School Board session anything but routine

by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, December 23, 2006

Tuesday’s meeting of the Lewiston-Porter School Board opened with its all-familiar executive session, where board members met with district counsel F. Warren Kahn and Interim Superintendent Don Rappold to discuss Privacy Act and district personnel issues. What transpired from that point on could hardly be viewed as routine, however. In fact for those attending, the atmosphere at the meeting came across as rather strained, with an undercurrent of dissension a-brewing between Board President Dave Schaubert, board members and the teachers union.

Schaubert reopened the meeting with a lengthy dissertation in which he told attendees, “As all of you are undoubtedly aware, some employees of the district have been working overtime in their extracurricular activities. I don’t need to identify them, as we all know who they are.”

In the spirit of the holidays or more perhaps, the lack of it, the Rick Sweeney – Lenny Palumbo discord resurfaced at Tuesday’s meeting. Schaubert, not bringing up Palumbo’s recent stalking arrest (Sentinel, Dec. 9) -- a case that has since been transferred to Niagara County courts -- spoke of the older Lew-Port teachers union-school board discord as the “ghost of Lew-Port’s past” and moved to what he called the many positives now existing between the two in the “ghost of Lew-Port present.”

‘Dark Side of District’

The remarks soon turned sour, as Schaubert, without naming names, revisited the brewing Sweeney-Palumbo issue. “Now we come to last week,” Schaubert said. “Those that represent the dark side of the district, who can’t stand for the district to operate except on their terms, moved against the goals we have worked so hard to attain.

“Make no bones about it,” Schaubert continued. “This was and is a direct attack upon not only an individual, but on the sovereignty of the school board and the independence of the district. The voters of the district have said ‘no more’ but that isn’t good enough. They have continued and initiated this latest battle in this war about cheese,” – a metaphor Schaubert linked to money and power.

Schaubert, who at times was becoming visibly disgusted as he spoke, said the entire situation has the potential of bringing with it ‘collateral damage’ to Lewiston-Porter students. “…In order to strike back at those who are responsible, you must harm those who are not, namely: the students.” Schaubert said. “Unfortunately these individuals are willing to use the students as human shields to hide behind and ward off return fire.”

Chilly Atmosphere

Throughout his remarks, attending district officials, which included administrators as well as Lew-Port teachers and union members sat in silence. As other parts of campus were sharing in the holiday spirit – the Lewiston-Porter Middle School Choral Christmas concert was under way at the same time – the atmosphere in the Community Resource Center meeting was becoming increasingly chilly, with many in attendance seemingly sitting in disbelief on what they were hearing. The friendly warmth of the Christmas season was nowhere to be found.

When asked later on his reaction, Board member Lenny Palumbo offered no comment. Sweeney was not in attendance that evening.

Schaubert closed his remarks with a challenge to consider the “ghost of Lew-Port future.”

“The employees of Lew-Port have to decide what you want the future to be; Lew-Port past or Lew-Port present. Do you stand by and allow a handful of people to destroy what we have built, or will you move to stop the war now before it goes any further?

“Which will it be,” Schaubert asked. “… I suggest you use the Christmas break to do some deep thinking and come back ready to choose because I have done everything possible and only you can put a stop to this lunacy.”

Budget Plan Tabled

With that, a now exasperated Schaubert attempted to move rather hastily to get the agenda part of the session done and over with. He submitted for board approval to table and for further discussion next month, a Lewiston-Porter budget spending plan of $30 million for 2007-08 for Lew-Port voters to consider next May. The figure, which Schaubert said he did not favor but was viewed as recourse to those who attempt to disrupt “the board’s sovereignty” for personal gain, caught many off-guard, including board member Ed Lilly – often a critic of Lew-Port spending issues. “What’s the rush,” asked Lilly of the $30 million budget proposal. “I was under the feeling (based on the 2006 $37 million voter-approved Lew-Port budget), it would be in the $33 million range.”

Lilly quickly offered a substitute resolution to increase the number to $33.6 million – a figure he said “puts us in the mid-range of what’s proposed and the current budget.”

The move – coupled with the acrimonious atmosphere of the evening – brought further remarks from fellow board members. Both Robert Laub and James Mezhir aired criticisms. “Budgeting is a process,” said Laub. “You do not just throw out a figure.”

Mezhir added it makes sense to “support a process” – as he lent favor to the Schaubert proposal.

“I also support the process. However we do have a decision to make,” said Lilly as he called his $33.6 million figure “middle ground.”

Lilly’s move went down to defeat and the board moved to table the Schaubert plan for further discussion at the January meeting. Also tabled to next month was one on the election of BOE officers, which saw very little discussion on Tuesday.

More Frustration

Schaubert, left the session before it concluded that night, then attempted to combine all the agenda items into one motion en route to swift passage – a move that was balked at by Lilly and others. “All right, we’ll do it your way,” said a now-agitated Schaubert, as he opened his board packet, grabbed the paperwork and began the process of naming each resolution individually. All measures, which dealt primarily with district financial transactions and reports, went on to pass.

Another, on a Lilly move to restrict activities in buildings on the day of the school board/budget vote in May, drew a response from Laub who said he did not understand it, and another from Rappold, who said the measure was not an initiative of the Lew-Port administration. As the measure was only a first read, there was no action taken on the policy change that evening. However the differing board views on this and others heard earlier conveyed a rather strained atmosphere amongst the board. Christmas-like it wasn’t.

As noted, Schaubert went on to leave the session prior to its conclusion – transferring control of the meeting to Lilly and abruptly departing.

End Notes

Remaining items of note that evening included:

•Rappold reported on the news of two announced resignations of long-term employees at the high school, which he called “troubling.”

Judy Deer, secretary to High School Principal Paul Casseri had announced her intention to retire effective June 30, 2008, after 16 years of service. Rappold praised the woman for her service and noted her many contributions to the high school administration over the years.

He also reported that at the end of this year, high school nurse Lois Williams will be leaving after 32 years of service. “Everyone here knows Lois Williams,” said Rappold “She will be missed.”

•Casseri, attempting to end the session on a high note, reported on the “Green Machine,” a new high school student-cheering endeavor at its athletic contests. “It’s a new wave, a cheering section started at the Newfane game,” said Casseri. “We would not be outdone,” Casseri said, adding the school “has a pretty significant cheering section to corral support.”

He said the students are planning a kazoo brigade for the basketball team’s next game in January. “Check it out, it’s a lot of fun,” he closed in his remarks to the board.

Certainly a lot more fun than that had at the Tuesday school board meeting.