That's it?? It was made out to be so much more. Where are the defacing Anne's family that she demanded an apology? For such a debacle, it did not produce anything that we didn't already know. Glad the board decided to release it, as they would have looked worse holding on to something that was really not that big of a deal. Please can someone explain what is news in this email chain? NOW can we get back to educating our kids??
Makes you wonder, why the heck was it such a big deal? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that a Supt. asked board members to read up on a board member? Gotta ask ya' self if that is his job? Why is he not spending more time on education and less time checking up on board members and what they do in their spare time?
Agree, time to get back to education and figuring out why we have had so many of these crazy situations in the last few years. Common thread anyone????!!!!
I just read it. I cannot believe all the stuff that these board members deal with. I have to give them all (past, present and future) credit for putting up with all the BS. And I'm thankful that there are so many community members making sure that the SB adheres to transparency.
The superintendent started this whole mess by urging Mark to look into Henry's actions in Lee. Mark made an huge deal out of a non event. And don't tell us you didn't resign because of this. You did Mark!!
However the fact remains that Howard Colter urges the board chair in a DIRECT email to him only to investigate the Henry incident. That is coercion and insubordination. He should be fired on the spot for doing this. Period. Remember everyone that the board is his boss not the other way around. Basically I think Howard views Henry as a threat and wants him gone.
Now let's investigate another snippet here. Mark calls out Ann's husband. A quick Google search leads me to find out he is the chief legal officer of the same company that employs Mark Townsend. I don't know if Mark is just stupid or blinded by ambition but I wouldn't want to be in his shoes come the next layoff wave at that company. Imagine that brilliant move. Naming a spouse of a board member who has no affect at the school board but who happens to work very high up in his company. What was the motive?
I just think it is sad. Mark really sounded like a different kind of candidate when he ran, but to find out that he was engaging in this kind of talk behind the backs of other school board members, and that he was doing so at the bidding of the Superintendent, leads me to understand why he had to quit--nobody in their right mind would ever trust him again; his future as Board Chair was over. And on top of it all he was being dishonest when he tried to claim during the last meeting that he didn't recall writing these e-mails. It's sad what a little power will do to some people.
I think Henry will make an excellent chair. He is hard working, honest, and fair. After reading Mark's e-mails, I was left with the impression that some of the board members were trying to sabotage Henry's success. Henry is able to articulate the kind of changes that the community is seeking. I also appreciate Ann Wright's time on the board and, so what if she is a "newbie!" She did not deserve to be treated with disrespect.
Golly, but I'm a bit confused! The cover letter from the board says "While the school board believes these communications are protected by attorney client privilege, the school board has voted to waive the privilege and make these communications public." The disclaimer at the end of Barrett Christina's email, however, clearly states that "NHSBA provides legal education and information as a general service to NHSBA members. The information provided here does not establish an attorney client privilege." Could someone please explain this discrepancy as regards this specific email chain?
This whole thing about the email has been blown out of proportion. I think that Mark was trying to make sure that the rules were being followed and in his mind, at least, Henry wasn't following them. Personally I don't know if he was or wasn't but I do think that is ridiculous to say that a SB member cannot speak with another member or to the public about matters it is considering. It would be pretty hard to get the pulse of the community if this were the case! I do think that he had no reason to snipe Ann and certainly had no reason to point out who her husband was.
Regarding Howard's involvement in this, he shouldn't have any. This is a board matter that doesn't involve the Superintendent. One must ask if the Superintendent is the core of many of the SB problems....
Henry Brackett "is hard working, honest, and fair."
Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Fair? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Hard working? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Did anyone else see him cut off Jennifer at last night's board meeting? And not let her say her opinion? Yeah, THAT'S fair.
Henry was ready to pass a budget committee last night before any discussion about what it would look like, what it's charge would be and what kind of make-up it would have. Come on Henry, take a chill pill and not rush into things. While it might have merit, voting for a budget committee is something to take seriously and understand just what its purpose and role would be in our community.
