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Board member receives threatening letter on vote
Police are investigating a threatening letter sent to a McCook School Board member.
Shane Messersmith of the McCook Board of Education said he got the unsigned letter Nov. 14, that was mailed from a location in McCook. It has been turned over to the McCook Police Department.
Although not getting into specifics because of the ongoing investigation, Messersmith did reveal the general content.
Messersmith issued a written statement: "Basically the letter said there would be consequences if I didn't change my vote so that Gary Power was not sworn in at the next board meeting.
"I couldn't figure out what the letter was referring to since the board had already selected Gary to fill the vacancy at our Monday meeting. As far as I was concerned, the vote was final and everything was moving forward.
"It became clear to me late that afternoon when Larry Shields, school board president, called me about an upcoming special school board meeting. Tom Bredvick, another school board member, had just called Larry that afternoon and requested a special meeting on Monday, with the only agenda item to rescind the vote on Gary Power's appointment to the board.
"I put two and two together and realized that whoever had sent me the threatening letter knew about the upcoming meeting before I did, and the fact that I would have a chance to change my vote on Gary.
"It is unfortunate that someone has tried to subvert the democratic process that our forefathers set into place.
"During my campaign for school board two years ago, one of my goals was to set into place a system of checks and balances in the school. I feel this system has been implemented and it's working. Obviously this has bothered some people who are now trying to change the outcome of the school board vote.
"Where is this going to end? It's already consumed one board member. I refuse to be intimated by unsigned hate mail.
"We have three children in our school systems and I want to help ensure that they get the best education possible. No amount of threats will influence me from that objection."
McCook Police Chief Ike Brown declined to comment on the specifics of the investigation but said threatening communication of any kind is a violation of law, which could subject the individual person to criminal prosecution.
"It's always inappropriate and usually ends up counter-productive," he said.
At the regular meeting Nov. 10, McCook School Board members selected Gary Power by 3-2, as the replacement to complete the two years remaining in president Greg Larson's term, who resigned in September without explanation.
The voting process board members used had each member rank the seven candidates to narrow the selection down to the top two, who would then be voted on. Scott Johnson ranked as the highest candidate among the initial ranking and a tie-breaker for the second candidate was won by Gary Power by 3-2.
At the final voting, Power was chosen to fill the position with Messersmith, Diane Lyons and Larry Shields voting in favor and Tom Bredvick and Mike Gonzales voting against it.
Superintendant Dave Schley said in a previous Gazette article that two board members decided to revisit the issue due to discontent after the Nov. 10 meeting.
A special board meeting Monday will be at 6 p.m. at the junior high conference room, when board members will be asked to rescind their vote. The meeting is open to the public.