse situation like this from occurring in the future," Dean said in a news release. Betty Steele, a certified information systems security professional, will recommend systems and data protection changes based on a data security audit completed earlier this month by Information Technology Services, according to the mayor's statement. Dean has also asked Steele to examine the need for an IT security and standards board. Suspect surrenders Also Tuesday, Brent Russell Rucker, 28, surrendered at police headquarters in response to a warrant for his arrest issued late Monday. Rucker, of Portland, was charged with theft. Police say he bought the stolen computer equipment on Christmas Eve. He is believed to have then sold the laptops to a Good lettsville man. That man is considered a witness, police said. Late Monday, Randal Logan Cheek, 27, was arrested on charges that he knew the stolen laptops were fenced at his business. A router and the laptop hard drives were found at the business Jan. 17, according to Metro police. Cheek was released after making a $5,000 bond. Police say Robert Osbourne, 45, admitted stealing the items from the election commission offices. He was charged Jan. 17 in connection with that crime. An $80,000 bail was set for Osbourne, who is homeless. On Jan. 24, Osbourne was transferred to the Tennessee Department of Correction for a parole violation. Osbourne was scheduled to appear in court this morning but that hearing was postponed.

Third arrest made in Election Commission computer theft

Metro police have made a third arrest in connection with the Christmas Eve theft of two Davidson County Election Commission laptop computers. Brent Russell Rucker, 28, surrendered himself at police headquarters Tuesday. Metro police swore out a warrant for Rucker's arrest late Monday. Rucker, a Portland, Tenn. resident, has been charged with theft. Rucker's bond was set at $2,000. Davidson County Detention Center staff said Tuesday that Rucker's bond was paid shortly before 3 p.m. Rucker will soon be released. On Monday Randal Logan Cheek, 27, was arrested on charges that he knew the stolen laptops were fenced at his business. A router and one of the hard drives were located at the business on Jan. 17 during a police search, according to Metro police. Cheeck was released from custody earlier today after making a $5,000 bond. It was Rucker who allegedly purchased the stolen computer equipment on Christmas Eve, according to police.Rucker is believed to have then sold the laptops to a Goodlesttsville man. Police recovered the laptops from the Goodlettsville man. That man is considered a witness, police said. Robert Osbourne, 45, has admitted committing the actual burgulary and was charged on Jan. 17 in connection with that crime. An $80,000 bond was set for Osbourne, who is homeless. On Jan. 24, Osbourne was transferred to Tennessee Department of Corrections for a parole violation. He will remain in state custody until his trial. Osbourne was scheduled to appear in court this morning but that hearing was postponed.

Second suspect arrested in city laptop theft; warrant issued on third

By KATE HOWARD • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 29, 2008 Two people associated with The Muse coffeehouse will be charged in connection with the Christmas Eve theft of two laptops from the Davidson County Election Commission. Randal Logan Cheek, 27, was arrested Monday night on theft charges because he knew the stolen laptops were fenced at his business, Metro police said. A router and one of the hard drives were located at the business on Jan. 17 during a police search, according to Metro police. An arrest warrant for an employee of the coffeehouse was also issued. Russell Rucker, 28, of Charlotte is wanted for buying the stolen equipment and later selling them to a Goodlettsville man, according to police. The man who later purchased the laptops is considered a witness, police said. Robert Osbourne, 45, was charged on Jan. 17 in the actual theft of the laptops. He was scheduled to appear in court this morning but that hearing was postponed to a later date. A forensic examination of the computers showed that the contents of the laptops -- voter information for 337,000 registered Metro voters -- were not accessed.

Attorneys ask to dismiss laptops suit

Davidson County By MICHAEL CASS (Tennessean) A class-action lawsuit over the theft of computers containing Nashville voters' Social Security numbers should be dismissed now that the two laptops have been recovered and "the personal information does not appear to have been compromised," attorneys for the plaintiffs said Monday. Attorneys John Ray Clemmons and Gary Blackburn filed suit against Metro government, security com-pany Wackenhut Corp. and subcontractor Specialized Se-curity Consultants Inc. on Jan. 4, less than two weeks after the computers were stolen from the Davidson County Election Commission's offices. Police found the machines at a house in Goodlettsville Jan. 17, and tests showed the Social Security numbers had not been viewed or copied. Blackburn and Clemmons said they filed for "voluntary dismissal without prejudice" of the suit in Davidson County Circuit Court.