Geesh. Henry is "honest and fair". Ha ha ha. That's still giving me a laugh. Henry doesn't give two hoots about a quality education. His one and only goal on this board seems to be to chop the budget and destroy this district. His record and rhetoric seems to justify this statement. He goes to Town of Lee meetings and speaks about board business as if the ORCSD is a department of the town. He stated things as fact when he spoke of an audit committee when the board hadn't acted up it yet (he spoke at the town of Lee 9 days before the board actually voted on an audit committee - is he psychic? I think not).
Henry is a joke. His only record is a failing one in my book.
Regarding the above blogger: Please do not blog after cocktail hour, I suspect that you are not a happy drunk! The town wants some sort of oversight because it is quite obvious that the current administration needs it. There are a lot of people that want answers now and Henry seems to get this!
Why on earth can't people see that Superintendent Colter set up Mark? Colter never had a clue that it would backfire & his nemesis would become the SB chair (that part is actually pretty hilarious!). Of course, Townsend ran with it & threw in inappropriate opinions regarding another SB member. Then Mark denied having written the e-mail (lying). And the diner owner now denies having made the statements Mark had quoted (possibly another lie for Townsend).
Colter is a spineless, sneaky, and ineffective leader. He feeds Townsend info. trying to get him to boot Bracket without getting his own hands dirty. It is great that Bracket is now Colter's boss.
Colter should be checking the Want Ads (in Alaska) or considering an early retirement. It will be better than HBO watching the SB meetings & watching Howard Colter squirm!
Good luck Mr. Bracket!! And watch that Colter guy carefully. Maybe he will slip up big enough next time to get booted! Sneaky people usually do.
That's it?? It was made out to be so much more. Where are the defacing Anne's family that she demanded an apology? For such a debacle, it did not produce anything that we didn't already know.
ReplyDeleteGlad the board decided to release it, as they would have looked worse holding on to something that was really not that big of a deal. Please can someone explain what is news in this email chain?
NOW can we get back to educating our kids??
Makes you wonder, why the heck was it such a big deal? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that a Supt. asked board members to read up on a board member? Gotta ask ya' self if that is his job? Why is he not spending more time on education and less time checking up on board members and what they do in their spare time?
ReplyDeleteAgree, time to get back to education and figuring out why we have had so many of these crazy situations in the last few years. Common thread anyone????!!!!
I just read it. I cannot believe all the stuff that these board members deal with. I have to give them all (past, present and future) credit for putting up with all the BS. And I'm thankful that there are so many community members making sure that the SB adheres to transparency.
ReplyDeleteHere is why it was a big deal.
ReplyDeleteThe superintendent started this whole mess by urging Mark to look into Henry's actions in Lee. Mark made an huge deal out of a non event. And don't tell us you didn't resign because of this. You did Mark!!
However the fact remains that Howard Colter urges the board chair in a DIRECT email to him only to investigate the Henry incident. That is coercion and insubordination. He should be fired on the spot for doing this. Period. Remember everyone that the board is his boss not the other way around. Basically I think Howard views Henry as a threat and wants him gone.
Now let's investigate another snippet here. Mark calls out Ann's husband. A quick Google search leads me to find out he is the chief legal officer of the same company that employs Mark Townsend. I don't know if Mark is just stupid or blinded by ambition but I wouldn't want to be in his shoes come the next layoff wave at that company. Imagine that brilliant move. Naming a spouse of a board member who has no affect at the school board but who happens to work very high up in his company. What was the motive?
I just think it is sad. Mark really sounded like a different kind of candidate when he ran, but to find out that he was engaging in this kind of talk behind the backs of other school board members, and that he was doing so at the bidding of the Superintendent, leads me to understand why he had to quit--nobody in their right mind would ever trust him again; his future as Board Chair was over. And on top of it all he was being dishonest when he tried to claim during the last meeting that he didn't recall writing these e-mails. It's sad what a little power will do to some people.
