Salem school board sides with suspended worker

By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- What Annette Howard is calling the worst year of her life has ended.
Howard, a city school district treasurer's office employee, is expected to return to her job Thursday after the school board voted 4-1 Monday to reject a recommendation by schools Superintendent Dr. David Brobeck that she be fired over allegations of improper conduct.
Howard, a 14-year school employee, was placed on paid suspension in January 2003, and a school district probe of her activities was launched.
Howard, who repeatedly has denied any wrongdoing, has been paid more than $52,000 in wages and benefits during her suspension.
Expressing relief today, Howard said she believes Brobeck owes her an apology. She added that she never before had been accused of dishonesty and is eager to return to work.
"I won't apologize for doing what I thought was right," Brobeck said.
He insisted that the evidence merited his firing recommendation, and that he does not see the board's rejection as an indictment of his job performance.
Brobeck's case against Howard lacked substance, board president Marguerite Miller said in explaining the panel's vote, which drew applause from the people jammed into the board's meeting room.
Howard was accused by Brobeck of several instances of wrongdoing, including participating in and then trying to cover up then-treasurer Ted Cougras' March 2002 purchase of $781 in office equipment.
An office chair and mats were bought with school money and delivered to Cougras' Poland home. The matter is part of an ongoing criminal probe being conducted by the Columbiana County Prosecutor's Office. Other allegations against Howard include that she had a school employee work on her driveway and that she had a school custodian pick up her son from school.
After hearing evidence for and against Howard in more than 20 hours of private board meetings in the last week or so, member Cindy Rottenborn said she believes Howard should be commended.
Howard brought Cougras' purchases to light by giving invoices to Sam Havelock, the district's food services director, who passed them on to a board member, Rottenborn said.
Cougras resigned in December 2002, as an investigation into his activities was being mounted.
Although the probe has lasted for more than a year, Cougras has yet to be charged with any crime.
Board member Kathy Gano was the sole member to vote in favor of firing Howard. Gano said evidence against Howard was overwhelming. "I'm not sure why they voted the way they did," Gano said of other board members.