Several districts look into school police forces

Metro backs off its interest, but Knox, Memphis are still pursuing the idea Associated Press • January 29, 2008 Several Tennessee school districts are interested in creating their own police forces, but first they must decide whether the officers would be school officials or law enforcement personnel. A study from the state Education Department says the answer could affect things like when students can be searched and whether discipline records might be available to the public. Memphis city schools first expressed interest in a school police force in 2006. The district's security office has presented a proposal to the school board for eliminating Memphis police officers in schools in favor of an 87-person school police force. The change would cost $3 million above the security office's current $7.1 million annual budget. According to a survey, Knox and Davidson county schools are interested in the idea of a school police force as well. A Metro schools associate superintendent said last fall that the system was considering the idea, but school officials later said the system was not pursuing it. Hamilton cool to idea Knox County uses a combination of its own security officers and local law enforcement officers. Knox County schools security chief Steve Griffin says money would be an issue if the district decided to hire all its own officers. "I like to be optimistic and think someday this may come about in some way, shape or form," he said. "I'm always interested in doing anything that I feel would help the school system." Hamilton County school officials are not interested in the idea. "I know the superintendent has said he doesn't ever want to have to choose between a teacher and an officer" in a tight budget year, spokeswoman Danielle Clark said. "The teacher's going to win. How can they not? We're in the business of kids."

Victims notified of jail releases

Nashville-area counties will use alert system to let public monitor offenders By KATE HOWARD • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 29, 2008 Long before the cell door opens for a jailed offender in Davidson County, his victims know he is being released. An automated system to notify those touched by crime has been in place for more than a decade in Nashville and Shelby County. Smaller county jailers have long done it the old-fashioned way, relying on a booking officer to make the call as a prisoner exits the building and hoping someone picks up the phone. But Dickson, Robertson, Sumner and Wilson county sheriff's departments are among the agencies where an automated system will start up in the next 12 months, funded through a state coalition that advocates against violence. The federal Statewide Automated Victim Information Notification grant will pay to hook up at least 45 counties to the system this year. "We've had people who have gotten out of jail, and not two hours later, we arrest one back at his ex-wife's house threatening her. We've had them beat people up," said Dickson County Sheriff Tom Wall. "Luckily here, we haven't had anything tragic happen, but I guess we've probably just been lucky." Wall said they've done the best they could, but the phone numbers they get from the courts are often outdated or nobody answers the phone. The automated system, called Victim Information and Notification Everyday, calls continually until a person is reached, and registered users can call live operators or check the information and notification Web site to check if a person is still jailed. 5,500 in Metro program Family members, victims or concerned residents will be able to register up to five phone numbers to ensure they are told if the prisoner is scheduled for release, moves to a different facility or escapes from custody. Registration for the service is free. The system is operating in at least 42 states in some capacity, and a statewide system is in place in about half of those states. "We think this is really important for all victims of crime, for their safety," said Kathy Walsh, executive director of the Tennessee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. "To know when that offender gets out of jail gives victims of crime a sense of security." The goal, Walsh said, is to eventually have a statewide system for every county. The cost will run about $600,000 for the whole state, and Walsh said they hope within three years, the General Assembly will take over the cost of operation. About 5,500 people in Metro registered to get phone, mail or e-mail notification last year, according to Appriss Inc., which operates the program. The Davidson County Sheriff's Department pays about $50,000 annually for the operation of its system. "That's definitely a savings in the long run than having a paid person sitting there," said Karla Crocker, spokeswoman for the Davidson County Sheriff's Office. "I also think there's a peace of mind when people can register themselves and keep track of someone that has in some way made them a victim."

