Proposed superintendent merger off for now

The Flathead County commissioners on Monday backed away from a proposal to consolidate the county Superintendent of Schools Office with the Treasurer’s Office, and instead will study the potential merger and reassess it by the next election cycle in four years.

Commissioner Dale Lauman, who earlier voted in favor of the consolidation proposal, joined Commissioner Jim Dupont in voting to postpone a merger in lieu of further study.

Joe Brenneman, who was appointed chairman of the commission earlier in the day, voted that he was “present,” essentially abstaining. It was Brenneman’s consolidation proposal that was the focus of the public hearing.

A standing-room-only crowd adamantly opposed the idea of eliminating the elected position of Superintendent of Schools. Brenneman’s proposal, based on a 1994 state task force study that recommended consolidation, was to put the Treasurer’s Office in charge of the financial component of the Superintendent of Schools Office and hire contracted help to cover the other duties of that office.

“There most assuredly would be consequences, not results,” Superintendent of Schools Marcia Sheffels testified.

In addition to stripping voters of their say, the consolidation would create a loss of accountability, a lack of functionality and unknown cost savings, Sheffels said.

“The bottom line is that no one [would] be held accountable,” she added.

Former Superintendent of Schools Donna Maddux said it was ironic that one piece of the 1994 study was brought forward, but not the entire study.

“Some suggestions [in the study] were quite revolutionary,” Maddux said. “The fact is they found there wouldn’t be savings.”

Embedding the duties of the Superintendent of Schools Office in other county departments may work to some extent, she said, but many education-specific elements of the office would be difficult to merge.

Many of the nearly three dozen people who testified questioned Brenneman’s estimate of a $570,000 savings over four years by consolidating the two offices. Some of the superintendent of schools’ duties don’t fall within a normal work day, which would mean more work for contracted employees, they contended.

“I wonder if you realize the hours she spends at her job?” said Susan Abell, Sheffel’s sister. “Wouldn’t you have to pay overtime [to contracted employees]? It’s irresponsible to make a drastic change without any study.”

Many of Flathead County’s 23 school districts are rural, and they stand to lose the most if the superintendent’s office is eliminated, several people noted.

“The County Superintendent of Schools Office is the heart, the pulse of all schools. Their help is invaluable,” Marion School Clerk Rae Mitchell said.

Former state Sen. Bob DePratu, who took issue with the consolidation in a letter to the Inter Lake, wondered if there’s a “hidden agenda” behind the proposal.

“Why, if it’s such a good idea, wasn’t the treasurer and superintendent of schools brought into” discussions before the proposal was made, DePratu wondered.

He also took issue with Brenneman’s sentiment that private businesses would consolidate “in a heartbeat.” DePratu, of DePratu Ford in Whitefish, said his business has had to downsize because of the recession but put a plan in place five years ago to handle the downturn.

“We didn’t do it as a knee-jerk reaction,” he said. “We implemented it step by step.”

John Hinchey of Kalispell, a former teacher who ran unsuccessfully for county commissioner in 2004, was the lone consolidation supporter in a sea of opponents.

He said any cost-saving measures “are a good idea” and should be seriously considered. He questioned why past commissioners didn’t consider the consolidation, given that it was recommended in the 1994 study done by Gov. Marc Racicot’s Task Force to Renew Montana Government.

Several people at Monday’s hearing said voters should decide whether or not to eliminate an elected position.

Commissioner Dupont has opposed the consolidation proposal from the get-go, and said it was largely the timing that bothered him.

“I’m not totally against looking at ways to consolidate, but I don’t like jamming through anything,” Dupont said.

He’s not in favor of eliminating elected positions because “the buck stops” with elected officials, who are the conduit between county government and the people.

Commissioner Lauman said he, too, was concerned about the timing. The commissioners had to vote on the consolidation seven days before the Jan. 14 election filing opener, yet the proposal originated about three weeks ago.

“I do have concerns that it appears we’re stepping into something quite fast,” Lauman said, adding that studying the issue over three or four years would give the county “breather time.”

Commissioner Brenneman stood by his proposal, saying “it’s very clear there’s money that can be saved.” He also told the audience there was no political motive behind his plan, and argued that advances in computer technology since the 1994 study should make it easier these days to consolidate government services.

“Be aware, this is a chance to reduce government,” Brenneman said. After the vote, he conceded: “So, we’ll do another study.”

 Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com