During a special session Monday evening, the Lebanon School Board unanimously approved a resolution calling for the board and Superintendent Jim Robinson to enter into negotiations toward mutually acceptable terms for Robinson's immediate resignation.

Russ McUne read the motion, which was seconded by Debi Shimmin, after the board had spent more than an hour in an executive session with its legal counsel. In public session, board members offered no discussion on the motion before voting.

The resolution states the relationship between the superintendent and the board has broken down, resulting in poor communications and a failure to work cooperatively on district goals. The board believes its relationship with Robinson is irreparable, which has caused the focus to shift away from the daily business of the district and student achievement, according to the motion.

It is unclear what time frame the board is considering for Robinson to resign or what it would consider mutually acceptable terms. Wineteer, Shimmin and Alexander would not comment on what steps the board might take if Robinson does not resign.

Board member Chris Fisher said after the meeting he agreed to support the resolution as a compromise to block other proposals considered during the executive session.

"If I didn't vote yes, a different resolution would have been introduced that I believe the outcome would not have been good for the district," Fisher said. "This has the least potential for a lawsuit."

John Kennedy, president of Lebanon CARES, a local political action group spearheading a recall against Alexander and Wineteer, said he took it as a good sign the board was accepting as much responsibility for the problem as the superintendent. The motion will have little affect on the recall, scheduled for an Oct. 7 vote, Kennedy said.

Although the board's agenda listed a possible action item involving the superintendent, Robinson said he was unaware beforehand what the action might be.

"I am aware of a series of executive sessions where I've been the subject of discussion," he said.

He is willing to talk to the board about the resolution, but disagreed with the assertion that the focus on student achievement and district goals had been lost.

"Everyday I'm here, we're working on student achievement," the superintendent said.

His relationship with the board as a whole is not broken, Robinson said. "I'm always prepared to work on relationships. I never consider any relationship irreparable."

The superintendent has long been at odds with Alexander and Wineteer. He filed a lawsuit against both in 2006 for interfering with his contract, but dropped it after their attorney brought the board as a whole into the matter. In July, Robinson filed a tort claim notice naming Alexander and Wineteer and other persons who may been complicit for damages sustained by him. The notice alleges the two board members wrongfully interfered with his contract for personal reasons, on or about Jan. 22, 2008, which was the time frame in which the board was conducting the superintendent's annual review.

A tort claim notice is not a lawsuit, but does preserve the right of the filer to sue. Asked after Monday's board meeting whether he intended to

sue Alexander and Wineteer, Robinson said, "If at any point in time I think my rights or my contract have been breached, I will defend my rights and contract."

Jim Brown, Robinson's personal attorney, said he expects someone from the board or its representative will contact the superintendent about starting the negotiation called for in the resolution.

After giving Robinson a poor evaluation, the board voted on March 3 not to extend his contract for an additional year, meaning his current contract expires on June 30, 2010.

According to Robinson's contract, the board must take another vote to renew or non-renew next year, "presumably after a fair evaluation of this year's performance," Brown said.

Figures provided by the board's legal counsel show Robinson's annual pay as $121,443 with additional benefits of $76,247.59 for a total compensation package of $197,690.

Before Monday's meeting, Alexander said he would resign ahead of the recall if Robinson would do the same.

"If that's what it would take to get him to walk away from the district, I'd be willing do it," Alexander said.

Robinson would not say whether he would consider Alexander's mutual resignment offer.

"It would be presumptive to guess what type of agreement we might reach," Robinson said.