Putnam County Group Sues School Board Members; Claim Sunshine Violation

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- A group of residents is suing four members of the Putnam County School Board, claiming they violated the state's open meetings laws by meeting in private before voting to fire the district's schools director.

The board voted at a Sept. 7 meeting to dismiss director Michael Martin in a move that was not listed on the meeting's agenda, the Cookeville Herald-Citizen reported.

The lawsuit claims board members Vern Crabtree, Jerry Maynard, David McCormick and Daren Shanks discussed the move before the meeting and the vote "was accomplished without public notice of such weighty action and without public comment."

The board members denied speaking beforehand about the vote.

Board members Roger Williams and Walter Derryberry voted against demoting Martin to a teaching position.

The suit was filed by local activist Diane Paul, as well as county residents Josephine Renshaw, Seanna Rupe and Emily Tate. It seeks only court costs and no damages or attorney fees, as customary in open meetings suit.

One of the main complaints is that Martin's $104,000 salary and benefits must be paid through the end of his contract to 2009. They must also pay a $375 per diem to interim director Mike Goolsby and the costs of searching for and signing a permanent replacement.

"This lawsuit is not about Dr. Martin," Paul said. "It is not for or against Dr. Martin. It's about the way they did this."

"We felt their actions were so blatant and offensive to the public," she said. "They took so many by surprise."

Information from: Cookeville Herald-Citizen, www.herald-citizen.com.

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AP-CS-11-03-06 1108EST