ReplyDeleteI think Henry will make an excellent chair. He is hard working, honest, and fair. After reading Mark's e-mails, I was left with the impression that some of the board members were trying to sabotage Henry's success. Henry is able to articulate the kind of changes that the community is seeking. I also appreciate Ann Wright's time on the board and, so what if she is a "newbie!" She did not deserve to be treated with disrespect.
ReplyDeleteI think the blogger above: "Here is why it was a big deal," has summarized the situation quite nicely! KUDOS!
ReplyDeleteGolly, but I'm a bit confused! The cover letter from the board says "While the school board believes these communications are protected by attorney client privilege, the school board has voted to waive the privilege and make these communications public."
ReplyDeleteThe disclaimer at the end of Barrett Christina's email, however, clearly states that "NHSBA provides legal education and information as a general service to NHSBA members. The information provided here does not establish an attorney client privilege."
Could someone please explain this discrepancy as regards this specific email chain?
THe discrepancy is because there is an email conversation with the school district attorney Matt Upton. That conversation is privileged I guess
ReplyDeleteThis whole thing about the email has been blown out of proportion. I think that Mark was trying to make sure that the rules were being followed and in his mind, at least, Henry wasn't following them. Personally I don't know if he was or wasn't but I do think that is ridiculous to say that a SB member cannot speak with another member or to the public about matters it is considering. It would be pretty hard to get the pulse of the community if this were the case! I do think that he had no reason to snipe Ann and certainly had no reason to point out who her husband was.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Howard's involvement in this, he shouldn't have any. This is a board matter that doesn't involve the Superintendent. One must ask if the Superintendent is the core of many of the SB problems....
Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
ReplyDeleteHenry Brackett "is hard working, honest, and fair."
Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Fair? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Hard working? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Did anyone else see him cut off Jennifer at last night's board meeting? And not let her say her opinion? Yeah, THAT'S fair.
Henry was ready to pass a budget committee last night before any discussion about what it would look like, what it's charge would be and what kind of make-up it would have. Come on Henry, take a chill pill and not rush into things. While it might have merit, voting for a budget committee is something to take seriously and understand just what its purpose and role would be in our community.
Geesh. Henry is "honest and fair". Ha ha ha. That's still giving me a laugh. Henry doesn't give two hoots about a quality education. His one and only goal on this board seems to be to chop the budget and destroy this district. His record and rhetoric seems to justify this statement. He goes to Town of Lee meetings and speaks about board business as if the ORCSD is a department of the town. He stated things as fact when he spoke of an audit committee when the board hadn't acted up it yet (he spoke at the town of Lee 9 days before the board actually voted on an audit committee - is he psychic? I think not).
Henry is a joke. His only record is a failing one in my book.
Regarding the above blogger: Please do not blog after cocktail hour, I suspect that you are not a happy drunk!
ReplyDeleteThe town wants some sort of oversight because it is quite obvious that the current administration needs it. There are a lot of people that want answers now and Henry seems to get this!
Why on earth can't people see that Superintendent Colter set up Mark? Colter never had a clue that it would backfire & his nemesis would become the SB chair (that part is actually pretty hilarious!). Of course, Townsend ran with it & threw in inappropriate opinions regarding another SB member. Then Mark denied having written the e-mail (lying). And the diner owner now denies having made the statements Mark had quoted (possibly another lie for Townsend).
ReplyDeleteColter is a spineless, sneaky, and ineffective leader. He feeds Townsend info. trying to get him to boot Bracket without getting his own hands dirty. It is great that Bracket is now Colter's boss.
Colter should be checking the Want Ads (in Alaska) or considering an early retirement. It will be better than HBO watching the SB meetings & watching Howard Colter squirm!
Good luck Mr. Bracket!! And watch that Colter guy carefully. Maybe he will slip up big enough next time to get booted! Sneaky people usually do.