Friday
May 11, 2001
Web posted: 7:50 pm

The recall effort has nothing to do with a show of hands. The Author of the previous OPINION knows this and she will have to live with her efforts to deceive the general public. As the parent said to the Board Members at the meeting in February I attended, shame, shame, shame!!! Anyone interested can obtain a copy of the opinion of Gordon Tans off this Sitnews site and read it for themselves. No where in the Attorney's Statement prepared for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly did he say a show of hands was a VIOLATION OF THE STATE OF ALASKA OPEN MEETINGS ACT! The question I guess I would have to ask would be -- why try to give misinformation to people. What's wrong with the truth?

The Attorney said the VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT OCCURRED ON MARCH 22, 2000 AND ON APRIL 12, 2000 due to the item not being on the agenda at the April 12, 2000 meeting and due to the item not being advertised for a sufficient time period for a decision of this impact at the March 22, 2000 meeting. The Borough Assembly set a date as early as possible, I cannot speak for them but the sensible reason would be to allow as much time as possible to fix the mess that people had made prior to the end of the school year. TO BENEFIT ALL CHILDREN!!! And for no other reason!

I did ask the Borough Clerk if she had turned in the papers she was supposed
to and was told that everything was done according to normal practices and
procedures as required by Law.

How Unfair it was at the last School Board meeting to hear Hannah Ramiskey say that they were the only Board to do this and that right, patting herself on the back when she should be looking at herself in the mirror. I agree with George Lybrand when he said maybe we have made some mistakes but at least we make our decisions in public. I would only add to that Mr. Lybrand that you do more than that, you are accountable and honest which is more than I can say for some. I can also say that some elected officials also live up to their Oaths of Office, and then there are the five members of the school board hiding behind Mr. Martin who is following their direction, praising him and therefore praising themselves. Sue Pickrell said the other night if she is not recalled and the restructuring does not work she will resign. WHAT OPPORTUNITY DO THE CHILDREN HAVE FOR RECOURSE AND THEIR LOSS ON THAT DAY?

Please Vote Yes for ETHICS, AND FOR HONESTY. Thank you FOLKS, ALL OF YOU!!!!!!

Editor's Note: Download the Gordon Tans' Opinion referred to in this opinion.

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