Jewell Board rebuffs, Meiers appoints Kuhnly
Jewell, Or – In a three to one decision the Jewell School Board filled the remaining seat left open after a recall forced two directors out and one director chose to resign. Two seats were filled by appointment in June before Director Cathy Rozinek’s resignation went into effect June 29th. Matt Samuelson and Jennifer Blanchard were appointed by Directors Rozinek, Allan Foster and Tania Skinner. Foster and Skinner remained on the board.
While many board meetings have seen audiences of 20 and 30 in attendance this meeting had barely five community members watching, two more being potential board members and a few stragglers coming in after the meeting started. Karl Meier and Kristin Kuhnly both waited patiently to hear whether or not the board would make a decision on who to appoint to the remaining open seat. In order to attend the meeting Kuhnly had come straight from the county fairgrounds where her children were tending to animals for the local fair competitions and Meier attended dusty from a day’s work in the hay fields. Meier had elected to apply for the open seats on the board even though he had been one of the two board members recalled. No law prevents a recalled person from applying for the seat they were recalled from.
Board Chairperson, Allan Foster, opened the nominations with Karl Meier’s name but Jennifer Blanchard asked that some discussion take place first. Blanchard stated that at the last board meeting the members were allowed to discuss their thoughts regarding potential candidates for the open seats and would like the same opportunity. Foster withdrew his nomination and opened the floor for discussion.
Blanchard stated that her two top candidates for the open seat were Kristin Kuhnly and Mark Kaminski. Blanchard also stated that while she was grateful for all of the time that Meier had devoted to the school and work he had done she felt that she shouldn’t go against the will of the people in their recall of Meier, especially when there were so many of them still mad. She felt that in order to proceed forward she would have to go with someone new. She thanked Meier for his hard work and dedication.
Director Matt Samuelson echoed Blanchard’s words stating that he too felt now was not the time to go against the community’s wishes. His top two candidates were also Kristin Kuhnly and Mark Kaminski, in that order. Remaining director, Tania Skinner also thanked Meier stating she “dittoed” the remarks of the other two directors, however she felt Mark Kaminski was the person that should be appointed although Kristin Kuhnly was her second choice.
Karl Meier asked the board where one of their top contenders for the seat was as he wasn’t even at the board meeting to be appointed. Another member of the audience replied that he was helping his children at the fair. Meier’s recall had 180 voting yes to 147 voting no with 269 eligible voters choosing not to cast a vote either way. When the board voted to appoint Kristin Kuhnly to the seat Karl Meier stood, and with a nod at the board, strode out of the room.
In further board decisions the minutes of three previous meetings and the board meeting dates for 2008-09 were approved. Tuition rates for nonresident students were established as were the rate pays for licensed and classified substitutes. The board adopted textbooks for reading and health curriculums. The board also adopted policies section A, B and C which included board organization and board meetings. This topic came under heated discussion at the end of the meeting.
The board also authorized the Interim-Superintendent Jerry Jones to hire Shea Little as the PE/Health teacher due to the resignation of Ryan Henderson. Little has had a standout career as an offensive tackle at NAIA Eastern Oregon, and was signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Rams in 1997. His stint in St. Louis only lasted three months when he injured his foot ending his professional career. Little’s coaching stops have included Baker City, Culver, The Dalles, La Grande and the Crook County Cowboys. At 6’5” and 250 lbs he will be hard to miss as he patrols the halls of Jewell School looking for likely candidates to man Jewell’s football team. Jones said that Little is so enthusiastic with ideas and plans he’s afraid some of Little’s clinics might have more mentors than participants!
The Board held its annual election of officers with Allan Foster being elected chairperson and Matt Samuelson being elected vice-chairperson. Jones gave a briefing on policy development still targeting November as the goal for completion of the policy book. The literacy plan and financial update were also given.
The directors shared some of their ideas and goals with Samuelson stating the need for the board to speak with one voice, especially to and including media, in regards to board matters and decisions. He encouraged board members to heed to decisions made by the board as a whole and until the board decides on who their media contact will be to not engage in conversations with media. Skinner asked that board trainings take place with Jones asking if works sessions should be set aside for the trainings as it seemed it might be hard to complete a training if other board business had to be completed as well. Skinner thought this would be a good idea.
At this point an audience member called out, asking whether or not audience members could ask questions during work sessions. Skinner replied, “Yes” at the same time that Foster replied, “No.” The audience member responded that the board had said that policies would be developed with the community’s input, when would that input occur if audience couldn’t ask questions and participate. Jones interjected that during policy work sessions the community’s input had been sought. Foster replied that the board was going to go by the book and strictly by the book. “I have been to ESD meetings and I have been to other meetings,” answered Foster, “and the audience doesn’t holler out questions. They are there to observe the meeting. You wanted us to go ‘by-the-book’ and now we are going to go ‘by-the-book’! NO! You cannot just holler out questions. This meeting is adjourned!”
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