| By Bob Weaver
West Virginia education officials are beginning to clean up some "messy deals" as they continue to investigate
others, many of which are linked to the state's School Building Authority.
The state school department has thrown
out a proposal for school flood insurance
drawn up by G. A. McClung, the assistant superintendent
who resigned last month after questions
surfaced over his involvement in
contracts issued after floods struck southern West Virginia.
Superintendent David
Stewart scrapped the flood
insurance proposal three days after
McClung resigned amid state and federal
investigations.
It's the second time education officials have
canceled a statewide contract
because of McClung's involvement.
Secretary of Administration
Greg Burton terminated a
multi-million-dollar equipment maintenance
deal.
Federal and state Investigators are looking into
McClung's decision to award more than
two million dollars in school equipment
contracts to a friend, Phillip "Pork Chop"
Booth, after the Charleston Gazette said he
charged two to four times the replacement cost.
They are also investigating a flood
insurance deal, in which McClung
solicited a bid from a company, Proserv
Insurance, with ties to buddies including
Booth.
McClung, a former Ritchie superintendent, either lied or a "secretary mis-worded" information on his resume to
obtain his position.
The state department has also slowed down the
issuing of contracts for the development of West Virginia's most expensive consolidated school in Lincoln
County. The building is expected to cost $30 million for about 800 students.
The State Superintendent of Schools resigned after he stole over $100,000 from a student loan fund from the Clay County
Bank, where he was president.
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