After a 45-minute executive session, despite efforts by Board President Charles Hoyack, the board voted to allow Superintendent Earl Pettit to remain at his post in the Central Administration Building.
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Two of the board members, Mario Ramos and Susan Kramer, wanted the items removed from the agenda before any discussion even began.
In a statement, Ramos asked for the items to be stricken, “On the grounds that no proof or evidence has been presented to the Governing Board to validate reassigning Superintendent Pettit, other than those brought forth by the board members.
“I feel this board, in the best interest of the Douglas School District, needs to stop wasting time and district's money looking for excuses to fire Mr. Pettit. It is time to continue forward and let Superintendent Pettit do his job, or is the majority of the board retaliating because Mr. Pettit is doing what he was hired for, to administrate and direct the district.”
The motion to remove the items was voted down 3-2.
Following the executive session, after an awkward silence, Hoyack moved to reassign Pettit and basically remove any remnant that he was in the district, including cleaning out his office and Pettit only being allowed on school grounds as it pertains to his children.
The measure, after about 15 minutes of discussion was voted down 3-2, mainly because Board member Ed Rivera, backtracked.
While this vote does not impact the termination proceedings, Rivera noted he was frustrated by the continued distention on the board.
“We were selected to make decisions to benefit the students of Douglas. We seem to have gotten away from that. I just don’t see the end of this issue. The board members and superintendent are not compatible. I am also concerned about the expense of hiring an investigator to the district (which was approved September 21),” Rivera said.
“I just don’t see an end result that we are going to be happy with.
“This whole situation has become a nightmare. I have been harassed by the media with them knowing full well we can’t comment on the situation .
“I would like to see an end but I only see this getting worse.”
Ramos again spoke of the cost – cost of hiring an investigator, possibly hiring an interim superintendent, going through the termination process and hiring an hearing officer.
“You’re (Hoyack) the one bringing all of the accusations but without any proof,” Ramos said.
Hoyack stated he wanted Pettit off site because of his concerns about having staff be comfortable enough to cooperate with the investigator with Pettit still on grounds. He still isn’t sure how much of an impact Pettit had on the selection of an investigator.
Board member Susan Kramer, who was charged with hiring the investigator, said “I did what I could to follow instructions we received . We want someone not swayed by Mr. Pettit or anyone else.
“This issue is tearing our town apart. Let Mr. Pettit do his job. I don’t think having Pettit in his office will sway those who want to speak out.”
Hoyack said the reason for hiring the investigator was to make sure that any changes made are based on fact and not rumor.
He concluded by saying, “I agree that the distention and impact it is having on the community has to stop, but we need to make the right decision.
The board voted 3-2 to not remove Pettit from his office, with Patricia Lopez and Hoyack voting to remove Pettit and Ramos, Kramer and Rivera voting no.
At the end of the meeting, it turned out that the discussion might have been moot because Pettit is scheduled to leave on a two -week vacation beginning Friday. The investigator the district hired will begin Wednesday, and could complete his investigation before Pettit returns.
As noted above the district hired investigator Patrick Cooper from Mesa. He has worked with the FBI and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. He was highly recommended by Trust Investigator Steve Chenowith, Kramer said
He will be paid $95 an hour plus expenses, and the district has set aside between $5,000 and $15,000 for the expense.
Comments
Get Real...Smells Fishy wrote on Oct 24, 2009 12:38 PM:
Smells Fishy wrote on Oct 20, 2009 9:36 PM:
ALSO DHS Empolyee wrote on Oct 20, 2009 7:01 PM:
First of all... wrote on Oct 20, 2009 3:21 PM:
Mrs.Lovejoy wrote on Oct 20, 2009 1:47 AM:
Big Burn wrote on Oct 18, 2009 9:50 AM:
DHS Faculty wrote on Oct 17, 2009 6:43 PM:
Wise Gringo wrote on Oct 13, 2009 2:31 PM:
Douglas cannot and will not thrive on rumor and innuendo about the person who leads the schools and sets an example for its children. I'm not yet sure who is responsible for this mess.
If this story is pure fiction brought by certain board members, Mr. Pettit should address it - not pretend it will just go away.
Otherwise, he should. The rest of Douglas should demand it. "
Former DHS Student wrote on Oct 12, 2009 6:15 PM:
Hoyack needs to be the one reassigned wrote on Oct 11, 2009 2:03 PM:
The Old Owl wrote on Oct 9, 2009 5:37 PM:
WOW wrote on Oct 9, 2009 9:36 AM:
Rivera can't talk to the media? Is this new as this whole thing has been played out in the media or is someone afraid of the State AG?
Mr. Hoyack... your worker bees are turning because they are scared and your going to be the last man standing... Hope this investigator does not find your dirty fingers behind this whole mess!!!
Dispatch is a like a comic strip on real worthy paper.... A Joke! "
Its about time wrote on Oct 8, 2009 7:37 PM:
Fed Up Father wrote on Oct 8, 2009 8:12 AM:
You made a powerfully positive decision for the District. I know you are frustrated, it shows. You want the division to stop and so do the students, parents and employees. The division is and continues to be caused and let by Hoyack. Rivera says he see no end to the division. As long as Hoyack is on the Board it doesn’t matter who the superintendent is, division will always be in the district. He divides and conquers, he does not unite. Rivera doesn’t have enough experience or investment in the District to know this. Rivera you finally voted opposite of Hoyack and Lopez. While you may not know or care the positive impact your vote created you finally made a decision that will maintain the quality leadership we already have in place. Mr. Pettit is a leader of leaders. He doesn’t play the game that Hoyack plays and that is why the District is being drug through as Rivera calls a circus. Stop allowing the circus to continue Rivera. You finally took a first step. "
Enough is Enough wrote on Oct 8, 2009 12:05 AM: