WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET FIRED IN THIS TOWN? (2006 EDITION)

This is the 252nd day since CEOGC's "reform" board chairman George Forbes called for a "90 day cooling off period" in the case of Jacqueline Middleton, the executive director of the agency that runs Head Start for Cuyahoga County. Incredibly, she's still holding the reins, at her reduced salary of neary $150,000 a year. And apparently she and the board are still trying to paper over old debt with current years' operating funds -- money that they (i.e. we) are supposed to be using to pay for preschool for the county's poorest kids.

Yesterday the Plain Dealer editorial page called for a Federal takeover of CEOGC. The PD is correct. There's no other reasonable outcome to this agonizing mess.

Mayor Jackson and County Commissioner Hagan, each with two CEOGC board representatives, are the elected officials with the most direct responsibility for dealing with this. Hagan wanted to fire Middleton last May. I have no idea whether Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and Peter Lawson-Jones, two of Jackson's essential allies, think the requirements of "due process" for Middleton have been satisfied yet, but 252 days is more than enough for the rest of us.

If this is going to cause the new Mayor some political trauma, best to get it over with early. No good can come from putting it off, either for Jackson's mayoralty or -- more important -- for the Head Start staff, kids and families whose futures are being held hostage.

Jackson and Hagan should call in the Feds now.