BURKEonBOARD

(Sept. 7, 2008) – There’s an important meeting taking place Wednesday (Sept. 10), at 5:30 p.m. and you’re not allowed to see it.

The Farmington School Board will hold superintendent Bradley Meeks annual performance evaluation. It’s a personnel matter so they can hold their secret meeting. But, someone else won’t be there who should be, one of the board members, Ann Manthey.

Because of an unavoidable work conflict, Ann will be out of town and unable to attend. Board chair Julie McKnight and the rest of the board members (henceforth to be known as the Meeks Five) were told long in advance that Ann couldn’t make that date, but they went ahead and scheduled Meeks’ evaluation when she couldn’t be there anyway. Even though Ann asked that the meeting be set a day or two later when she could attend. But the rest of the board wouldn’t do that.

What a surprise!

Ann has been the lone board member for the past few years to ever take exception to the the rest of the board’s Meeks’ rubber stamp policy. No wonder they jumped at a chance to hold Meeks’ evaluation when she couldn’t attend.

This is just the latest in a long series of slights the Meeks Five have dealt Ann.

Manthey has always been a model of decorum and graciousness on the board, conducting herself with politeness that Emily Post could aspire to. Never a harsh word for anyone crossed her lips in public or private. When she disagreed and attempted to make her points on the board, she always did it with kindness and respect for everyone and everyone’s point of view.

In return, she’s been ignored by other board members, or worse, been treated with contempt or derision in public meetings.

Is it any wonder that the Meeks Five took advantage and scheduled Bradley’s evaluation when she couldn’t be there? After all, Manthey is the lone board member who might have had anything constructive or even critical to add in the superintendent’s evaluation.

It’s no wonder that Manthey isn’t running for reelection after four years of this kind of treatment. She’s too nice to say anything harsh about any of her fellow board members and too considerate of others to complain about her treatment. But after a few years, this shabby treatment takes its toll on a person.

Ann deserved much better treatment from the rest of the board. She gave them much better than they deserved.

Meanwhile, the Meeks Five will evaluate Meeks on Wednesday. And I predict he will get glowing reviews.

The next thing to watch for is a quick and early renewal of Meeks’ contract, which by law can happen any time now, even though Meeks’ current contract doesn’t expire until the end of August next year.

More on that subject coming soon.