SALEM SCHOOLS Meetings regarding employee canceled over medical reasons

An internal investigation has turned up another accusation.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Two meetings set by city school officials to consider allegations that a suspended treasurer's office employee acted inappropriately are postponed indefinitely for medical reasons.
A private hearing was scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday to allow Annette Howard, Conser Drive, to respond to allegations lodged by schools Superintendent Dr. David Brobeck, who is recommending that Howard be fired.
The school board was set to meet in special session at 6 tonight to possibly act on Brobeck's bid to end Howard's 14-year career as a school district employee.
Both meetings were canceled as a result of Howard's medical condition.
She said Tuesday that she is diabetic and is recovering from two eye surgeries, the most recent occurring at the end of November.
Howard, who was put on paid suspension Jan. 6, has repeatedly denied that she did anything wrong and has said she wants to return to work.
Meanwhile, a school district internal investigation continues.
Allegations
Brobeck has added a 10th allegation of improper conduct to the list of nine assertions of wrongdoing regarding Howard that he outlined in a Dec. 3 letter to her.
A Dec. 4 letter asserts that in January 2002, Howard, who was an assistant to former treasurer Ted Cougras, used district funds to order an address stamp bearing the names and home address of Cougras and his wife.
The letter also alleges that Howard took steps to disguise the improper purchase.
In the Dec. 3 letter, Howard is accused of participating in a March 2002 purchase of office furniture for Cougras' personal use.
Cougras resigned in December 2002 after a criminal investigation was undertaken by the Columbiana County prosecutor's office.
The probe, which continues, was triggered partly by allegations regarding the purchase of $781 in office furniture delivered to Cougras' Poland home.
Neither charged
Neither Cougras nor Howard has been charged with any crime.
County Prosecutor Bob Herron said last week that Howard has been questioned in his criminal probe, and that he has no plans so far to charge her.
Brobeck has said that the school district's case against Howard stem from the internal investigation. Brobeck has refused to discuss the allegations.
His other allegations include that Howard permitted a school district employee to repair her driveway on district time and with district materials, and that she instructed a school janitor to leave his post and pick up her son at the middle school.
"I just shake my head" in disbelief at the accusations, Howard said.
leigh@vindy.com