School board member offers to resign if superintendent will

EDITOR'S NOTE -- Upon learning that a school board member would be submitting an Open Forum letter concerning the Hayes Center school board, the school's superintendent asked that the following disclaimer be included: "The opinions expressed by Mr. Kressin in this letter are not reflective of a consensus opinion by the Hayes Center Board of Education."

The letter follows:

Dear Editor,

I would like to address the concerns that have arisen in the past 15 months that I have served on the Hayes Center School Board. Fifteen months ago, Superintendent Ron Howard received a renewed contract on a 5-1 vote.

I voted to renew the contract at that time. This past January, the board voted 3-3 to renew Ron Howard's contract. We were then told by our attorneys that unless a majority of the board voted not to renew the contract, it would be automatically renewed. This was not contested.

I have been contacted by 15 or so families and individuals with concerns. Many of them wished to voice their concerns and address the board.

Policy 1111 states that "any member of the board of education must contact the board president or superintendent 24 hours before the meeting time to add an item to the agenda."

This would enable an executive session if it was an agenda item. The option of public comment Policy 1113- subparagraph 9) states individuals will not be allowed to express complaints about specific employees in open session when addressing the board during public comments. Policy 1134-paragraph 3 informs patrons and staff of a chain of command that included 1) meet with persons involved 2) meet with the principal 3) meet with the superintendent 4) request board hearing.

We have had individuals in the district try to follow these policies and they have been denied access to the board, or in one case, an attorney was hired to exercise these policies. The board president may create the agenda according to policy 1110. It doesn't say he may solely remove items.

Last summer, two board members called for a special meeting to address possible misconduct of the board president and superintendent, which follow policy 1110, where two board members may call a special meeting. The meeting was canceled because other board members talked to our attorneys and were told that the board president may remove items from the agenda.

The questions of employees or patrons addressing the board of education per policy or review of contracts by board members were never addressed.

I have served over seven years on the school board, 10 years on the co-op board; I have served on the extension board, and been a 4-H leader, and on church boards, all as a volunteer. To have Ron Howard contact board president Kevin Large and Secretary Marion Richards to investigate how I conduct myself on other boards, without ever contacting me about their concerns, is very troubling to me.

Board candidate Connie Brott also questioned my behavior on boards. The people I work with on that board felt my conduct was appropriate and professional.

The local paper ran an editorial criticizing my conduct and ethics without contacting me or ever asking me any questions. I did contact all of the above individuals that investigated me, and the general consensus is that I am "rude."

Over the years, I have asked many financial questions and questioned personnel decisions. Although previous superintendent Kate Repass and I did not always agree, we both knew we were doing what we each thought was best for the school district. She always got me the answers to any questions I asked, either at the meeting or in the next day or two. She taught me a lot on school finance, and that the kids' welfare comes first. I congratulate McCook Public schools on their excellent hire in naming her as a principal and wish her the best.

The Hayes Center Schools board of education is now being sued by four petition carriers, including board candidate Connie Brott, her husband Larry, Ben Maucher, and Bill Tidyman. I feel the main reason behind the petition is not Randy Richter's conduct, but to protect Superintendent Ron Howard. If two board members, Randy Richter and myself, Kris Kressin's conduct is dividing the community, we will resign from the board if Superintendent Howard resigns and agrees not to seek re-employment at Hayes Center Schools.

If that is not agreeable, then I do have concerns on how the petitions were circulated and feel compelled to contest the recall efforts that question volunteer school board member Randy Richter's ethics and reputation.

Respectfully,

Kris Kressin

Hayes Center school board member