"Task Force Addresses Problem Areas Of Metro Schools"

The new Metro School Zoning Task Force took a close look Saturday at the problem areas of Metro schools. The Task Force took the next step at how to better rezone the 75,000 student metro school district Saturday morning. The 12 person group made up of parents, lawmakers, and business leaders are working to find a balance on issues ranging from racial equality to utilizing schools to their full capacity. Mark North, Chair of the community Task Force said, "Student assignment is a complicated matter and it is our goal to come up with a comprehensive plan that provides excellent educational opportunities for every resident of Davidson... ... County. North says the four hour meeting was a success and that the group is now ready to move forward with the school rezoning plans. The Task Force meets again February 8th. The panel is supposed to make its recommendations to the school board by April. Any changes the board approves would go into effect for the 2009-2010 school year. Copyright 2008 by WKRN Nashville Tennessee. All Rights Reserved.

Dean wants role in replacing Garcia

But mayor has no desire to toss out school board By MICHAEL CASS • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 27, 2008 Mayor Karl Dean wants a say in deciding who will lead Nashville schools both short-term and for the long haul, but he's not looking to throw out the Metro school board, he said in an interview. Dean also said the school district should open more charter schools as it tries to provide good options for every student and family across the city. The district is in "corrective action" status with the state after failing to meet federal education standards for the past four years. Former Schools Director Pedro Garcia resigned Jan. 19, and Dean said the school board needs to appoint an aggressive interim director until it can hire a permanent CEO. The mayor, whose own children attend private schools, also has appointed a task force to find ways to reduce the dropout rate. He has held four town hall meetings on education since taking office in September. He even taught government and history classes one day at Maplewood High. Dean talked to The Tennessean in his office Friday. Excerpts of the interview are below. What do you think needs to be fixed first in Metro schools? Well, I think the fundamental goal for schools is that we should be in a position where we're offering choices so that all kids can go to schools where they can succeed. That's where we start. Obviously there's an opportunity now to select a new director of schools, which is a very important decision. I regard it as just that: an opportunity, a chance to make a positive difference in the future. I want to be very involved with that. Do you want more say in the schools than the mayor has officially had under the (Metro) charter over the years? I don't know if I'd say "more say." Basically, all around this country, particularly in urban school districts, there has been a trend for more mayoral involvement with public education. Fundamentally, that was one of the reasons I ran for mayor. I do believe that for this city to continue to be the great city it is, and to be the city in the future that we want it to be, we've got to succeed in the area of public education. The mayor has a role there. No. 1, the mayor's fundamental obligation is the welfare of this city. And I am convinced, be it for public safety reasons, be it for economic development reasons, for reasons just about who we are and what our values are, having a good public school system is critical to Nashville. Thus far, the Board of Education and the administration have been very receptive to my involvement. Every time I've wanted to do something, every time I've wanted to meet, they have been more than gracious. They have, in fact, been encouraging my involvement. We have a legal structure that's created by the charter, created by state law. I'm happy to work within that structure. But part of that is allowing a more interactive relationship between the mayor and the schools, and we're getting there. I want to be involved to the utmost in the process of hiring a new director of schools and during this transition period. It's a key appointment in this city, a key hire that we need to do right, and the mayor, I think, has a role in it. I've heard that you met with board members individually this week to — I met with every board member (Thursday), individually. Did you ask them for an opportunity to let you name the interim director? No, I asked for the opportunity and extended my offer to help them do that. I think one of the things that happens is, people view this issue as one or the other, but it's really together. There's no way we do what we need to do in education if it's just the mayor or if it's just the Board of Education or if it's just the (Metro) Council. What I think is so exciting about Nashville right now is that everybody wants to be involved. There may be disagreements about educational philosophies, about what the right answer is to any particular given issue, and you work your way through those. But everybody knows that schools are the issue for this community. I thought it was important, given the fact that there is a change in leadership occurring at the head of the administration, it was important for me to talk to (board members) about the status of the schools, but also to say I want to work with them to select an interim director and a permanent director. Do you have anyone in mind for either of those positions? No. For the interim position, Chris Henson (Metro schools' chief financial officer and, for the moment, interim director) is an excellent person, very good at what he does. But we also need to move forward during this time period. The search for a permanent director, I'm not sure how that evolves, but that could take anywhere from three months to a year. We are at a time when the state is obviously looking carefully at our schools, and we just have the need to keep moving forward, and we can't let the status quo stay where it is for a year. You need to bring somebody in who, No. 1, is somebody who cares about public education; No. 2, is a strong administrator, somebody who has a passion about this city and the