2 board members surprised by vote to change business manager
Board moved interim HR director to business role in vote near midnight.
The Dayton Public Schools board of education voted Tuesday night to hire a different interim business manager beginning June 1 without the prior knowledge of two of the board members.
The board voted 5-0 with two abstentions in favor of naming Marvin Jones the new interim business manager for Dayton Public Schools. Jones has been the district’s interim executive director of human resources. In a related vote earlier in the Tuesday meeting, Tanya Davis was hired as the chief of human resources for the district with a salary of $134,367. The current interim business manager, Tiffany Powell, will not continue in that role, which she’s held since last summer when former business manager David Lawrence was hired as interim superintendent. The business manager oversees busing, maintenance and other similar tasks. Eric Walker, the board member who made the motion on hiring Jones, said the move was needed to “transition leadership in order to ensure the continued progress and success of our district.” He clarified the board plans to have Jones start on June 1, after Powell’s contract runs out.
Walker later posted on social media that Powell will be “going back to her role as Director of Operations.”
He said Jones was a better fit for the district. Jones was previously a principal at Thurgood Marshall High School, worked at Springfield schools and was a superintendent at Euclid City Schools from 2018 to 2019.
“With a background that includes serving as a former superintendent, a graduate of Dayton Public Schools, currently executive director of Human Resources, and a former principal within the district, Dr. Jones brings a wealth of knowledge to the district,” Walker said.
Chrisondra Goodwine, who seconded the motion, said Jones has extensive experience and did a good job leading a Human Resources department with almost entirely new staff.
“I firmly believe his temperament harmonizes with our current journey, making his support invaluable in achieving our district’s goals in collaboration with the superintendent and treasurer,” Goodwine said.
The two board members who abstained from the vote on Jones, Karen Wick-Gagnet, the vice president of the board, and Jocelyn Rhynard, said they had not heard any talk about the change before Walker made the nomination at about 11 p.m. Tuesday. That was soon after the board came out of an executive session, which is usually where board members would legally discuss items like personnel changes in private.
Wick-Gagnet also said the board hadn’t discussed the change with Powell ahead of time.
“I apologize for this board, not having the consideration to communicate with you about this before it was delivered to you in front of this audience,” Wick-Gagnet said.
The board briefly went into a second executive session to discuss the change, but Wick-Gagnet and Rhynard were still unhappy about the lack of discussion with them beforehand.
“I would like the public to know that my vote tonight is not reflective upon the abilities of the individual,” Rhynard said. “My vote tonight is reflective on the way in which this board conducted this business.”