By Jennifer Moody, Albany Democrat-Herald | Posted: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 12:00 am
The lawsuit filed by Superintendent Jim Robinson against two members of the Lebanon School Board has been amended to include the school district, which could now involve district funds.
Robinson sued Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer in February, accusing both of interfering with his job as an administrator.
Circuit Judge John A. McCormick ruled in June on a series of defense motions in the lawsuit, saying the suit must also name the school board as a defendant and must clarify what the board members allegedly violated.
Robinson's amended complaint, filed Aug. 31, accuses the board members of violating school district policies that outline superintendent and board responsibilities.
It also names the Lebanon Community School District as a defendant, which Robinson said is because the district is the legal entity represented by the board.
Until the amendment, district funds have not been involved in the suit, said Business Director Donna Chastain.
Robinson hired his own attorney for the suit, Jim Brown of Salem, and is paying those bills himself.
Alexander and Wineteer are represented by Paul Meadowbrook of Albany. Meadowbrook has said he will not comment on payment arrangements, but Chastain said district money has not been tapped to pay those bills.
The suit had been filed against actions by the two as individuals, Chastain said, not as actions taken by the school board.
“Now that the district has been named, it could go against the district's insurance policy," Chastain said. However, she added: “The insurance could or could not kick in, depending on the … outcome."
Lebanon has a total liability coverage package of $5.5 million, covering a variety of issues, such as employment practices, Chastain said. “It really depends on what section of the policy is going to be accessed."
The school district's attorney has forwarded the information to the agent of record for property insurance, but that's all that's happened so far, she said.