$379K superintendent investigation was worth it, CMS board member says
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board member Liz Monterrey Duvall said Friday this summer’s investigation into the superintendent “was worth” the nearly $400,000 it cost the district.
Read more Amber Portwood Shares Rare Update on Her Life After ‘Teen Mom’
CMS Superintendent Crystal Hill was placed on paid leave June 17 while the board investigated matters related to “administrative and operational oversight.” The school board voted Aug. 11 to return Hill to her job but remained tight-lipped about the probe. The board’s investigation cost taxpayers more than $379,000.
Board members voted Aug. 25 to release a report detailing the investigation into Hill, including the process, lessons learned and recommended improvements, by the end of September.
That deadline remains, said Monterrey Duvall, who said the board had a duty to investigate allegations.
“Was the approximate $400K worth the expense? Yes,” Monterrey Duvall said in a video on her Instagram account Friday morning. “The board has a duty to investigate serious concerns involving district operations and oversight.”
Monterrey Duvall is an at-large board member and has served in the role since 2023.
The video was in response to statements Hill made Tuesday morning in a live radio interview on WFAE, in which she said the investigation had yielded “no findings” of wrongdoing on her part.
Read more NC teen dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba. Latest updates
“Superintendent Hill was reinstated to her role as superintendent because the board felt it was the best path forward while maintaining continuity and stability for students, employees, and families,” Monterrey Duvall said. “The review identified issues that require ongoing attention as it relates to leadership and operational practices. General themes of the conversation are not things that we can address specifically.”
Monterrey Duvall noted that Hill can discuss parts of her own personnel file that the board can’t, according to state law. She did say, however, that the investigation was not caused by a series of tense budget planning meetings between Hill and the board in May.
A spokesperson for the board told The Charlotte Observer he did not have prior knowledge that Hill was planning on sharing details of the investigation on WFAE.
“I think we all were surprised,” said Charles Jeter, executive director of government affairs, policy and board services.
Meanwhile, three top CMS leaders have told the board in recent weeks they have plans to leave, the Observer’s news partner WSOC-TV reported Thursday.
Chief Financial Officer Kelly Kluttz and Deputy Superintendent Melissa Balknight submitted notices that they plan to retire. Chief Human Resources Officer Angela Woods told the district she is resigning.
Read more Suspects in NC quadruple shooting die during dramatic Ohio chase, police say
Each of these resignations will take effect in January.
