ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Thursday, February 8, 1996             TAG: 9602080067
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B-4  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER 

CRAIG COUNTY SCHOOL CHIEF SAYS HE HAS NO PLANS TO QUIT

Craig County School Superintendent Dallas Helems said Wednesday he has no plans to quit despite the School Board's request that he resign because of his handling of a recent fuel oil leak.

"I have a contract to fulfill and I plan to do my job," said Helems, who has been Craig's school chief for seven years. He has about 18 months remaining on his contract.

School Board member Hettie Farley said the board wants Helems to quit because of the controversy over last month's oil leak at Craig County High and McCleary Elementary schools and what some parents believe was school officials' delay in dealing with it.

Farley said some board members have other concerns about Helems' performance, too, but she would not elaborate.

The resignation request came on a 3-2 vote, with Chairman James Cady and Vice Chairman Thomas Zimmerman dissenting.

Cady said he believes the board's action was premature until all of the facts about the oil leak are known. "Until I know more, I can't say whether I think it was handled properly," Cady said.

The board did not vote to fire Helems, but Farley said that is a possibility if he doesn't resign.

"We would prefer that he resign. But if he won't, we will have to decide if we are going to terminate his contract," she said.

Hundreds of gallons of fuel oil leaked into the ground at the two schools after a break in an underground pipe between a storage tank and the furnace.

Helems said school officials were unaware that the oil had seeped into the ground until heavy rains forced it to the surface last month.

Some parents said their children had complained about the fumes from the leak for several days before school officials acknowledged the leak and called in an environmental cleanup company.

Students were sent home on Jan. 23 because some had burning eyes, headaches and nausea from the fumes.

They returned the next day after state health officials said the leak posed no danger. Environmental consultants said there was no risk of an explosion.

The cleanup company has mopped up several hundred gallons of oil from a drainage area near the schools.

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