College Community may drop out of state school board association

School board members at College Community School District are not happy with recent developments at the Iowa Association of School Boards and are considering dropping their membership.

The IASB has been racked with controversy following allegations of misuse of public money by Chief Financial Officer Kevin Schick and the firing of Executive Director Maxine Kilcrease for raising her salary without board approval.

But it's the recent ouster of President-elect Lee Ann Grimley that had the College Community board members upset at their meeting Monday night. Grimley was regarded as an agent for openness and transparency in the IASB, and her dismissal is not a step in the right direction, said board vice president Greg Kelsey.

"I feel ownership as a school board member," he said. "It's our organization and this deeply troubles me."

Board President Randy Bauer shared a draft resolution among the other members that calls for the reorganization of the IASB and the resignation of its current board. Bauer and his fellow members ultimately decided to table the resolution until a future meeting to get some feedback from other school districts. Bauer said he would be meeting Tuesday, June 21, 2011, with several other Iowa school board presidents to get their feedback.

Cedar Rapids and Marion schools recently tabled the issue of membership renewal as well, while Linn-Mar recently decided to withdraw completely.

The school board debated whether or not to renew their IASB membership last year as well during the previous controversy. In the end, they decided to renew, contingent that the state group change its ways, said board member Dot Pospischil.

"We had deep concerns, and we said they better clean up their act," she said.

College Community pays about $10,000 a year in dues to the IASB, according to Jim Rotter, business director for the district. In return, they receive worker's compensation and building liability insurance, banking services, drug and alcohol testing, a legal services fund and online policy services. The board also sent members to 12 different IASB training events during the last school year.

"My greatest concern is the day-to-day banking," Rotter said. "Other banks will take our business, but we won't have the safeguards we have in place now, or the expertise."