Dozens of local school officials, employees and others showed up at a Ventura County Board of Education meeting Monday night, many urging trustees to use a fair and open process to appoint a new county superintendent.

County schools Superintendent Charles Weis, leaving in June for another job, said last week that he suspected the county board might hold an illegal meeting Monday to discuss the succession process behind closed doors.

During Monday's meeting, the board had a closed session scheduled to discuss "anticipated litigation," an item that Weis had suspected would cover up discussion regarding his replacement.

Weis, who left on a trip to Australia last week, was absent from the meeting, but trustees faced a crowd of about 50 and heard repeatedly that their constituents want a transparent process.

"The search for any replacement of Chuck Weis should be done in open session," said David Maron of Camarillo. "This kind of participation from the community does send a strong signal that it is important for us to be aware of what's happening here."

The board did adjourn into closed session shortly after several people spoke about the issue. Trustees returned about 10 minutes later, and their attorney reported that they had discussed a threat of litigation, but no action had been proposed or taken behind closed doors.

Later in the meeting, trustees took up the issue of choosing a replacement for Weis in open session, hearing from board member Marty

Bates about possible search firms the board could use to find candidates.

Bates and board president Chris Valenzano are on a two-person committee, set up by Valenzano, to research how to start the appointment process.

Bates said several firms were contacted, and he thought the one that was likely the most qualified for the job was the California School

Boards Association executive search services. The firm would cost about $25,000, if hired.

The board agreed to meet May 6 to discuss possibly hiring a search firm and may hear from a CSBA representative at that time.

Weis has told trustees that the entire appointment process to find his replacement should be done in public. That unlike superintendents of local school districts, the county job is an elected position that should be filled in full public view — an assertion backed up by the

Ventura County District Attorney's office.

Valenzano has said he believes the board isn't required to consider the appointment process in public, but he said Monday that he has no plans to take the discussions behind closed doors.

After Monday's meeting, both Valenzano and Bates said they plan to conduct as much of the process in public as possible, however, they have concerns about infringing on potential privacy rights of candidates.

Bates said he plans to ask the search firm, at a public meeting, about the issue of applicants' privacy before the board decides how it should proceed on that front.