future of this city and somebody who understands this city. Do you feel like the chief financial officer's job is a big enough job as it is, and that Chris Henson doesn't need to be trying to do two major jobs at one time? Chris has got an enormous job. We're going into the budget time. The schools are working right now with the (Metro Nashville Education Association, the teachers union) on incentive pay issues; they've got to negotiate an agreement on that. You've got all the issues related to working with the state. There's just a lot of things going on. But at the same time, we've got to keep moving forward. That's why I think there's a need to have a transition director, somebody there in the interim. What do you think of (Board of Education member) David Fox and (Metro Councilman) Sean McGuire calling for you to have the power to appoint a new school board? Have you been pushing for that? Have you talked to either of them about that? No. I was probably as surprised as anyone. You know, that is not what I'm doing. I think our board has performed much better than they've been given credit for. I like each and every one of them. They bring a great diversity of outlooks and views to the issues, which is probably, I mean, I would assume that's why we have an elected board. And I think the board is extremely conscientious. That being said, I certainly think this is part of what's going on right now. David Fox and Sean McGuire are talking about schools because, like me, they want to see improvement. Like me, they think it's the fundamental issue facing this community. They're adding to the public discussion. That's not the route I'm taking. I want to work with this school board. I've been working with this board. And I think they're on the same page as me in terms of wanting to work together. There have been several major cities where mayors have, in one way or another, taken over the schools. There's books about it. And it would take some changes beyond the city. And what David's talking about would require state legislation at the minimum — and possibly a charter amendment. And I'm looking forward to moving forward on these issues next week. We've got to keep going. Are you worried about more schools landing on the state's watch list after this school year ends? That may not be the right term. Corrective action? Yeah, I'm worried about it, but this is where increased mayoral involvement is just a natural thing. Under No Child Left Behind and under some of the initiatives and reforms Gov. (Phil) Bredesen is undertaking, we are in a period where there is increased accountability. Those standards, they're not going to get easier. Because of that increased accountability for the schools, it is natural for the mayor to play a bigger role. But clearly we want to get our schools in a position where they're not on those lists. What are the major points of difference in different constituencies' approaches that you need to try to bridge? You said everybody wants to get to the same place, but it's a matter of how we get there. Nashville is such a great city. We've got so much going on. Education is the area we've got to get right. And so my job is to keep it focused on that. This isn't a time to be timid. This is a time for us to seize the day and to make our schools better. In terms of the next permanent director, what kind of leader does the district need? What needs to be different from what we've had in the past? The challenges we face right now are different than when Dr. Garcia was hired. That was 6 ½ years ago. The corrective action issue is different. We need to make sure we define what we're looking for and go about it together. I am certainly open to looking at nontraditional directors. The average tenure of an urban director now is about 2 ½ years. That tells me, No. 1, it's an incredibly tough job, and No. 2, maybe just looking in the same pool all the time is not necessarily what we ought to be doing. But that's a subject that I think involves other people's input than just my own. But we obviously want somebody who's a leader, who's a good administrator, somebody who has a vision of educational excellence, who can bring people together. But you could see looking into the business community or somewhere other than people who have always come up through the school system ranks? I think you've just got to be open. And looking outside the traditional applicants might be a useful thing to do. You talked in the campaign about encouraging the school board to be open to charter school proposals. Is that something you've focused on during these first few months? I've met with folks about charter schools. I still have that position. That's part of the mix, that we've got to be open to new ideas, we've got to be open and supportive of anyone who's trying to make more educational opportunities for kids. I've detected somewhat of a public perception that the attitude is changing, but we are behind other cities in what we offer in terms of charter schools, and we've got to do better there. And I think there's a lot of folks out there with pent-up energy and desire to come in with creative proposals, and we ought to be encouraging that. You talked also in the campaign about retaining and recruiting high-quality teachers, providing incentives. Have you made any headway on that? Have you talked specifically to the board or the administration? One of the things I've learned about is the need to offer more career development opportunities for teachers, particularly in math and science; to offer mentors. I've met with MNEA, and they've expressed interest in that. (On) the incentive pay issue, the state is asking us, is telling us that we should be making incentive payments to teachers who work with the most at-risk students. And I fully support that. The board is negotiating right now with MNEA about how that gets done, but that needs to get done. Is there anything else you'd like to add? Anything else people should expect in the next few months? There is change occurring, but it's not a crisis. This is just a time of great opportunity. And so I really do look forward to the next few months because it is an opportunity for us to make some changes, to set a direction that will move us to having the school system our kids deserve.

