Board of DD votes to terminate superintendent's employment; action not effective immediately WATCH THE VIDEO
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
After more than two and a half hours in executive session, the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities voted 6-0 Thursday evening to pass a resolution to terminate the employment of Hills and Dales Superintendent Chuck Biggert. However, the termination is not immediate, and a pre-disciplinary conference has been scheduled for Biggert to address the board.
A reason for the action to terminate was not given.
When the board adjourned immediately following the vote, a crowd of approximately 20 people, including parents and Hills and Dales and HighCo employees broke into applause. One woman sang out, "Hallelujah."
A special session of the board has been scheduled for Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. for a required "pre-disciplinary conference," while legal counsel has been authorized to enter into settlement negotiations with Bigger.
"At that conference, Mr. Biggert will have an opportunity to address the board, and if after that conference the board feels they have a basis to terminate him for cause, they could vote either yes or no," Hughes said. "If they vote yes, the termination will be effective then."
The resolution for termination was read by board president Linda Allen, and stated that the board was taking action under Section 5123.26 of the Ohio Revised Code.
A motion to accept the resolution was made by board member Megan Filson and was seconded by Gary Buchanan, and they voted 6-0 to pass the resolution. Board member John Fittro was not in attendance.
Board members referred all questions regarding the matter to Hughes.
It is required that the board give Biggert, "a written statement of the charges at least three days prior to that conference," according to Hughes.
Hughes said the board would not be making a public statement as to why the action to terminate the contract was being taken.
"I think it's been a difficult period for the board, the staff, and therefore the clients, caused by the county board's disruption relating to the superintendent's position," Hughes said. "The board felt that it was time to put that behind us and move on, and that this was the best way to do it, given the various option that we were unable to agree to Mr. Biggert."
During the board's August meeting, the board voted to "reassign" Biggert to "work on projects specifically assigned by the board. The board had previously voted in June to not renew Biggert's contract, which is up at the end of December. He began working at Hills and Dales in 2008.
Hughes said Thursday that Biggert is currently on administrative leave with pay because of the board's August action, and that will be his status until the hearing.
During the executive session, Biggert was called into the session several times by the board, and was then excused. He was not present when the board voted to terminate his employment, but was at the Hills and Dales facility.
When asked by The Highland County Press if anything had occurred between the August and September board meetings to prompt Thursday's action, or if this had been the board's intended course of action all along, Hughes said that an investigation needed to be conducted.
"I can't say it's the intended course of action, but when you put somebody on administrative leave under the statute it's for the purpose of undertaking an investigation into the basis for putting that person on administrative leave," Hughes said. "We've undertaken an investigation and based upon that, the board has taken its action tonight."
Hughes said that it was "hard to speculate" if legal action would result from the board's decision.
"There's an option within the statute to go to the Highland County Court of Common Pleas after the administrative remedies are exhausted," Hughes said. "The board is doing everything pursuant to the statute to take this action. The statute requires the pre-disciplinary conference. If the board takes the action to terminate then there's an option for an administrative appeal, and if after the administrative appeal the determination to terminate is affirmed, then there's an option to go to common pleas court."
According to the resolution, the law firm Bricker and Eckler will represent the board "in the termination activities," and the legal counsel is authorized to, "enter into settlement negotiations with Mr. Biggert."
During Allen's president's report, given prior to executive session, she said that she has been proud of the staff and the clients, and happy to be a part of the work they do at Hills and Dales.
Allen said that they are continuing in a search for a new superintendent and hope to have one in the coming months. She said they have made attempts to have someone come in to assist during the interim period, but that has been difficult while they currently have a superintendent on staff.
"We've been getting some applications in for superintendent. We are moving ahead. There's been no decision yet," Allen said. "We're hoping to get someone in to help us out for a few months until we do hire someone. We're still in negotiations and that's not been resolved yet."
Allen praised the work of assistant superintendent Bryan Miller for the work that he has been doing. Board member Sam Snyder said that he wanted to publicly recognize Allen for the work that she has been doing.
The management teams and staff are doing, "a wonderful job," Allen said.
"The morale here, I have never - probably since (former superintendent) Scott (Amen) was here - seen the morale so good," Allen said. "And I don't think it's just because we had an ice cream social. And I have spend almost every day here. It is wonderful to walk through the workshop and to walk through the school classrooms and feel that the employees feel like they have a board that they believe in, and that they know we're doing everything that we can to make their job as enjoyable as possible. Yet, they are still getting their jobs done. We are still going to ask for your support and, as employees, to understand that it could be a while, and to work with us as much as possible on this. We appreciate your patience with us."
In last month Allen said, "I have learned a lot about this place. I knew we had wonderful people, but I just didn't know how you could be really depressed and walk in here and just not leave depressed. I walk through the workshop just so I can laugh with the people back there and with the clients. It's a great place. Walking through the classrooms, I just got to know a lot more. I feel guilty, being on the board as many years as I've been on, not to really have a total understanding for this place. And I do now.
