The mischaracterization of Henry's words and false accusations of "back-room deals" is resolved as the Lee Selectmen meeting minutes are revised to reflect the actual statement made by Henry which does not state that an audit has been decided.
Correction of Lee Selectmen Minutes
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING JUNE 14, 2010 PAGE 2
14. Town Secretary; Dawn Hayes submits and reads a correction to the minutes of May 10, 2010 for Henry Brackett (not present). His exact words were “Right now we are talking about and hopefully finalizing about an audit committee”.
Are you kidding me? This is great! Not only did the Town of Lee do the right thing, but this just shows you how Colter and Townsend operate.
ReplyDeleteAmazing...they put a target on Henry's back for nothing.
Let's recap
1. Mark says the Route 125 Diner owner tells Henry to stop talking. REFUTED IN FOSTERS AND TURNS OUT TOWNSEND LIED
2. Whole mess with what Henry said at a Town of Lee meeting. MINUTES CHANGED TO ACCURATELY REFLECT THE TRUTH!!!
3. Townsend makes disparaging remarks about the board. HE QUITS AND WRITES/MAKES BITTER COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOARD ON HIS WAY OUT.
What is next? Our superintendent needs to get FIRED for this one. This was handled so poorly and those emails were sourced by him. Not Mark. Colter started this whole mess from reading the Lee minutes. Colter has NO BUSINESS in meddling like this and should be fired for cause. IMMEDIATELY!
The buck does start and stop with Howard.
ReplyDeleteHe started this all, as is reflected in his note to Mark. Is this not what is called insubordination?
It makes me wonder what staff at our schools have to put up with.
This just proves yet again that some on the board are made out to be Howard's puppets and are ALWAYS on his side. He needs to be accountable and put in his place. He had no authority to accuse Henry of saying what he said in Lee. Heck! Howard was only going off BAD MEETING MINUTES!!!! He didn't even contact Henry to find out what he said. instead, he and Mark called the attorney...yadda, yadda, yadda...here we are.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel sorry for Mark at all though. He could have stopped this mess but didn't. What a joke! Anyone see him lately?
At the June 2nd board meeting, Jocelyn O'Quinn very rationally explained to the board that she trusted that if Henry said he did not state what was written in the Lee meeting minutes, that she believed him. After all,It would be easy for the public to verify his statement since it was a public meeting. Jocelyn O'Quinn's reaction seems like the logical and professional way to operate any kind of business. Common sense would dictate that you should ask questions and communicate with board members before you embark on a campaign to publicly smear them. Howard Colter and Mark Townsend used public funds for personal gain. The personal gain being; getting rid of another board member who they deem as a threat to keeping the budget closed to transparency and an audit committee.
ReplyDeleteAlso, shame on Jennifer Rief for acting unprofessionally and attacking Henry Brackett, regarding the Lee town minutes, at the June 2nd meeting. She should be aware that people in the community will not forget this when they go to the polls She has offered her allegiance to a Superintendent who is more concerned about public scrutiny and lining his own pockets than he is about our students or state of economy.
ReplyDeleteAMEN to all of the above! Our children go to Oyster River and we pay taxes - moved to Lee because at one time, the school was on the list for the top ten in the country - now we see that the head is turned the other way when it comes to a severe drug problem in the HS, bullying in both schools (even by a certain bus driver if you can believe that!)- monies being spent on WII's and not on school supplies, etc, etc, etc, I certainly hope that a new audit committee happens and our children's needs can be tended to in the schools as they should be. I say out with the current administration and get fresh, honest people in there who actually care about our children. I certainly know who I'm not voting for! Shouldn't the townspeople also be a part of voting for a new audit committee or is that up to the School Board only?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the process to demand Colter's resignation? Would it involve buying out his contract at a huge cost? What a shame that we are being held hostage by this incompetent leader. At least Townsend knew enough to quit.
ReplyDeleteColter has too much money riding on staying. We are stuck with him. :-(
ReplyDeleteAfter reading some comments on this blog (ie June 25, 2010 8:09 PM in this thread) I have strong reservations about moving to Durham.
ReplyDeleteBy reputation, the town is supposed to be friendly, quaint and home to a top-notch public school system.
Is that still the case, or am I reading more than just venting here?
This blog is something of a red flag for us as we decided where our next move will take us.
We were leaning heavily toward Durham...
