The administration at the Washington County Career Center is set after the board voted to hire Warren Elementary School Principal Tony Huffman as assistant director of the high school side of the operation.
The career center board approved a three-year contract with Huffman at an annual salary of $74,660 during Tuesday's meeting. The vote was 6-0, with member Neil Huck abstaining, for reasons he declined to comment on after the meeting.
"The career center appears to be a great place to work, programs are expanding," Huffman said. "I think giving students a career option at graduation from high school is a great incentive. ... Students can enter the job market (or) go to college."
The assistant secondary director job opened earlier this month after Mike Elliott moved from there to the secondary director role, a position that became vacant when Elliott's predecessor, Dennis Blatt, was selected as the career center's superintendent in May.
For the 2011-12 school year, Huffman served as principal at Warren Elementary. For two years prior to that, he was assistant principal at Warren High School.
Blatt said Huffman was selected from a strong field of about 20 applicants and comes highly recommended.
Fact Box
Tony Huffman
- Age: 28.
- Residence: Veto.
- Family: Wife, Jessica; daughter, Juliana.
- Occupation: Hired Tuesday as assistant secondary director for the Washington County Career Center.
- Experience: Warren Elementary School principal for one year, Warren High School assistant principal for two years, taught eighth- and ninth-grade math and social studies for Wood County Schools prior to that.
"Everybody talks about him being very knowledgeable about curriculum," Blatt said. In his new job, "he has a big responsibility with student management, and everybody talks about how he's consistent, fair and hard-working."
Blatt officially takes over as superintendent on Monday, so Tuesday's meeting was the last for Roger Bartunek, who is retiring after a dozen years.
But Bartunek said he's already agreed to help out on a volunteer basis with fundraising for the center's Bridge to Success program, which provides money to eliminate barriers to students getting jobs or completing training. And although he and his wife aren't originally from this area, they have no intention of leaving - other than for the occasional vacation.
"I live in the greatest place in the country. I love it here," he said.
Board President Larry Holdren thanked Bartunek for his years of service.
"You've done a great job, and we want to wish you well," he said.
The career center's next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. July 23, in the annex board room.