Mayor should replace school board, member says

By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 22, 2008 Ousting Director of Schools Pedro Garcia isn’t the only change that should be made in Metro schools, says District 8 school board member David Fox. The Board of Education should be wiped out and new members appointed by the mayor. That can’t happen immediately because board members are elected by Davidson County voters, but Fox wants state law changed to let the mayor pick a school board as soon as next year. The freshman board member made the announcement Tuesday morning as the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce was unveiling its annual recommendations for the district. He wants to change state law to follow the lead of cities such as Washington and New York and allow the mayor to cherry pick Metro’s board. Fox said he’s not trying to stir up trouble with the board and plans to stay on until changes are made. He just thinks elected officials may not qualified to run an organization like Metro schools, which has some 10,000 employees, and a $600 million budget. “We must have people who have experience successfully leading or governing big organizations through challenging times,” he said in a statement. “You can assemble a board populated with those rare skills and experiences only though a careful appointment process.” Some board members disagreed. Gracie Porter, who represents parts of East Nashville, said allowing the mayor to appoint the board would take the power away from the people. “In my opinion, it has no bearing on how a child performs in the classroom,” she said. “That’s left up to teachers and principals at the schools, not to us as elected officials.” Fox said he hadn’t discussed with Mayor Karl Dean whether he would want to take on the responsibility of selecting a school board. Dean wouldn’t say whether he is open to the idea. “I share Mr. Fox’s eagerness to see real changes made in our schools and I certainly appreciate his recognizing my commitment to improving our school system,” he said. “Having entered into a new error of accountability under No Child Left Behind, I recognize the future success of our schools will be reflected by the need for more involvement between local government and the school district.” Fox said he would like the new board to coincide with the appointment of a new schools director. He said that even though he has business experience as a consultant, he would not expect to be appointed to the new board. Fox is a former Tennessean business reporter and a founder of NashvillePost.com. Akin Elementary parent Virginia Pupo-Walker thinks the appointed board is a bad idea. “I think voters have a vested interest in who represents them,” she said. “I don’t think it would serve the public as well if they’re not beholden to them. They would beholden to the mayor and his agenda.”

Disc found in stolen laptops

By CHARLES BOOTH • (Tennessean) January 22, 2008 Police found no evidence that sensitive voter information was accessed or copied from two stolen Election Commission laptop computers, Police Chief Ronal Serpas said Monday, but that doesn’t mean some 337,000 registered Davidson County voters can stop worrying completely. During the examination of the computers, police discovered a compact disc in one of the laptops, and that disc contained information including voters’ Social Security numbers. Serpas said no fingerprints were found on the disc, but police can’t be sure that no one took it from the computer and copied it. Election Commission staff told police that the disc probably had been in that computer since November 2006. Robert Osbourne, a homeless man, turned himself in last week and told police that he stole the computers from the Davidson County Election Commission on Christmas Eve. Detectives had connected the theft to Osbourne, an ex-con, because he cut his hand in the break-in. Police then recovered the laptops from a Goodlettsville home and their hard-drive memories, which had been removed, from a downtown coffee bar where detectives say Osbourne fenced the machines. An analysis performed by the department’s Computer Crimes detectives concluded that the computers hadn’t even been turned on since they were stolen. Serpas said the experts can’t rule out the possibility that someone used high-tech equipment to copy or scan information in the computers, but he said that is highly unlikely. “If someone had very sophisticated equipment and software, they may have imaged the software,” he said. That equipment is hard to find. “It’s nothing you could go down to Best Buy or CompUSA and purchase,” Computer Crimes Detective Chad Gish said. “We do expect more arrests are forthcoming,” Serpas said. Metro government is offering a free year of credit monitoring to voters still concerned about the thefts.