We cannot boast top notch with Howard Colter as our leader. The good news is that worst case scenario, we only have to put up with him for two more years unless he forced to resign sooner. I would monitor the school board news to see if an audit committee has been established. Our spending is out of control!! EMPHASIS ADDED! Our teachers are wonderful, we have an enriched curriculum, and our schools are among the top 10-15 in the State, however; our leader does not have a vision that aspires to benefit anyone other than himself. Our student population is dwindling and, despite the fact that we are in a recession, he sits at board meetings with 'poker face,' when recommendations for strategies to control wasteful spending are proposed. He does not feel he has any obligation to the community, only the board that he is currently having difficulty fully manipulating. Let us all hope that our new Madbury board representative has a vision which includes controlling our spending.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame. Even when prompted for a good review of the town it seems that the reaction is generally negative, particularly concerning the schools (a driving concern of ours).
ReplyDeleteThe (high) property taxes seemed tolerable if the schools are stellar, but short of that, the cost is a real deterrent.
On paper, the town held a lot of promise, but it sounds like Durham might not be the place for us...
We moved to Oyster River primarily on the reputation of the schools. Over the years we have found that while the district is head and shoulders above what we left, it is sometimes not as stellar as it thinks it is.
ReplyDeleteBut here's the interesting thing. If you watch the June 4th meeting, you'll see a report from the math teachers about how they're planning to improve what is already a good curriculum. They recognize, as professional educators, that it is not enough to coast on their laurels. They are actively seeking out ways to better help our kids learn math.
So, are we concerned about how our tax dollars are being used? Absolutely, and you are, too, I would guess. We just want to be sure that each and every dollar is accounted for and well spent.
If you move to Durham, or Lee, or Madbury, you will find a great place to live and raise your kids. The people who live here are friendly and welcoming and the area offers a great quality of life.
Even though the schools at this moment are sometimes not as exceptional as we want, you should know that you will move into a community that isn't afraid of doing the work to improve an already great school system.
We want our kids to strive for excellence and we want our school system to do so, too.
Don't let our growing pains stop you from moving here.
We haven't regretted it, and you won't either.
Superintendent Colter and Mark Townsend made a “Bad Faith Allegation’ –
ReplyDeleteA bad faith allegation occurs when false accusations against someone are made public when, through reasonable inquiry, they would have known that the allegation was frivolous or untrue. When allegations of misconduct are made without reasonable inquiry, irreversible damage to the reputation of the accused can occur.
A reasonable or ‘good faith ‘inquiry would have involved, at the very least, a conversation with Henry Brackett about what he actually said at the Lee town meeting. Mark Townsend did the right thing by resigning. It remains to be seen whether Howard Colter is held accountable for his role.
To the person considering a home in the Oyster River Community... Don't let the blog scare you. Many/most(?) of us who write on the blog believe that our kids are getting a strong education here. I have put three kids through the OR system. We moved here because of the schools. We have been very happy with our decision. OR continues to attract excellent teachers. The Oyster River teachers do go the extra yard to teach their students. I believe that it has been worth the investment in moving here.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, we currently have turmoil that is at the administrative level. The superintendent will hopefully resign or retire in the near future. And hopefully then, OR can select a more trustworthy team player to lead the district. I'm optimistic that things are only going to get better here.
If you look through the blogs, you won't find many, if any, complaints about teachers. The OR teachers are excellent and are very dedicated to the students. We have excellent principals at Moharimet Elementary and at the Middle School (I apologize to the Mast Way principal -- I do not know you, but I hope that someone else can write about how wonderful you are). Oyster River is a community that values family and education. The kids here are encouraged to challenge themselves, value the differences in people, and serve their community. Everyone that I know here chose this district because of the schools. I don't know anyone who regrets the decision.
ReplyDeleteI share the optimism of the previous blogger. Once the superintendent leaves, I believe that things will improve. Colter has two years left on his contract.
Consider yourself lucky that you did not move here with rose-colored glasses. I am afraid you will find issues no matter where you go.
ReplyDeleteI guess the question you need to ask yourself is this--what worries you more: the devil you know or the devil you don't know?
At least with this blog you know what is going on and how involved the parents are in trying to fix the problems. I am not sure many communities and parents care as much as we do. For that I am very proud!
Good luck!
Holding members of the administration and Board accountable for their actions may be unpleasant but you cannot fix the problem until you acknowledge the problem. I am in it for the long haul--my little one's are worth it!
ReplyDeleteWhen does the holding the superintendent accountable part happen???
ReplyDeleteThe Mast way principal, as well as the MOH, middle school and HS principal are all excellent. Our teachers, probably 95% of them are top notch....... better than most districts.
ReplyDeleteIt is our current central office admin in the name of Mr. Colter that has to go. Move here, it is better than most. The turmoil will be over soon, and is no worse than most towns, and our schools are worth it for the long haul.
