SALEM Hearing continues for school district's assistant treasurer

SALEM -- A hearing continues tonight on the fate of Annette Howard, assistant school district treasurer.
The Salem Schools Board of Education met in executive session on the matter Monday night. Board members said before entering the closed-door meeting that Howard and her attorney requested that her termination hearing take place in executive session.
Tonight's meeting is at 6 in the board office. Superintendent Dr. David Brobeck said the board could act on his recommendation to fire Howard tonight, or it could schedule another meeting.
The board put Howard on paid suspension Jan. 6, 2003.
Investigation
Brobeck has said the school district's case against Howard stems from an internal investigation of the treasurer's office. Former treasurer Ted Cougras resigned in December 2002 after the Columbiana County prosecutor's officea began a criminal investigation.
The probe, which continues, was triggered partly by allegations regarding the purchase of $781 in office furniture delivered to Cougras' Poland home.
Howard has denied she did anything wrong and has said she wants to return to work.
Neither Cougras nor Howard has been charged with any crime.
Brobeck has alleged improper conduct and wrongdoing in letters to Howard, and he distributed the list of his allegations at Monday's board meeting.
Among the allegations are that she used district funds to order an address stamp bearing the names and home address of Cougras and his wife, and took steps to disguise the improper purchase.
Other allegations state 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.