BUSINESS TRAVEL PLANS MAY NEED BOARD OK.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - The high school district board wants to pre-approve business-related travel by trustees and administrators after questions arose about $12,000 in trips taken by a board member and his girlfriend, the district's spokeswoman.

Linda Solcich, who was hired as the district's community relations coordinator in February 1999, has taken at least five business trips with trustee Darrel Brown at taxpayer expense.

``I think there's a problem. We need to know before any travel is approved, it needs to be before the board before it's approved,'' trustee Wilda Andrejcik said.

The proposed policy was announced Tuesday at a meeting called by board President Brett Nelson at his Palmdale restaurant. It was billed as a special board meeting, but only trustees Nelson and Andrejcik attended.

About 25 others attended, including Superintendent Robert Girolamo.

The board will consider the travel policy Nov. 14. Currently no board approval is required for out-of-town trips, and trustees sign off on expenses only after trips have occurred.

The new policy would cover about 20 people, including the board members, superintendent, assistant superintendents, directors and principals.

Girolamo and Nelson also announced that the district has retained attorney David Foy, a former aide to Congressman Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, to investigate possible nepotism in the district.

He also will investigate trips taken by Brown and Solcich; travel by Girolamo and his wife, Robin Williams, a work-experience coordinator at Palmdale High School; and whether Brown influenced how Solcich was hired and promoted.

``I will make recommendations on changes regarding district travel and nepotism policies. I will look at their policies and recommend whether they are sufficient not only to comply with the law but to engender public confidence in the school district,'' said Foy, who will receive $150 an hour.

Solcich was first hired by the district in November 1998 as a food program accounting technician earning $34,320 a year. In May, the job of governmental relations officer was added to her job, and she now earns $63,420 annually.

Except for the pay hikes related to changes in her job status, every other pay increase was a salary step bump, cost-of-living raises and pay raises that all other nonrepresented workers received as well, Solcich said Wednesday.

Solcich declined to further comment.

Brown, first appointed to the board in January 1999, voted to approve Solcich's changes in job status, which raised her pay. Brown on Wednesday defended his actions.

``I have nothing to hide and haven't done anything wrong,'' Brown said.

Brown said nepotism applies to relatives and said Solcich is not a relative. Brown added that throughout the district, there are family members employed by the district, including superintendent designee David Vierra and his brother, Michael Vierra, who is principal at Palmdale High School; Susan Custer, director of curriculum, instruction and special programs, and her husband, Terry Custer, director of food services; and Andrejcik's daughter who is a teacher.

``If you look through our district, this district is like a big family,'' Brown said.

Brown said he asked Girolamo's advice on whether he should vote on each of Solcich's employee-related items and was given assurances it was OK.

``Believe me I questioned my ability to vote on every one of her upgrades to the superintendent, and he assured me. He's my expert,'' Brown said. (Girolamo) felt the pay was part of the increase in the job and responsibilities. The pay went along with the particular upgrades.''

If it had been presented strictly as a pay raise for Solcich, Brown said, he would have abstained.

Nelson said Foy will conduct an independent investigation ``above and beyond the legal and financial'' aspects.

``He will look into questions of nepotism and possibly changing travel policies. I'm confident Darrel Brown didn't break the law or violate policies. The question is, do we need to make changes,'' Nelson said.

In addition to Foy's inquiry, the district has hired a law firm for $175 an hour to investigate whether any laws or policies were violated. That report is expected in December.

Also, an accounting firm has been asked to expand its annual audit of the district's finances to include the officials' travel. The audit, to be conducted at no additional cost, will probably be finished in late November.

At the Tuesday meeting, teacher Charles Slay suggested that Brown should be asked to resign.

Questions were also raised as to why Solcich and Brown went on a teacher recruiting trip to Minnesota in May 1999.

Girolamo explained that the district faces stiff competition from other districts in attracting teachers and at times brings people along who ``match'' with the recruiting area.

Solcich is from Minnesota and ``could speak to the transition from Minnesota to the Antelope Valley,'' and the positive aspects of living here, Girolamo said.

Girolamo said Brown was a recruiter in the military who brings a ``marketing aspect'' and ``pizazz'' to the teacher recruiting effort.

``From our perspective, that's our rationale,'' Girolamo said.

ON THE ROAD

Antelope Valley Union High School District trips taken together by trustee Darrel Brown and community/governmental relations officer Linda Solcich.

--March 1999 - Celebrating Opportunities for Hispanic Students conference in Albuquerque, N.M.

--May 1999 - Minnesota Education Career Fair in Minneapolis, Mn.

--November 1999 - San Luis Obispo: Solcich for Crisis Communication and the Media conference, Brown to visit the Grizzly Youth Academy, a National Guard program for teen-age dropouts.

--December 1999 - California School Boards Association annual conference in San Francisco.

--March 2001 - National School Boards Association annual conference in San Diego.

--June 2001 - Model Schools Conference in Orlando, Fla.

CAPTION(S):

box

Box:

ON THE ROAD (see text)