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Liberty Public Schools officials ruffled a few feathers while saving a lot of money.

In a 5-2 vote July 12, the Board of Education hired Niles Media Group to take over channel 18.

The vote followed an extended and sometimes heated debate about whether district administrators followed appropriate procedures before recommending Niles Media Group for the contract.

In the end, though, the impending start of school and the promised savings were enough to convince most of the board to support the plan.

District Chief Financial Officer Carol Embree estimated the contract with Niles Media Group will save the district $220,771, compared to what would have been budgeted under the district-run system.

“In my opinion, this is the right thing for the district,” said board Vice President D. Scott Connor.

Under the approved contract, Niles Media Group will provide all the multi-media services previously overseen by district Director of Communication Dallas Ackerman when he was in charge of KLPS.

KLPS is the district’s television station. It is available on channel 18 on Time Warner Cable and on the district’s website.

The station broadcasts programs about the district produced by both staff members and students. Content includes athletic events, Board of Education meetings and special events such as the annual teacher of the year announcement.

Niles Media Group is supposed to increase the number of KLPS staff members from three to five, according to its district contract. The group is also expected to mentor and train students.

The district will pay the group $98,000 for the 2010-2011 school year. In addition, the company will also earn a 20 percent commission on advertising and sponsorship revenue beyond $12,000 annually.

The contract is good for five years but can be terminated without cause after two.

Cause for concern

Concerns about the contract revolved around the pace of the proposal process and communication between the district and Niles Media Group.

Superintendent Mike Brewer was approached by Niles Media Group proprietor John Sprugel in May with a proposal to run KLPS at a discount for the district.

Facing a budget deficit, the debut of a new high school and classes starting August, Brewer quickly drew up a request for proposals to provide multi-media services. The request was published three times in a Kansas City newspaper, but drew only one proposal — from Miles Media Group.

School board members Carlin Walker and Mattie Ransom both raised questions about communication between the district administration and Niles Media Group while the request for proposals was being drafted and during the bidding process.

“My problem is the bidding process seems to be kind of fast and loose,” Ransom said.

Sprugel was one of the primary partners in the Citizens for Excellence in Education organization, founded in the wake of a financial scandal in the district in 2008.

Citizens for Excellence in Education backed several of the current school board members in their bids to reform the district, including Walker and Connor.

Walker suggested amending the contract with Niles Media Group so that the company would be paid just enough to cover its costs and removing any profit motive.

Brewer agreed the deal with Niles Media Group was completed quickly but said it was the best way to help students.

The bottom line is that the contract provides a vital service and saves money during a tight budget, Brewer said.

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written by Cliff Preston, July 24, 2010

This looks like the school board is giving a payback to this Sprugel guy. How can you only get one bid on something like this? Did they ask other TV people to bid this? If this is saving the district so much money why didn't they do this a long time ago at the old Liberty High? It looks like the corruption continues in the Liberty school district. Why doesn't the Tribune dig deeper into this? I guess Taveau is gone but it looks like things haven't changed much.

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