Latest Update--- Garcia passed up for San Diego job

By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 19, 2008 Terry Grier, a former Williamson County school director and current school chief in Guilford County, North Carolina, was selected today to head the San Diego Unified School District. Metro Schools chief Pedro Garcia was in the running for the job. After almost a month of deliberation, Grier was named the new superintendent at a press conference in California this afternoon. The decision comes just hours before Garcia is expected to officially step down as director of schools in Nashville.

Historical marker will keep Una's place 'on the map'

By SUZANNE NORMAND BLACKWOOD • Staff Writer(Tennessean) • January 16, 2008 When Metro Councilwoman Vivian Wilhoite saw how passionate Una resident Jan Cain was about researching the small community's history, she wanted to do something to help honor that history. So she approached Cain about erecting a historical marker in Una. "Ms. Cain stepped up to the challenge," Wilhoite said, adding that work began with the Metro Historical Commission on deciding the language of the marker shortly thereafter. Wilhoite is using her discretionary funds from the Metro Council to purchase and install the marker, which will cost about $2,000. The plan is to put the marker either on the grounds of Una Elementary School or at the corner of Smith Springs Road and Murfreesboro Pike. Cain said the plan is to have the marker's dedication the Friday before June 22. It was on this day in 1882 that the U.S. Postal Service officially gave Una its name, although the community is much older than that. Cain said the Metro Historical Commission has been interested in Una for a long time. "Una, Tenn., is still on the map, and we want it to stay there," she said. She said the community is "very excited and grateful to Vivian" for this opportunity. "It makes me proud," she said. Wilhoite said the marker, which will be similar to others seen throughout town, is a good way to recognize Una as "one of the oldest communities in Davidson County." "I think this is an awesome endeavor in preserving our history and making it a part of our future," she sa

Garcia wants out of contract

Board will vote today on his severance request By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • January 19, 2008 Metro Schools Director Pedro Garcia on Friday made his first official move to be released from his contract, just one day before the board was set to begin his annual evaluation process. The embattled school director is under contract until 2010 but submitted a written request for the board to consider giving him a severance package. If the board votes to grant his request today at a 4:30 p.m. special meeting, the director's service in Nashville could be finished at 6½ years. Friday, board members attended a closed-session meeting with Metro lawyers to discuss Garcia's request. Board Chairwoman Marsha Warden wouldn't comment on whether Garcia's resignation offer was timed to avoid a potentially critical evaluation. "I want to honor the work that's been done in this district," she said, and commenting on his offer "would be presumptive." Garcia has been under fire since he backed away from a rezoning plan that would have affected racial balance at several schools. Also, many board members are unhappy about the district's failure to meet benchmarks of the federal No Child Left Behind law for four years in a row. 120 days' notice required Garcia was a finalist to become the next superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District, where he began his teaching career. The California district will announce its new chief at 3 p.m. today. It isn't known if Garcia remains a candidate for the San Diego job. Rumors about his fate began circulating Friday morning after he sent a letter to principals highlighting the district's progress and quoting several famous authors and self-help gurus. "I serve at the pleasure of the board," he wrote. "When the board decides they want a new director, all they have to do is take a vote and make that happen." Garcia's contract states that he must give 120 days' notice unless the board agrees to a shorter period of time. The board also has the power to fire him for a number of reasons, in which case he gets no compensation and has to forfeit all his sick leave. If Garcia is fired with no official cause, the board must give Garcia 120 days' notice and agree to pay him 12 months' salary, according to his contract. Erick Huth, president of the Metro Nashville Education Association, said he was in Garcia's office Friday morning when he heard about the potential departure. Huth suspected something was going on because the director was on the phone and kept bringing people in and out of the room. Relations between Garcia and the teachers union have been tense during the past six years, and Huth hopes the board will consider that when selecting a new director. "I think this is a good opportunity for the board to attract a new director who cares about the morale of teachers and who responds to the discipline problems they face," he said. David Lundy, 15, a Hume-Fogg High School student, said Garcia will be remembered most for passing the district's "standard school attire" policy. "I haven't kept up with Garcia's work," he said. "But since he's came in, we've gotten SSA, and most students won't say whether that's a good or a bad thing."