08/02/03

University Heights - The Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board took no vote before its president signed an agreement giving the outgoing superintendent $146,000 after he resigned.

Board President Christine Sumner said yesterday that her authorization to sign the pact came Wednesday - 13 days after she signed it - when the board approved a resolution accepting Carlton Moody's resignation.

The resolution, voted on in a public meeting, makes no mention of the $146,000 payment, and people who attended the meeting said they had no idea the board approved the payment when it accepted the resignation.

That's no way for a school board to do business, said a representative of a Columbus-based governmental watchdog group yesterday.

Catherine Turcer, legislative director for Ohio Citizen Action, questioned how Sumner could sign an agreement with Moody before the entire board voted on it.

"This order doesn't make any sense. It shouldn't be a done deal before it comes to a vote. The vote is supposed to be when the fat lady sings," Turcer said.

She added: "No matter what, they were shirking their responsibility to the taxpayers. They didn't think this thing through."

The agreement lists no effective date but does say that payments to Moody would begin yesterday.

The agreement does not say the payments are contingent on a board vote.

Moody had been with the district for two years and had one year left on the contract. His salary was $128,750 a year.

The $146,000 includes a bonus and money for pension and unused vacation. He said he resigned for personal reasons.

University Heights City Councilwoman Frankie Goldberg yesterday called on the school board to hold a news conference to answer questions surrounding Moody's sudden departure.

"As taxpayers, we are entitled to some answers with regard to this contractual agreement," Goldberg said.

"We need the answers now - not in the near future."

Goldberg, an attorney, said she will get a copy of the agreement to review it.

"The integrity of this school board depends on its honesty," Goldberg said.

"Why is there this shroud of secrecy? Every taxpayer in this community is entitled to direct and honest answers with regard to how this process took place."

Board member Bernice Jefferis said yesterday that she knew her vote to accept the resignation authorized the payment to Moody.

But Brian Wagner, a frequent critic of the board, attended Wednesday's meeting and said he heard nothing about the payment.

"What we saw Wednesday night was nothing more than a show," Wagner said.

"The decision had already been made. Once that agreement was signed, the die was cast."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

rsantana@plaind.com, 216-999-4987