Distress commission chairman wants to give back to Youngstown schools
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
The chairman of the city schools commission that’s mired in lawsuit limbo and cannot meet says he accepted the appointment because he wanted to give something back – and he’s disappointed the panel can’t begin its charge.
“I felt the obligation to give something of myself,” along with others on the commission, to improve the school district, said Brian Benyo, chairman of the Youngstown City School District Academic Distress Commission.
He hopes the commission can appoint school leadership that the broad community will support.
The academic distress commission, appointed through the new Youngstown Plan legislation, will select a chief executive officer to manage and operate the city schools.
Benyo, as well as commission members Laura Meeks and Jennifer Roller, were appointed to the panel by Richard Ross, former state superintendent of public instruction.
Meeks is the retired president of Eastern Gateway Community College and Roller is the president of the Raymond John Wean Foundation.
Benyo is president of Brilex Industries in the city.
Another member, Barbara Brothers, retired dean at Youngstown State University, was appointed by Mayor John A. McNally.
Brenda Kimble, school board president, also had an appointment who was to be a teacher, according to the law. She appointed Carol Staten, a retired principal, to the seat.
That prompted a lawsuit from the Youngstown Teachers Association, the union representing city school teachers, who argued that Kimble’s appointment should be an active classroom teacher.
That case is pending and by court order, the commission cannot meet until it has five members or until the Kimble appointment dispute is settled. A hearing is scheduled for next week.
“I’m disappointed,” Benyo said regarding the stall.
Although the commission can’t meet, members visited and toured school buildings in pairs to stay within the state open meetings law.
Benyo, who teamed up with Meeks for the tour, visited Martin Luther King Elementary and East High schools and Discovery Transitions to Careers at Volney.
They met with administrators at the schools and with teachers at the school district administration building.
“I think I was pleasantly surprised at the level of vigor and enthusiasm some of the teachers – some who have been there awhile and some who are new,” Benyo said.
He hopes the commission is able to tap into that when it begins its work.
“I think they appreciated having the opportunity to meet with us and that we are interested in receiving some of their comments and questions,” Benyo said.
The biggest thing he tried to espouse was that no one is trying to do anything that would be detrimental to the school district, he said.