Editorial By J.R. Webb

(Note: Joe Webb tried to post this on the blog. Due to length restrictions he was unable to.)

I would not tell another person how to vote. But the benefit of my experience over 18 months may be useful to some.

A couple years ago I began looking at how County Schools operate. I discovered rampant waste. Everyone is aware of the maintenance issues - especially life safety compliance & the grand jury presentation.

Throughout the process I was struck by the failure of the BOE to supervise the Headlee administration - especially Hemelright in facilities management. The BOE is responsible to hire and supervise the Schools Director. That supervisory role has not be done. The BOE is stacked with what I call "Headlee enablers", whom I want to name.

Bill Marcus, Seat 1A: Not a Headlee enabler. He wanted to buy out Headlee's contract.

Scotty Newman, Seat 1B: Good guy, unafraid to question Headlee's administration and voted to buy out his contract.

Larry Bass, Seat 3: Major Headlee enabler - voted to keep and praised Headlee and Hemelright while his school (Greenback) crumbled, endangering children. Opponent Lisa Russell gathered records on maintenance neglect, working to solve the problem, & refusing to be satisfied with banal platitudes from Headlee's flunkies.

Freddie Gene Walker, Seat 5A: Quintessential hell-raiser - the bravest & best BOE member! He spent a lot of time challenging Headlee's incompetent administration and looks out for the taxpayers & kids. I don't know his opponents, but Headlee's flunkies have been looking for sufficiently malleable candidates to replace him.

June Clinestiver, Seat 5B: Major Headlee enabler. She ever does any critical examination of anything Headlee says or wants. Her opponent, Van Shaver is a former commissioner with a reputation for rocking the boat to protect the people's interests.

Nancy Paule, Seat 7: Major Headlee enabler. No critical analysis of anything Headlee says or wants. I once spoke with her about enormous waste in the IT department. She praised the IT manager (Jill Pierce) who resigned after my findings became public. I don't know her opponent, Craig Simon, but its difficult to imagine he could be as useless.

Headlee didn't get County Schools in this state all by himself. He has been aided and enabled over the years by a negligent BOE.

Joe Webb