DISTRICT OKS PR DIRECTOR; JOB TO PAY $56,050.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

PALMDALE - The Palmdale School District has hired an interim public relations director to counter what district officials call ``misinformation'' being disseminated by supporters of a recall of the board president.

Isaac Barcelona, formerly a district receptionist and translator, will serve as a liaison to the community and answer questions from parents and the public, a full-time job that will pay $56,050 a year.

``I think we need one because I have a whole group of people giving out disinformation,'' Superintendent Nancy Smith said. ``When people make blanket statements that we are not doing programs to improve academic achievement of students, it's false. We owe it to the community to get the correct information out there. We need someone to spend time to give out the real facts.''

The board voted 4-0, with trustee Fred Thompson abstaining, at Tuesday's meeting to approve Barcelona for the position. The district will also start a selection process to find a permanent director.

``Isaac has proven himself as a liaison to community and a capable writer, and to me the position was equally as important as the person being selected,'' trustee Tom Lackey said. ``Right now we have so many good things going on in the district, we need to communicate that to the community, and that's his primary function.''

The critics Smith is referring to are involved in a recall effort against board President Larry Logsdon. They are targeting Logsdon over the change in the year-round school schedule and the $3.1 million purchase of a former drugstore that remains unused.

Thompson called the interim appointment ill-advised.

``It definitely smacks of favoritism, affects employee morale and affords the person in that position a distinct and unfair advantage as a candidate for the permanent position,'' Thompson said Tuesday night.

Board member Sheldon Epstein voted in favor of hiring Barcelona but said he has some reservations, including whether the district in fact needs a full-time staffer to handle public relations.

``I have a problem with the salary justifying that position,'' Epstein said. ``I don't see why we need a full-time person.''

Epstein also said Barcelona will have an unfair leg up on other applicants who apply for the permanent post.

``Anybody that takes an interim position should do so with the understanding that they will not be a candidate for the final position because it's an unfair advantage,'' Epstein said.

The board in April 1999 hired its last public relations director, Diana Beard-Williams, who also ran the Palmdale Education Foundation. She was accused of harassing co-workers and mishandling foundation financial records, charges Beard-Williams said were false. She has filed a federal lawsuit against the district.

Smith said the job description for the district public relations director has been changed to delete any duties related to the foundation. The director's duties will include publishing a bimonthly district newsletter and putting out information sheets for parents and people in the community, Smith said.

``We are creating it as a community liaison position to get information to the public and act as a go-between and answer public questions,'' Smith said.