Tarwater nixes his double-duty pay

Angelique Flores

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- After raising a few eyebrows, the recommendation

to pay Ocean View School District Supt. James Tarwater for doing

double-duty has been axed.

Last week, the district’s board of trustees was scheduled to vote on

paying Tarwater $200 a day -- more than $12,000 -- from July 3 to October

for doing the job of the assistant superintendent of business.

Tarwater took over those duties two months ago, after the district

chose not to renew Patricia Young’s contract for the 2000-01 school year.

Young has since filed a claim with the district, which has been denied.

Community member Barbara Boskavich said she was against this type of

restitution.

“Compensation for doing his job is totally arrogant,” she said.

The board decided not to hire an interim employee for the assistant

superintendent’s position as a means of saving the district $800 to

$1,200 a day, and because Tarwater wanted to jump in to make some changes

in the department.

Tarwater, who earns about $118,000 a year, sat down with each

department’s director to make changes that would make the departments run

more efficiently, board President Pam Walker said.

Walker proposed that the district pay Tarwater for assuming the extra

duties.

“It was appropriate to pay him for not merely sitting there and OKing

stuff, but making improvements,” Walker said. “When someone goes above

and beyond their duties, he needs to be compensated.”

The duties of the assistant superintendent of business include

overseeing the operations and personnel that fall under business

services, which include construction and repair projects, installation of

portables, supervision of short- and long-term lease agreements,

negotiations and supervision of field use agreements for youth sports,

Harbour View Elementary School modernization, and development of a

funding plan for the proposed gymnasium-auditoriums at the four middle

schools.

Tarwater said he had to work three times harder to get the job, in

addition to his own, done.

“I’m not doing two half jobs, I’m doing two full jobs,” he said.

Despite support from the board, Tarwater asked Walker to pull the item

from the agenda.

“It was for the best interest in the district,” he said.

After seeing public reaction, Tarwater thought it would be better to

remove the item to keep it from becoming a political issue.

“He’d rather have the focus on the programs,” said Assistant Supt. of

Human Resources Michael Luker.

Walker is disappointed the district won’t be compensating Tarwater in

any way.”I feel like he deserves it,” she said. “I was a little

disappointed, but I understood his decision.”

The district is looking at candidates to fill the vacant position. It

is expected to be filled next month.