Worthington school board members might become more publicly accountable for the money they spend when attending meetings and conferences outside the district.

The board March 8 introduced a new policy that would require a vote of the board to approve expenses incurred when a board member attends a board-related conference.

Currently, the board sets aside $5,000 a year to cover such expenses, but there is no vote or public disclosure of how the money is spent.

"If we're going to target expenses, we should put it on the agenda and vote on it," board member David Bressman said.

Board member Jennifer Best introduced the policy, which will have several more readings before the board votes.

Best said the Worthington Libraries board, of which she is a former member, has always approved all meeting expenses for members.

Bressman said some school board members have flown to San Diego for meetings.

"I went on my own dime," board member Charlie Wilson said.

Wilson raised the only objection to the proposed policy change.

"Three votes could keep an unpopular board member from going somewhere," he said.

Also on March 8, the school board renewed contracts for administrators.

They received two-, three- and four-year contracts, depending on the length of their tenures with the district. Newer hires and rehired retirees receive two-year contracts, with the length of contracts increasing as the administrator stays longer with the district.

Receiving two-year contracts were James Baker, Frederick Monroe and Mary Rykowski, elementary principals; Trent Bowers, coordinator of human resources; Kimberly Brown, coordinator of special education; William Dunaway, high school principal; Julie King, assistant high school principal; Keith Schlarb, director of computer services; and Kenna Renee Linn, preschool/elementary principal.

Receiving three-year contracts were James Gaskill, high school principal; Jeffrey Todd, athletics director; and Loretta Zimmerman, compensation director.

Receiving four-year contracts were Cindy Fox, elementary principal; Tim Gehring, director of facilities management; Daniel Girard, elementary principal; Kevin Johnson, assistant high school principal; and Michael Kuri, middle school principal.

Among routine actions on the agenda was the retirement of Roger Beck, industrial-technology teacher at Worthington Kilbourne High School.

Wilson was the lone dissenter on the routine agenda. Asked to explain his vote following the meeting, he said it was because of a "personnel matter" and declined further explanation.