In the wake of the Prop S controversy and new FHN High School $79M (91%) budget overrun, the district last week announced the retirement of COO Kevin Supple. In order to restore community confidence, Francis Howell Families requests more transparency in the selection process for the next COO.
To ensure a COO with an eye towards fiscal responsibility and accountability, and one who is onboard with acting as a better steward of taxpayer dollars, it is important the FHSD include the public in the hiring process.
- The hiring committee should include taxpayer representatives who are also experienced finance experts. FHF can provide several names of qualified residents.
- The finalists for the COO position should have their resumes available to the public for input and comment for a period of 30 days before hire.
- Although not common practice, we believe that the community should have the ability to publicly vet the finalists in a public forum. Parents, staff, teachers and taxpayers should have the opportunity to question the finalists in-person regarding fiscal responsibility and financial transparency of spending tax dollars and negotiating contracts with outside vendors.
This COO position is critical to the future financial stability of the FHSD and should be hired with that in mind. FHF looks forward to working with FHSD to make this COO hire as transparent as possible.
What you can do:
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- Contact the board members and request public transparency in the selection of new COO. Attend the next school board meeting and voice your opinion.
- Make sure that you vote on April 5 and get your friends and neighbors to do the same.
- Find out more about the candidates that we are endorsing – Adam Bertrand and Randy Cook
- Please contact us if you have questions, or find out how you can help us return Francis Howell to fiscal sanity.
- Consider making a donation to help us elect better school board members.