Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 10, 1991 TAG: 9104100390
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: By MARGARET CAMLIN/ CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Pace, 55, said he has planned for 10 years to retire this year or next. "There are a lot of things on my agenda that I want to do, and I'm going to do them," he said.
One is a boat trip with a friend down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, he said. Another is tinkering with old cars.
He said he might pursue employment in the private sector.
Pace came to the Alleghany superintendent position in 1977 from Augusta County, where he was director of vocational education. He retained leadership of the school system when it merged with Clifton Forge's in 1982.
"We're all sad to see him go," said Alleghany School Board member Ione Callender. "He's probably one of the most knowledgeable superintendents in the state."
Pace will relinquish his leadership of the Virginia Coalition for Equity in Educational Funding, a group of school officials seeking to correct inequities in school financing.
Although some of the coalition's Southwest Virginia members have pushed for a lawsuit against the state, Pace has taken a more conciliatory approach.
"He's not been a rabble-rouser," said Kenneth Walker, the coalition secretary-treasurer and Halifax County superintendent. "He's emphasized the importance of working with the Governor's Commission, with the executive and the legislative branch."
But Pace also has made clear that if those avenues do not lead to more equitable funding, then the judicial route - a lawsuit - will be necessary, he said.
"I've been very favorably impressed with him as a person and with his work on the coalition," Walker said. "He's done an outstanding job."
Callender said it's been a particularly trying year for Pace and the board. Numerous complaints about leadership at Jackson River Vocational School, of which Pace is in charge, led officials to hire a Harrisonburg law firm to conduct an investigation.
Several months ago Pace, the Jackson River School Board - comprised of both Covington and Alleghany board members - and Jackson River Principal B.C. Williams were sued by two employees who had been fired.
The investigation continues into alleged personnel problems at the school.
"I'm hopeful that it will come to an equitable solution before I leave office," Pace said. "I'm certainly not running away from that."
Pace recently stepped back from making a recommendation on an early retirement buyout plan for school employees that was considered by the board. He told board Chairwoman Janie Barnett about six weeks ago that he was considering early retirement himself, and it would be a conflict of interest to take a position.
Pace told board members in a closed session Friday about his plans to retire. "He was very emotional that night - he didn't say a whole lot," said board member Constance Whalen.
Whalen said she was somewhat surprised. "I knew he'd been anticipating maybe another year. But you have things you want to do . . . "
"He will be sorely missed. He's the best thing that's happened to this area in a long time."
by CNB