Blunt Bill Roberti polarizes his critics, fans

New Orleans CityBusiness, Feb 13, 2006 by April Capochino

Bill Roberti sat in the front row of the City Council chambers during Tuesday's afternoon Orleans Parish School Board meeting - a laptop balanced on his knees and the earphone of his personal digital assistant plugged securely in his ear. The managing director of Alvarez & Marsal, the New York firm tasked with overhauling New Orleans Public Schools' finances and the chief restructuring officer for the district, divided his time between typing and listening to School Board members discuss reopening two more schools - Edward Hynes Elementary in Lakeview and Warren Easton High on Canal Street.When asked to discuss district finances, Roberti placed his laptop on the seat next to him, stood up and motioned for three co- workers to join him at the front of the auditorium.Board members questioned Roberti and his crew on the financial hardships and physical challenges of reopening the schools - until Roberti raised his hand and said, Listen, this is what I would do.He suggested bidding the repair work out and coming back with the bids at the next board meeting, hoping by then the school board will know how much FEMA money will be available.And the issue was over - unanimously passed by the board.

This no-nonsense, blunt attitude draws criticism and praise from those who come into contact with Roberti. Bill is sharp, said School Board member Lourdes Moran. He's a very sharp man who surrounds himself with very sharp people. He has a gruff exterior but he has a way of letting you understand where he's coming from... I don't want to say he compromises. That's not a word I would use with Roberti. ... He'll negotiate.Crisis managementThe state Education Department hired Roberti in July along with 27 other staffers from Alvarez & Marsal to overhaul muddled district finances. The School Board was responsible for the $16.7- million fee paid to Alvarez & Marsal. Some board members, along with parents, teachers and community leaders, grudgingly accepted A&M's services. When Roberti attended his first meeting, he described the district's situation as bad as any we have ever seen. They began working mid-July. But Aug. 29, the assignment changed.Roberti said his team has been dealing with crisis management issues ever since Katrina such as helping displaced teachers and employees receive paychecks. Alvarez & Marsal recovered the district's electronic system by sending data to an IBM Recovery Center in Tuxedo, N.Y. They brought in 11 employees just to handle real estate and insurance issues associated with destroyed and damaged schools. The firm secured a $1.3-million contract with the Algiers Charter School Association to help reopen and manage five district schools. Roberti is also a member of Mayor C. Ray Nagin's Bring New Orleans Back education committee and is often in Baton Rouge to receive federal funding for the district. Tulane University President Scott Cowen, chairman of Nagin's Education Committee, said Roberti's input as a seasoned turnaround expert was needed in drafting a plan to overhaul the New Orleans school system in the post-Katrina world.Roberti's criticsNot everyone views Roberti as a positive influence.Brenda Mitchell, president of the United Teachers of New Orleans, said Roberti has been accessible to the teachers union and she doesn't mind his bluntness. But she questions his post-Katrina role and says schools aren't opening as quickly as possible.I'm not sure who is pulling the strings but I'm still waiting, Mitchell said. I'm waiting for them to put children first. Their job was to come in and straighten out the finances of the district. Since then, they've taken on many roles. I don't know by whose authority.But state education officials say Roberti has been an asset to the district.Bill Roberti and his team played a very instrumental role in getting the Orleans school system back up and operational after the storm and I'm not sure it would have been possible without their assistance and support, said state Superintendent of Education Cecil Picard. Since the storm, we have changed their scope of work to include crisis management as well as insurance and real estate expertise. I depend on A&M and I know that I can trust them to get the job done.Alvarez & Marsal's contract expires in December, and Roberti said his job is to move the district forward.I know I have a matter-of-fact personality, Roberti said. But that is my personality. It's a combination of business sense and military background. My job here is to be the voice of reason - even though you may not like the reason. My job is to stay out of the politics and that's not always easy. My heart goes out to the people here. I feel bad for all of the people who lost their jobs and who had to deal with the devastation and horror but I didn't create it. I'm here to fix it.