I can appreciate the point about "the devil you know", but there is a vibe present in this blog which suggests that the ORCSD is actually not that well run and is host to the kinds of problems (drugs and lackluster leadership, both mentioned in above posts) that we, as parents, are specifically looking to avoid in our search.
ReplyDeleteI know that there isn't a "perfect" school system, but I have to say that the prospect of moving to Bow or Keene has become much more intriguing after reading many of the posts here. Especially given the property taxes in Durham.
Schools are of paramount importance to us and it sounds like there is a systematic problem rooted at the very top of the scholastic food chain in Durham.
Airing grievances is an important thing to be sure, but I haven't read much praise to counter it here, just the obligatory "the teachers are great" stuff that fails to inspire confidence.
When the leadership goes downhill, you can bet that everything else eventually will.
I smell ADMIN all over the above response. Give me a break!! I believe this person (AKA- distraught prospective Oyster River home buyer) is likely an administrator or someone close to an administrator trying to distract our attention from the subject that this blog is supposed to be about. Please read the above blog from June 26 at 5:43. I wrote that response in order to try and bring the focus back to the Lee town minutes.
ReplyDeleteHow do people feel about Colter's bad faith frivolous allegation against Henry Brackett?
What do people think about his failure to conduct a reasonable inquiry into the matter?
Please respond to this and not 'distraught prospective Oyster River home-buyer.'
A culture of corruption runs very deep in our small corner of the world it would seem. I do not believe the masses should tolerate this. In the old country we may well have purged the whole council. But in these times, would the people have the courage?
ReplyDeleteI agree; the "distraught prospective OR home buyer" is likely a fake. NOBODY makes a decision on where to buy a home on school quality alone...and the whole "Bow or Keene" thing is a red herring. Who would commute to a job in the Seacoast area from Keene?
ReplyDeleteIn battle, you must have trust in your comrades. The lack of trust in this council I find greatly disturbing. While one adversary may be stayed by fire, the seething masses about you would prevail were it not for trusted companions. I know first hand how internal conflict can break the spirits of all who are touched. In The War I witnessed the mutiny and change that I fear is inevitable in any community tolerant of this behavior.
ReplyDeleteWho am I? but there is too much to tell in a mere blogspot. A long life of triumph, disgrace, agony, torment and redemption I have had. While it has cursed my bones, it has nurtured a wisdom that few could comprehend. I have great fear now for what I hoped was my final resting spot. While I tire, I still have the strength to tell one clever enough to expose me what MUST be done to save this lovely town from utter chaos.
I can assure you all that I am, indeed a perspective home buyer and that I have carefully researched the towns of Keene, Bow, Bedford, Hanover and Durham with the understanding that the schools in those towns are (by reputation) excellent.
ReplyDeleteWe currently live out of state and have given careful consideration to our move in the Fall. We have been fortunate to have job security and the flexibility to live where we'd like to in the state.
That leaves education as a determining factor for us. Others might not prioritize such things in the manner, but we do.
We were disappointed to read of some of the recent goings-on with the ORCSD and thought that there might be some balance offered with prompting.
The truth is, amid this last rash of comments I get the feeling that the conspiratorial and vituperative characteristics of the district are not foisted upon some residents, but that they are merely reflective of them.
The "burn the witch" tone here is sad, and certainly puts much of what's written into perspective.
Given how I've been mischaracterized (wildly and without a shred of information on which to base it), I can only assume it goes on with some regularity.
And yeah, I'm guessing we'll look elsewhere for a more welcoming and less back-biting community with a school system headed in the right direction.
Call me a "fake" and my concerns a "red herring" all you want.
It's more a reflection of you than me in the end, anyway.
Good luck. I trust home sales are up in town...
Good luck to you as well. I'm sure you'll enjoy not living here as much as we will enjoy not having you among us.
ReplyDelete^The above comment is what I was referring to when suggesting that the pettiness on the school board could well be a reflection of the community rather than simply a burden to it.
ReplyDeleteChiding a board of administrators for what goes down as common fare here is beyond ironic.
It's really...sad.
Exeter has a reputation as being somewhat reserved and unwelcoming, while Bedford has been called "stodgy".
Many of the contributors to this blog have cast the town of Durham in an even worse light.
I honestly was hoping to take something positive away from reading and contributing here.
Didn't happen.
And for what it's worth, it seems that many of you have gotten the academic administration you rightly deserve.
Enjoy it.
