Aleshire votes against wife for local board

Commissioner said two appointees work for organizations related to board

August 04, 2010|By HEATHER KEELS

File photo,

Tenneille Aleshire of Hagerstown was among four people appointed to a local family-services board Tuesday by a 4-1 vote of the Washington County Commissioners.

The lone dissenter? Tenneille's husband.

Washington County Commissioner Kristin B. Aleshire said after the meeting that he voted against the appointments because two of the appointees -- including his wife -- work for organizations related to the board's function, yet were being appointed to seats meant for the community at large.

The appointments were to the board of the Washington County Community Partnership for Children and Families, which coordinates a system of local services for children, youth and families.

Tenneille Aleshire, Lynn Rushing and Teresa Shifler were appointed to community representative seats, and Division of Parole and Probation senior agent Richelle Scrugham was appointed to a public agency representative seat.

Tenneille Aleshire works for Service Coordination Inc., a nonprofit agency that connects adults and children with disabilities with resources and services, Kristin Aleshire said.

Lynn Rushing is CEO of Brook Lane, a mental health services provider.

Of the board's 21 voting members, 12 are to be chosen from certain agencies or types of agencies, while the other nine are to be private citizens, according to the Community Partnership's bylaws.

The bylaws say that the private citizens "may include the professional business community, recipients of services for children and families, child service volunteers, leaders of the religious community and providers of family violence services."

Kristin Aleshire said he disagrees with other county officials about who should be eligible for those private citizen seats. He said he thinks those seats should go to people who do not work for organizations eligible to receive funding through the board.

Kristin Aleshire said he didn't feel a need to abstain from the vote because his wife would not benefit financially from the appointment.

Tenneille Aleshire could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Her telephone number is not listed and a request for comment made through her husband was not returned.

Stephanie Stone, director of the Community Partnership for Children and Families, said the people appointed had applied and been interviewed for the seats. They were among six or eight people to apply for the openings, she said.

Rushing was appointed to finish a term that ends June 30, 2011, while Aleshire, Shifler and Scrugham were appointed to three-year terms ending July 31, 2013, County Clerk Vicki Lumm said.

The commissioners also approved the board's officer designations for next year. Those are: Carolyn Brooks, chair; Kim Mills, vice chair; Peter Thomas, secretary; and Charles Strong, treasurer.

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