Tavares, FL -Tuesday - August 12, 2008 - I set up this "starter" post so you know I am writing an extended article to insert here sometime later today.
It will include additional details on these Lake County School District Issues and Events in the last week:
- Last night's Board meeting when Anna Cowin got upset regarding the Board's acceptance of the RSM Audit on Position Control. She claimed the auditor didn't talk to her and her response should be included with the report. When Board Chairman Metz tried to assert control of the agenda, she became more upset, got up, paced the floor like a wounded leopard, tried to demand 3 minutes of talking time by filing a public input card, and strode menacingly towards Metz, who then called for a break. Someone pushed a button and two Sherriff deputies showed up and waited in the back of the room for the rest of the evening. I am not sure who has authority to have the Deputies evict someone - is it the Board Chair, or the Superintendent? We almost found out. I would watch or record the video tonight at 6pm on LSCC-TV on Comcast Channel 13 (you can see the schedule at http://www.lscc.edu/tvstudio/ ). If you can find the video, the fireworks occur near the end of the meeting, when the Auditor is speaking, and after the first break. I would also wait and listen to the final statement from Cowin and then Metz - Metz gave a really good overview of the issues and why he has to control the meeting. He really is a good Chairman.
- Cowin issued a legal notice early Monday saying she was requesting a State hearing board to discuss the issue where the Board previously refused to allow her appointment of an Assistant Principal. The Orlando Sentinel had a story on that in today's paper, and you can read it HERE.
- Last week I submitted a critical analysis of three "consent" spending requests to Anna Cowin and the Board. The requests were on the agenda for last nights meeting. It listed many weaknesses in the "justification" for the spending, and it is attached below. Last night, the Superintendent withdrew the items from the agenda, so I will watch for their return. At least one Board member also had asked that they be pulled before I sent my memo out. Here is the attachment:
- Yesterday, Monday, the Board had a 3-hour daytime "Special Meeting" which included a short discussion of more budget items, and some other issues. Most were routine, but last week I had paid $56 to get a printed copy of the entire budget, and still could not follow the budget review discussion because the Board and CFO rarely make it clear what pages they are on, etc. Other issues seemed routine and there wasn't any drama. (Fooey...)
- Last week the Board voted to file a request with Governor Crist to have Anna Cowin removed from her office due to issues from the TAP audit and other issues. Here is an overview from last week's Daily Commercial. And, here is the Orlando Sentinel's take on it. Yesterday the Board, discussed how the issue was progressing. However, both papers have come out with articles or columns against pushing the issue. Apparently their editorial boards don't actually ever watch just how out of control Cowin is...
More to be posted here later today...
Anyone with comments or added info, please email it to me at [email protected].
Vance
