BY SARAH HOFIUS HALL
Times-Shamrock Writer

The Blue Ridge School District superintendent will be the next leader of the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit.

The NEIU board approved Robert McTiernan’s appointment in a 16-0 vote Tuesday night (Feb. 24), in a meeting that included questions of transparency, discussion of a new building and the attempted resignation of the agency’s fiscal director, who said his job was threatened by a board member.

The board’s search committee recommended McTiernan after a national search. His contract, including salary, benefits and start date, have not yet been determined. He will replace long-time NEIU employee Clarence Lamanna, Ed.D., who will retire in July.

“I can’t wait to get started,” McTiernan said. “I very much look forward to continuing the positive direction of the IU.”

Most of the meeting’s public comment portion, and an hourlong executive session, was devoted to the resignation of Keith Glynn, who started as fiscal director in August. Over Christmas break, Glynn said a board member called him, and after a disagreement, the board member threatened Glynn’s job. He did not identify the board member or provide details about the disagreement, but said it proved “old-school politics are still in play.”

“I can’t keep going under these terms that the minute I disagree, I may be called on the carpet and that there will be back-ended measures to make sure my future is in jeopardy,” he said. “It was absolutely everything I stand against…It’s unfortunate, but the tone has been set.”

Many of the several dozen employees at the meeting, who applauded Glynn after his comments, spoke of his professionalism and devotion to his job, which he took after the former fiscal director was terminated. Board members also lamented the loss, and rejected his resignation with a 3-13 vote. After a closed-door executive session, in which Glynn provided more details about the threat and heard pleas from the board to stay, he said his resignation was “on hold” for now.

In other business, area school districts will not see an increase in their portions of the NEIU’s general operating budget, which will be $3.6 million for 2015-16.