FINANCES, FIDLER TOPICS AT CANDIDATE FORUM

Cape Girardeau school board hopefuls were not exempt from questions about the controversy surrounding a recent personnel decision or the district's financial problems during a forum held Tuesday at the junior high school.

Incumbents Mark Carver and Dr. Ferrell Ervin and challenger Martha Zlokovich voiced support for the tax increase voters will consider in August elections to boost lagging staff salaries and cover increasing operational expenses. They said increased state funding is probable but may not be realized for years, and the district is properly turning to the community for more support.

However, the three candidates have different opinions about how to handle public response to unpopular decisions such as the recent school board decision not to rehire high school principal Randie Fidler.

Ervin, who is seeking a third term on the board, said school board members have a moral responsibility to represent the community interests in its decisions. School boards are legally obligated not to discuss certain matters like personnel in public, he said, but whenever possible, members should listen to constituents.

"The board's responsibility is to communicate as frequently and as openly as we legally can," Ervin said. "We sometimes must make difficult decisions to do what's best, as we see it, for the district."

Carver, who is seeking a second term on the board, said he supported rehiring Fidler but recognizes the need to support the majority vote once a decision is made. Carver would like to increase communication between the school board and patrons about their concerns and the amount of information available to the public regarding decisions that are closed to the public by law.

"It's my personal opinion when people come to address the school board, the board should respond formally to them," he said. "I would like to see more of our business conducted in the open."

Zlokovich, who unsuccessfully sought election to the school board last year, said the show of support for Fidler at a board meeting Monday was enough to warrant the board reconsider its decision. She said school board should trust the advice of its superintendent and others who work daily in schools.

"At least it would be helpful to know what information was considered, even if the public can't know the details," said Zlokovich. "It's important that the board not just listen to the community politely. There needs to be some effect, even it that means there's more discussion and another vote that has the same result."