ROCKLAND — Ron Smith, a principal with RHR Smith and Company, Buxton-based auditors hired by RSU 13, sat through four hours of examination, cross examination and questions delivered by the district’s school board Thursday, Jan. 24, at McClain School in Rockland as part of the hearings concerning the Business Manager Scott Viatones. With the hour late and more witnesses to call, the board decided to delay further hearings until Feb. 12 and 13, when a final vote on the termination of its business manager is expected.

Attorney Campbell Badger, presenting the termination issues for the school board, and Attorney Bryan Dench, representing Viatones, both questioned Smith at length over issues concerning the district’s 2012, 2013 and 2014 budgets. Badger attacked the entries, errors and misplacement of funds, while Dench focused on terminology, the business office itself and Viatones’ history of successful job performance.

The hearings, already in their third day, were criticized by RSU 13 chairman Tess Kilgour because Dench failed to appear for Wednesday’s hearing. Dench gave an apology to the board at the beginning of the hearing and Kilgour admonished the attorney at the end of the meeting saying that he had caused the board to lose an evening.

“I would like to remind you that we had an appointment last night, and with all due respect sir, you did not come and that was an evening lost,” said Kilgour. “I find that that was very disrespectful. We set these dates a long time ago so with all due respect, that was an evening lost.” 

Badger said he still had Lew Collins, superintendent for RSU 13, to call next for testimony and Dench would then call Viatones to testify. Attorneys determined there would be another three to four hours of testimony not counting questions from the board and its need to deliberate and vote on Viatones’ position.

Board members Loren Andrews and Carol Bachofner were both critical and adamant about continuing the hearings late into the night, even though a motion made at the beginning of the hearing called for the meeting to proceed until completion. Other board members expressed a desire to continue for at least another hour.

Dench made a plea to the board on Viatones behalf.

“In all fairness, I think we’re entitled to present our case when the board in not fatigued and exhausted by a long day,” he said. “We’re entitled for Scott to be heard fresh and I don’t think it would be fair to do that late at night, so I respectfully request that you adjourn now.”

The board and attorneys agreed to the Feb. 12 and 13 dates as the next reasonable time the board could all be together. The meetings are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. This follows the RSU 13 board’s regular meeting scheduled for Feb. 11.