A LITTLE LIGHT OUTRAGE

My quest to cover and update bloggy topics now swings back around
to Medina and the Medina Schools Board of Education.  When last we
left the bumbling board, it had celebrated the successful passage
of a school levy by acting like the victory was an endorsement of
its leadership.  Which it wasn’t remotely.

The first thing the board did was schedule a nigh-secret meeting in
Columbus, a hundred miles south of Medina, to work on an extension
of Treasurer Jim Hudson’s contract.  Apparently, it never occurred
to the board that this is exactly what got them in trouble earlier
this year...when they tried to extend the contract of now-disgraced
Superintendent Randy Stepp. 

When the board held its next Medina meeting, it was ready to vote
to extend Hudson’s contract...despite refusing to release a copy of
the contract as required by law.  Including the public in matters
such as this is just so beneath the board.

There was more public outrage and the embattled board decided they
would postpone voting on the contract.  They were ready to vote on
it, but Hudson asked them to delay the vote for a few weeks so that
the public could get involved.  Some foolish citizens praised the
treasurer for this, but I saw it for the self-serving bullshit it
turned out to be. 

The Medina job was the equivalent of Hudson’s safety school.  You
see, he was negotiating with another school district and accepted
a position with them.  He didn’t even fulfill his existing contract
with the Medina schools, which was supposed to run until August of
2014.  It was two weeks notice and out the door.

I’m not sure I’m still capable of being outraged by the arrogance
and malfeasance of the Medina school board, its executives and the
oh-so-connected “Medina Elite.”  It’s more like I’m becoming weary
of always being proven right when it comes to them.

In other Medina school board news...

President Karla Robinson, arguably the most arrogant and unyielding
of the school board members, had announced her resignation from the
board for May of 2014.  Citing the toll of being exposed for what
she is, although she may have worded that differently, she will now
be leaving her position next month alongside long-time board member
Susan Vlcek.  Good riddance to both.

Vlcek’s farewell comments were only mildly humble, the comments of a
person who didn't truly realize she screwed up badly and must pay the
price for that.  Robinson’s speech was one of her typical arrogant
and condescending lectures, including negative comments about the
citizens who have and continue to demand full transparency from the
school board.  So bothersome having to deal with the little people.

The Medina Board of Education will be appointing new board members
to fill the seats of the departing Robinson and Vlcek.  They have
terrific candidates in Angie Kovacs and Ron Ross, who each received
nearly 4000 votes in last month’s election and who are not part of
the Medina Elite.  Kovacs and Ross are who we need on the board and
I would love for the board to recognizes this.

My expectation is that the board will instead appoint two of their
well-connected cronies and attempt to return to the secrecy of the
recent past.  I state this expectation with the heaviest of hearts.
I really want to be wrong this time.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2013 Tony Isabella