After more than two and a half hours in executive session, the Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities voted 6-0 Thursday evening to pass a resolution to terminate the employment of Hills and Dales Superintendent Chuck Biggert. However, the termination is not immediate, and a pre-disciplinary conference has been scheduled for Biggert to address the board.
A reason for the action to terminate was not given.
When the board adjourned immediately following the vote, a crowd of approximately 20 people, including parents and Hills and Dales and HighCo employees broke into applause. One woman sang out, "Hallelujah."
A special session of the board has been scheduled for Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. for a required "pre-disciplinary conference," while legal counsel has been authorized to enter into settlement negotiations with Biggert.
"At that conference, Mr. Biggert will have an opportunity to address the board, and if after that conference the board feels they have a basis to terminate him for cause, they could vote either yes or no," Hughes said. "If they vote yes, the termination will be effective then."
The resolution for termination was read by board president Linda Allen, and stated that the board was taking action under Section 5123.26 of the Ohio Revised Code.
A motion to accept the resolution was made by board member Megan Filson and was seconded by Gary Buchanan, and they voted 6-0 to pass the resolution. Board member John Fittro was not in attendance.
Board members referred all questions regarding the matter to Hughes.
It is required that the board give Biggert, "a written statement of the charges at least three days prior to that conference," according to Hughes.
Hughes said the board would not be making a public statement as to why the action to terminate the contract was being taken.
"I think it's been a difficult period for the board, the staff, and therefore the clients, caused by the county board's disruption relating to the superintendent's position," Hughes said. "The board felt that it was time to put that behind us and move on, and that this was the best way to do it, given the various option that we were unable to agree to Mr. Biggert."
During the board's August meeting, the board voted to "reassign" Biggert to "work on projects specifically assigned by the board. The board had previously voted in June to not renew Biggert's contract, which is up at the end of December. He began working at Hills and Dales in 2008.
Hughes said Thursday that Biggert is currently on administrative leave with pay because of the board's August action, and that will be his status until the hearing.
During the executive session, Biggert was called into the session several times by the board, and was then excused. He was not present when the board voted to terminate his employment, but was at the Hills and Dales facility.
When asked by The Highland County Press if anything had occurred between the August and September board meetings to prompt Thursday's action, or if this had been the board's intended course of action all along, Hughes said that an investigation needed to be conducted.
"I can't say it's the intended course of action, but when you put somebody on administrative leave under the statute it's for the purpose of undertaking an investigation into the basis for putting that person on administrative leave," Hughes said. "We've undertaken an investigation and based upon that, the board has taken its action tonight."
Hughes said that it was "hard to speculate" if legal action would result from the board's decision.
"There's an option within the statute to go to the Highland County Court of Common Pleas after the administrative remedies are exhausted," Hughes said. "The board is doing everything pursuant to the statute to take this action. The statute requires the pre-disciplinary conference. If the board takes the action to terminate then there's an option for an administrative appeal, and if after the administrative appeal the determination to terminate is affirmed, then there's an option to go to common pleas court."
According to the resolution, the law firm Bricker and Eckler will represent the board "in the termination activities," and the legal counsel is authorized to "enter into settlement negotiations with Mr. Biggert."
During Allen's president's report, given prior to executive session, she said that she has been proud of the staff and the clients and happy to be a part of the work they do at Hills and Dales.
Allen said that they are continuing in a search for a new superintendent and hope to have one in the coming months. She said they have made attempts to have someone come in to assist during the interim period, but that has been difficult while they currently have a superintendent on staff.
"We've been getting some applications in for superintendent. We are moving ahead. There's been no decision yet," Allen said. "We're hoping to get someone in to help us out for a few months until we do hire someone. We're still in negotiations, and that's not been resolved yet."
Allen praised the work of assistant superintendent Bryan Miller for the work that he has been doing. Board member Sam Snyder said that he wanted to publicly recognize Allen for the work that she has been doing.
The management teams and staff are doing "a wonderful job," Allen said.
"The morale here, I have never - probably since (former superintendent) Scott (Amen) was here - seen the morale so good," Allen said. "And I don't think it's just because we had an ice cream social. I have spent almost every day here. It is wonderful to walk through the workshop and to walk through the school classrooms and feel that the employees feel like they have a board that they believe in, and that they know we're doing everything that we can to make their job as enjoyable as possible. Yet, they are still getting their jobs done. We are still going to ask for your support and, as employees, to understand that it could be a while, and to work with us as much as possible on this. We appreciate your patience with us."
In last month, Allen said, "I have learned a lot about this place. I knew we had wonderful people, but I just didn't know how you could be really depressed and walk in here and just not leave depressed. I walk through the workshop just so I can laugh with the people back there and with the clients. It's a great place. Walking through the classrooms, I just got to know a lot more. I feel guilty, being on the board as many years as I've been on, not to really have a total understanding for this place. And I do now."
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