I feel the need to apologize to prospective home buyer for the comments of some less-than-friendly bloggers on this site. I can assure you that we came here to Durham five years ago for the schools, the location, and the people. We knew no one in the area, joined Oyster River Parents and Preschoolers immediately, and found ourselves meeting some of the most friendly and welcoming people you can imagine.
ReplyDeleteI love this town. I love walking to the farmer's market, sledding on Wagon Hill, hiking through College Woods, picking blueberries at Rose Lawn, getting an ice cream at the Dairy Bar, waving hello to my neighbors, and being a part of my children's education- working as a partner with some really terrific teachers. It breaks my heart to think of ever leaving.
Any town will have its trials and its troubles. I think working for positive change in the school system is important, and I want to be a part of making something that's already good even better.
So please, home buyer, don't judge everyone in this town by a few mean-spirited individuals. I wish you good luck in your endeavors. If Durham does end up being your home, there are many, many of us who will gladly welcome you here.
Lets stop arguing and get the the real issues. The potential home buyer is not the subject of this blog. If I were reading a blog and disagreed with everything being said, I might try the same tactic.
ReplyDeleteYes, we all think Durham is a wonderful place to live and raise our children however; it is unfair that certain individuals try to take over the blog with an agenda that deviates from the topic of conversation.
If you were taking an on-line course and you deviated from the topic in such a manner, your grade would be significantly impacted if you offered no factual information and tried to change the subject matter. It would be considered rude and your professor would likely put a stop to it.
If people have something to offer about the Lee Town minutes, they should respond. If you want to talk to people about moving to Durham or how your day was, you really need to find a more appropriate forum. I think it is rude to try and take over a blog with personal issues that are not relevant to the topic. I can understand why people are frustrated.
I would suggest that the above contribution is hypocritical in that it does the very thing that it purports to decry.
ReplyDeleteI didn't read much about town minutes, educational philosophy or administrators there at all.
Be the change?
To the home buyer,
ReplyDeleteBecause most of the entries on these blogs are anonymous, people can be anyone they want. Unfortunately, there have been many entries in the past that appeared to be administrators posing as teachers & other people. Of course there is no proof that this is true. But because of the lack of trust in the administration & its history of manipulation/intimidation, this was not out of the realm of possibility. If you are indeed a prospective home buyer (which it seems you are), then I am sorry that you have been met with such attitudes. Many of the people here are frustrated. An anonymous blog allows us to vent, and it sometimes isn't pretty.
Good luck in your pursuit of a home.
Just the facts!
ReplyDeleteHow does a court of law view public officials slandering without having all the fact straight?
See 613 F.2d 438 Leo A. QUINN, Appellant, v. SYRACUSE MODEL NEIGHBORHOOD CORPORATION
In Gentile v. Wallen, 562 F.2d 193, 197 (2d Cir. 1977): "to constitute deprivation of a liberty interest, the stigmatizing information must be both false . . . and made public . . . by the offending governmental entity." For the purpose of surviving a motion for summary judgment, Quinn's complaint and supporting papers satisfy these requirement.
The information involved must, initially, be stigmatizing. Roth, supra, 408 U.S. at 573, 92 S.Ct. 2701. It must, therefore, call into question the plaintiff's "good name, reputation, honor, or integrity." Constantineau, supra, 400 U.S. at 437, 91 S.Ct. at 510. In this case, if Quinn can prove the facts he alleges, he will have established a governmentally imposed stigma. He claims that the defendants, acting in concert, labored to create a public impression that he was criminally responsible for the missing funds. As a result, his complaint states, he "continued to suffer great damage to his reputation; his standing in the community has been greatly affected; he has become an object of derision and a target for innuendo and he has been forced to endure great emotional pain and suffering." These allegations are reiterated in Quinn's affidavit in opposition to summary judgment, in which he states he has "encountered countless references to the missing money and my dismissal in both employment and social relationships."
Typically, after board meetings, a draft is sent out to board members for review prior to the next meeting. Since Henry Brackett was attending the Lee town meeting as a private citizen, it is safe to assume that he did not receive a copy to review for approval. When the board meets, they amend and approve the minutes as necessary. Howard Colter and Mark Townsend know this since the same rules apply to the school board.
ReplyDeleteSo why isn't Colter being held responsible?
ReplyDeleteOn June 9, 2010, the Times Herald Record reported a story written by Heather Yakin related to the Middletown NY Superintendent suing two board members for 10 million dollars each for making false accusations on a blog related to charges that he had been exonerated over.
ReplyDeleteSo is the post above to indicate the idea that the mis-deed of accusing Henry of mis-deeds is in fact a similar mis-accusation?
