College Community board passes IASB rebuke

CEDAR RAPIDS - Members of the College Community School Board met in June 2010 to discuss how they were unhappy with controversy at the statewide Iowa Association of School Boards.

One year later, and the story hasn't changed much.

The board unanimously passed a resolution calling for the IASB board's resignation and the organization's reorganization during its special meeting Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at the College Community Educational Services Center.

The most recent problem at IASB that has the College Community board members upset is the dismissal of president elect Lee Ann Grimley. The sudden and unexpected dismissal tells College Community that IASB has no interest in being transparent with its members.

“There's just a lack of compliance with principles that they ought to be adhering to,” said board member John Titler. “You would expect that IASB would try to be an example for the boards it teaches and influences and it appears to be just the opposite.”

IASB was mired in controversy last year following allegations of misuse of public funds by Chief Financial Officer Kevin Schick, and Executive Director Maxine Kilcrease was fired after raising her salary without board approval.

Board President Randy Bauer and Vice-President Greg Kelsey attended the IASB district meeting last night and met with IASB's new executive director Thomas Downs. While they said they had no particular issue with Downs, he did not address their concern regarding the organization's board.

The resolution is nonbinding, but Bauer noted that many other school boards around Iowa are passing similar resolutions.

The board previously discussed the possibility of dropping out of IASB completely, but decided to table that idea until its July 18, 2011, meeting. The main obstacle to leaving is due to federal and state funds the district keeps in IASB's Iowa School Cash Anticipation Program.

IASB resolution