A SRO crowd gathered at JMCS board mtg to the learn fate of Supt Zambito - Issue not raised but some board members still at odds with the Director.
It had been rumored among sources close to JMCS that at the board meeting a motion and a second were ready to terminate Dr. Nancy Zambito. This stirred many in the community to want to find out why the drastic measure was being considered. At the meeting the audience got to see and hear board exchange over several issues including the gasoline dumping incident at JCM and the perceived board policy violations from a previous meeting that involved the way former Supt Roy Weaver was hired. In the end it is not very clear that significant action was taken on either of these concerns
On the issue of the superintendent the board did not take any direct action but the board majority did approve a motion to ask TSBA attorney Randall Bennett to attend either their
School Board Retreat Mtg planned for February 28th or the following
Work Session. Mr. Bennett along with three other attorneys rendered legal opinions that the board’s action to extend the superintendents contract was legal and within their power. However, several board members maintain that is not what he told them at the Fall Training Session and they want to have him come and explain. Carol Cater Estes has said on more than one occasion that she "believes that the board did not do it right" and wants to “find the truth”. She added she wants more investigation.
Board member Grady Akins raised the issue of the gasoline dumping at JCM. In his remarks he cited a May 5th response to questions in which Dr. Zambito replied in part … “…
there is no evidence that Mr. Catlett was “resistant”” Mr Akins contends this shows that he had given Dr. Zambito information. The full document will be posted on wnws.com when a copy of the questions can be obtained. Mr Akins says his name and all who have his name, his wife, children have suffered because of what he says are lies about him. He insisted the superintendent apologize. Before anything could be said board member Bob Alvey pointed out to Mr. Akins that his evidence was incomplete. First it did not have the questions so other board members had no knowledge of what he supposedly told the superintendent and it was not Mr. Catlett who dumped the gas it was David Moore. Alvey said this was just on piece of the puzzle.
Board member Dave Bratcher echoed Alvey’s remarks and then Alvey made a motion that the board authorize a letter to be sent requesting the District Attorney’s office investigate to determine if any wrong doing had been done by Central Office or any board member. The motion was seconded by Bratcher, CC Estes then amended the motion to say investigation by an independent party to be determined later. When questioned by Alvey if the DA was not independent enough who would she suggest she stated that was for later she did not have a name right off the top of her head. Then board members suggested that the appropriate people had been disciplined and it would just be harmful to drag it out again. At this Carter withdrew her amendment saying she felt it had been handled. So the motion failed on vote with yes votes by only Bratcher and Alvey.
Mr Akins did not receive his apology.
Later the subject of policy violation by the board on how they hired former superintendent Roy Weaver was brought up. Again Bratcher and Alvey both had issue over the failure to follow board policy. For background on this story click here() The motion which passed at a special called meeting involved several items in one including requesting stimulus money, requesting JCM money, Hiring a project manager, Hiring Roy Weaver as that project manager. At least two current policies were violated based on interpretation. So a motion was made and seconded to rescind the entire motion for the violations. That motion failed 6 – 3 with only Alvey, Bratcher, and Mays supporting it. After the meeting several board members said they might have supported it with different language.
