It has been over 400 days since Dr. Kathleen Williams was engaged to perform post-superintendent services to this district. I have written about this story at some length numerously. Despite the many opportunities for former Superintendent Kathleen Williams, current Superintendent Scott Clay, Board President Jane Wojtkiewicz, or newly found "Voice of the Board” Steven Levy to openly and clearly discuss EMSD#63’s hush-hush Williams engagement decision, no one has came forward with an “official” story, until now.
So why is that you ask?
I’ll tell you why we didn’t officially hear about the $900 per day verbal agreement for employee/consulting/tutoring services for over 400 days; they didn’t want us to know. Period!
This Board and Administration, under Williams/Clay/Wojtkiewicz have always had a direct line to, and a working relationship with the local papers, and in the past have never withheld even the most non-essential information from “stakeholders” – when it suited their purpose. Even today, I can remember the article that appeared in the Pioneer Press touting the athletic prowess of former Superintendent Williams and her completion of a local triathlon.
| District 63's Williams climbs her mountain, reaches life-long goal |
| Aug 12, 2004; JENNIFER JOHNSON ... East Maine School District 63 Superintendent Kathleen Williams spent one Sunday last month working toward a personal goal of completing the first triathlon of her life. Williams, 54, swam, biked and jogged her way to the finish line in the Reebok Women's Triathlon which drew approximately 2,400 women to downtown Naperville. "It was one of those mountains in life I am happy to have achieved," Williams said. The triathlon consisted of a half-mile swim, followed by a 14.5 mile ...” |
Yet they couldn’t see the reason or find the time to tell us this $87k+ story - until now.
We would still be unaware of this agreement except for Dr. Clay’s mistake. It was only while talking to Superintendent Clay about another subject that local reporter Tom Robb of the Journal & Topics stumbled upon the hitherto unknown agreement.
Journal-Topics - District 63 Brings Back Williams---At $900 A Day
Only after this article appeared was any “outsider” aware of Williams return.
So much for EMSD#63 transparency!
EMSD#63’s Board and Administration, first under Williams/Wojtkiewicz and now under Clay/Wojtkiewicz could have spoken on this subject at any time. They did not!
But why now?
It appears to me that the reason was obvious. They weren’t controlling the message. Some pesky blogger was.
Since Spring I have been writing about this subject in the following posts: When is enough, enough?, A Rudyard Kipling approach to (FOIA) requests – Part One, A Rudyard Kipling approach to (FOIA) requests – Part Two, A Rudyard Kipling approach to (FOIA) requests – Part Two – Update, A Rudyard Kipling approach to (FOIA) requests – Part Three, Is Dr. Williams a consultant to EMSD#63 or not?, Williams is gone. It appears the School Board has gotten the message!, Woops – You mean she’s not gone? and Kathleen Williams – Superintendent, Wausau School District!
And then there are the emails and FOIA’s.
06-10-2010 - Williams Still Working Emails
And the unnecessary $7,504 attorney fee.
FOIA #100505-001 - Consulting Agreement and Support Documents
And the question of FOIA/attorney policy.
Question to Dr. Clay on FOIA Policy
And who advised employee/consultant/mentor Dr. Williams to send hundreds of emails totaling 1,314 pages to District EMSD#63 attorney's, Scariano, Himes and Petrarca for review, in response to FOIA #100505-001?
Or who made the initial call to the Scariano, Himes and Petrarca.
And then we have EMSD#63’s long time Board Member Mr. Steven Levy proposing the addition of two budget line items to track the costs of FOIA requests to the district, followed by the Board’s intention to publish those costs as part of each Board Minutes starting in August. What’s this! It’s like Blogo blaming the Feds for increasing his financial expenses. There would be little or no need for FOIA requests or the existence of this blog if transparency existed in East Maine School District #63.
Email to Dr. Clay - Mr. Steven Levy Comment -Two Teachers
As a response to this decision I have included the following request on each FOIA submission: “Also, please provide the date, employee name, employee title, hourly rate, and actual time spent providing facts for this FOIA request.” To this I receive the following answer: “The FOIA does not require us to answer questions or create documents. However, we will be including the total hours expended and the staff cost for the month on the board action at each monthly meeting.” How does the EMSD#63 intend to calculate these costs? Maybe their just going to make the numbers up like they do their budgets.
Just another example of Clay/Wojtkiewicz leadership!
Just my opinion of course!
3 comments:
Mr Butterly,
You’ve never had anything good to say about our district, our teachers, Dr. Williams or Dr. Clay. Complaining is all you seem to be able to do. You write about Dr. Williams like she’s the devil incarnate. What about the good things she’s done. You can’t be that blinded by rage that you can’t see all the good our teachers and administrators do every day. They devote their entire lives to our children. Dr. Williams devoted 9 years of her life to our children and now Dr. Clay is doing the same. If he needed Dr. Williams help so what! Mr. Butterly let our teachers and administrators and elected officials do their jobs instead of having to respond to your childish freedom of information requests and senseless ragging.
So what if they publish the costs of FOIA requests? Doesn't mean a damn thing. The law says they have to make certain information available and they can't gouge for it either.
Maybe the district needs new attorneys since the ones they have now don't seem to be telling them anything useful.
Dr. Clay is either illiterate or an obfuscater since he either couldn't understand your question or was making every attempt to avoid answering it.
Anon, August 25, 2010 3:43pm
I recently received a copy of the attorney fees associated with my FOIA requests. The vast majority have to do with Williams consulting contract and I believe the Superintendent's selection process. I will be publishing these SH&P invoices and all of the associated documents within the next few days.
Dr. Clay seems less willing to discuss these issues directly than in the recent past. Too bad, he appears to have gone off the air. The conversation was refreshing while it lasted.
Post a Comment