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Hernando Today

School Facilities Director Faces Suspension

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By TONY MARRERO Hernando Today

The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - The school district's facilities director faces a three-day suspension for allegedly buying a piece of equipment without the superintendent's permission, records show.

Roland Bavota has appealed Superintendent Wayne Alexander's decision to suspend him for three days without pay for "gross insubordination." The school board was slated to hear the matter at a special meeting Tuesday, but Bavota said late Friday that he'd been informed that the meeting has been postponed to March 17.

Bavota purchased a $67,000 pulp extractor against Alexander's wishes, according to a letter Alexander wrote to Bavota on Dec. 18 informing him of the suspension. The machine is essentially a giant garbage disposal that chews up trash and spits it into a Dumpster.

Alexander fired off the letter on the same day he found out that Bavota had gone ahead with the purchase even though Alexander told him to hold off on it, the letter states. Bavota had warned Alexander the district would have to pay a fee for canceling the order, and the superintendent said "that would be fine," according to the letter.

"Your decision to purchase the pulper/extractor constitutes gross insubordination," Alexander wrote. The suspension was slated for Jan 12-14, but Bavota appealed. It's now up to the school board to decide whether to uphold Alexander's decision.

Alexander declined to comment. Bavota would not comment on specifics, but said he looked forward to making his case in front of the school board. Bavota, 61, has been with the district since October 2004. His personnel file wasn't immediately available Friday.

"There's nothing in my personnel file," he said.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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