ReplyDeleteColter has sat back many times while board members slung mud back and forth.
Remember when David accused board members of "illegal activity?"
Now we have Mark and Howard doing the same.
Mark did the right thing, it is time for Howard to do the same.
Does that make it a mis-blog?
ReplyDeleteIt is time for Howard to smell the coffee.
The entry referencing the NY lawsuit is unclear. Is it supposed to frighten people from writing on the blog? Can anyone explain the blogger's point? ... and how on earth it is relevant to the Oyster River situation? Have there been false accusations against Colter?
ReplyDeleteI concur with the above coffee comment.
The NY article was meant to provide a current similar situation to what we have going on in our Town. The big difference being the role reversal of false accusation. I have cut and pasted the article below since people seem interested. Pubic officials, whether they are board members or school superintendents, are held to higher slander when it comes to freedom of speech. Especially when it used to slander.
ReplyDelete(online http address: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100609/NEWS/6090366)
News
Middletown schools chief sues member of his board Eastwood says foe posted falsehoods on blog
By Heather Yakin
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 06/09/10
MIDDLETOWN — Middletown school Superintendent Ken Eastwood has filed a defamation lawsuit against school board member Nicholas Mauro and against a former adversary, Fran Hoefer of Oswego.
At the suit's heart is a March 6 posting signed by Hoefer on the Inside Middletown Schools blog repeating claims he made in 2003-2004, including that Eastwood assaulted a student and coerced teachers into changing grades while he was Oswego's superintendent.
Gary Greenwald, whose law firm is representing Eastwood, said the issue is simple: False statements have been made repeatedly, with reckless disregard for the truth.
"There were hearings held previously that totally absolved Ken Eastwood," he said.
The suit claims Hoefer defamed Eastwood by posting the old claims, and that Mauro defamed Eastwood by allowing or assisting Hoefer to publish the allegations on the blog. The suit seeks $10 million in damages from each of them, saying they knew Hoefer's claims have been disproved but repeated them willfully and maliciously to cause Eastwood grief and attack his reputation. It's the latest volley in an ongoing conflict between Eastwood and Mauro.
"There was a tipping point, and we decided to let our attorneys handle it, and let the courts determine what is appropriate," Eastwood said. He is filing suit as an individual, against Mauro and Hoefer as individuals, so no district money is involved.
"It's between myself, my family and those two gentlemen," Eastwood said.
Mauro and Hoefer say Eastwood is trying to silence his critics, and this is a SLAPP suit — a strategic lawsuit against public participation. "He's using the legal system to suppress Nick Mauro's right to criticize him," Hoefer said.
"It's purely retaliatory," Mauro said.
"I can't wait. I want to get into court and prove that what I've said is true," Hoefer said.
Mauro said although he has authored some of the blog's posts, he doesn't run it. He won't say who does.
"I did not post that information, and so the basic allegation of the suit is baseless," Mauro said. He said a countersuit is likely.
Bob Lowry of the New York State Coalition of School Superintendents, said his office could remember only one or two cases where a superintendent sued a board member.
"This is not an everyday occurrence," said Jay Worona, general counsel for the New York State School Boards Association. "But these things do happen."
hyakin@th-record.com
Still not clear, is this a threat or a reality check? Seriously, need to know.
ReplyDeleteWhat has been said here is only taken as a threat for those who have things to cover up.
The questions here are valid, reasonable, and threats to stop are simply ridiculous.
I did not post the case to threaten anyone. Bloggers on this site are protected by the first amendment; freedom of speech.
ReplyDeletePublic officials are held to higher standards.
If a public official makes defamatory statements about another public official, they can be held liable. A public official acts with malice when they defame another public official when they know the information is false or they have cause to know it may not be true.
From a legal standpoint, Superintendent Colter would have acted with malice if he knew the information against Henry was false or had good reason to believe that the Town meeting minutes might have been taken out of context.
Do people think Howard Colter should have spoken to Henry Brackett first to get his side of the story before he and Townsend defamed his character? Or, do people think that given that the meeting minutes were initially printed wrong; that this would somehow exonerate them.
I happen to be with the camp that thinks that Townsend and Colter were desperate to make Henry Brackett look bad and were just flat sloppy! And, in being sloppy, they defamed a board member.
I submitted the NY case to show how serious these issues can be when you are on a school board.
Oh, now I get it! Thanks for the clarification.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how Colter's attempt to set the wheels in motion to get rid of Brackett, actually put Henry on the throne. Colter must kick himself in the head every day now. Karma is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteHopefully "Karma" will take things full circle and Colter will quit.
ReplyDelete