While Fred Shuback’s resignation letter was dated March 16 (Letter raises concerns about district spending, April 29 edition of Oxford Leader), members of the Oxford School Board didn’t see or know about the contents until an April 24 e-mail from Superintendent Dr. William Skilling.
‘Dear Board: I just wanted to give you an FYI on two FOIA requests from Team 20,? Skilling wrote in the e-mail. ‘The attached FOIA request wants our attorney bills for the last two years and Fred Shuback’s resignation letter. I have attached his letter for your review??
Trustee Joyce Brasington assumes the only reason she received a copy of the letter was because it was going to be made public due to TEAM 20’s a local group that’s been questioning and challenging the school district’s actions.
‘When I read the allegations, I immediately e-mailed school board President Jim Reis and the rest of the board members and Dr. Skilling to suggest that outside attorney look into these allegations and for the board to discuss them,? Brasington said.
‘I thought it was something that should have been shared with the board immediately,? she continued. ‘I should not get documents or find out information because something got FOIA-ed by an outside group. There should be a way to communicate from the district to the board, respectively. I would hope that (new Superintendent) Mr. (Tim) Throne does a better job.?
Brasington found it ‘alarming? that one of the concerns in Shuback’s letter is a concern she has shared.
‘Throughout the past few months at board meetings I’ve expressed my concern that Dr. Skilling should have retired June 30 and it never made sense to me for the previous board to accept his retirement (effective) Aug. 31,? she said.
Brasington noted she is also concerned they’ve ‘lost consistency,? in the finance department with Shuback leaving in two weeks and the departure of Former Chief Operation Officer Pam Anstey last month.
‘It seems to me that it leaves a huge void in our district,? she added. ‘I’m sure there is now an added expense to the district by having to bring in consultants to do their jobs.?
Shuback said Connie Haugan, will be temporarily replacing him at his position. Mike Dixon, will fill Anstey’s position for three days a week. Dixon, has spent over 35 years of financial and management experience in both the public and private sectors, including 23 years in Michigan Schools as assistant superintendent for finance/operations, according to his LinkedIn page. He is the former President of the School Business Officials Association.
Shumaker shared the same sentiments regarding not being informed of Shuback’s resignation or ‘the contents of his letter.?
‘I first became aware of the possibility that Mr. Shuback had resigned back in April when a community member saw his job posted and called to ask me if he had quit. Upon calling Dr. Skilling a few days later to confirm that, he did confirm that he had resigned, but I was not told about the letter or its contents at that time. In fact, the reason I was given did not align with the letter,? she told this reporter. ‘I became aware of the letter about a week later from another community member.?
This raised concern for Shumaker because this is not the first time she’s learned about district happenings from outside sources.
Both Shumaker and Trustee Mike Schweig also made requests of Reis that the allegations be discussed in a meeting.
‘I think there some serious allegations named in the letter and I think we need to determine the truth,? Schweig said. ‘My understanding is Dr. Skilling has spoken with the Oxford Leader about them, so I think it’s in heading in the right direction to helping determine the truth and through that process, I think we will.?
Board Vice President Carol Mitchell declined to comment.
‘I don’t think I am going to even answer that because I don’t even want to get involved.? Mitchell said. ‘There are a lot things I feel are untrue. I’m not going to get involved. I’m not going to call Fred out. I’m not even going to comment. I’m sorry.?
Board Secretary and Spokesman Mark Stepek said he met with Skilling to discuss the matter, but wasn’t willing to comment yet either.
‘I don’t know what all is there,? he said. ‘I need to look into it more before I can make any comment and know what is fully going on.?
Board Treasurer Dan D’Alessandro called the Leader last week saying he had just come off a surgery and hadn’t had a chance to look at it yet.
‘I just saw it and I’m going to look at it and as soon as I look at it, I’ll give you my opinion on it,? he told this reporter ‘I think that’s going to be the best thing to do considering I am still sedated.?
D’Alessandro could not be reached for comment Monday.
Board President Jim Reis believes Shuback ‘did a great job for the district.?
‘I thought he was good at watching the dollar and cents,? Reis said. ‘I think a couple of the points are his opinion about how money should be spent. That’s his opinion and the board and the cabinet had other ideas. That’s all.?
However, he did agree with Skilling that the ‘homeless student transportation? was an ‘ethical issue.? Reis, who is a licensed builder and contractor, used the example of doing a job for somebody, sending them the bill and then forgetting to include in the bill part of the work he did.
‘I flashed a chimney, but forgot to put it there and they said ‘well you didn’t put it on the original bill, so we’re not going to pay you,? he explained. ‘But I did the work.?
‘To me, it’s a paperwork thing and an ethical thing to do is to pay them. Honestly, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it when we it came up and we agreed to pay them half,? Reis added. ?(Had I been paying attention), I would (have fought) to pay them the whole thing, it’s not like they didn’t do what they were supposed to do. It’s the right thing to do that’s all.?
When asked about board members requesting discussion of the allegations in a meeting setting, Reis said he didn’t think it was going to happen, then stated that nobody had asked him about it.
‘Fred’s resigned and I don’t really see a need to do it,? he said. ‘I can’t say it might not happen in the future, but I don’t think so. I don’t know it? I guess if enough board members wanted to do something to discuss it we would end up doing it, but I don’t see that right now.?
He then called this reporter back stating that his ‘memory had been jogged? and he did remember getting a request from Brasington. When mentioned that both Schweig and Shumaker also made the request, Reis said he’s ‘talked with both of them since then.?
‘I don’t think they’re pushing for a meeting now and I don’t think Joyce is either. I kind of discussed it with them individually, so I don’t think we’re going to have a meeting,? Reis said. ‘Nobody requested a meeting. I think Mike and Kim just said ‘we need to understand these allegations? or something like that.?
Brasington told this reporter Monday she still has the same concerns she had a week ago and believes the serious allegations still need to be looked at and talked about.
Shumaker noted that she was still open to discuss it as well
‘I believe that the concerns raised in Fred Shuback’s resignation letter warrant discussion,? she added. ‘However, if a discussion (item) will not be placed on the agenda nor a closed session held, then it is my opinion that this board is not respecting the responsibilities that have been entrusted to us. Under the circumstances, I believe that the time for change is upon us.?
Schweig agreed.
‘I think it’s time for us to discuss it as board and determine what, if anything, we need to do,? Schweig added. ‘If we believe the allegations have been resolved, then so be it. If not, we’re going to have to do some more investigation in terms of determining the truth.?