By DON CRIM
Herald-Whig Managing Editor
About one hour after Melvin “Bud” Niekamp said he would not resign from the Quincy
School Board, either as president or as a board member, the other six board members voted to curtail the duties of the president and to dissolve four standing committees.
Niekamp delivered a letter to the Quincy School Board at the beginning of
Wednesday night’s meeting stating his position. His letter was read by Board secretary Phyllis Stewart to the audience in the Baldwin School Round Room.
The other board members — Jeff Mays, Steven Krause, Curtis Lovelace, Tom Dickerson, Glenn Bemis and Bill Daniels — later voted 6-1 to suspend the board's policy outlining the duties of the president. The same six then voted minutes later to disband the Policy, Finance, Building and Curriculum committees.
Both votes were made with little fanfare and no discussion from any Board members.
The vote gives the president "only those powers specifically given to him by law and no
others." In effect, Niekamp's role as president is now limited to a
handful of perfunctory duties with minimal decision-making power.
A letter signed by the six board members was
hand-delivered to Niekamp Friday. He was asked either to resign and be reappointed without the president's title, or be stripped of almost all the
president's powers that the board would then transfer to the vice president. The
letter asked him to resign his seat as a way to resolve "the legal
uncertainties and disruptions concerning your election."
The six promised they would promptly appoint Niekamp to the
vacancy created by his resignation, but he would no longer be president. Tom Dickerson, who currently serves as vice president, would have been
elevated to the president's position, and the board would have held an election for
a new vice president.
After the votes to curtail the duties of the president and to disband the committees were held, Robert Shabel spoke before the Board and called the vote "despicable" and "backstabbing." Steve Tenhouse thanked the School Board for its action and said he hopes
the school district can move on. His comments drew the largest round of applause.
Jim Sibbing, one of the new members appointed to the Building Committee, said he believes there has been a “gross misunderstanding" and that the board should show more fiscal constraints with life-safety projects. He said someone in the district “should be watching the store.”
At the conclusion of the 1 hour, 20 minute meeting, Niekamp thanked the audience for being civil and said he appreciated that none of the fireworks
that dominated his first Board meeting as president in June occurred during this meeting.
Most of the seats in Baldwin School Round Room were filled, with a few people standing.
A discussion of life-safety projects was held. The Board tried to determine if architects
should do work to prepare documents to submit projects to state. Bill
Daniels said board is at least three steps away from deciding to spend
money. Quincy Public Schools qualified for $8.1 million in bonds through federal stimulus
money.
Niekamp said he has been "busy this week," so Superintendent Lonny Lemon gave Policy Committee report. Niekamp is chairman of that committee.
Daniels, chairman of Finance Committee, said
district is far from being in good shape, but the deficit looks worse
than it is. He said the district could not count $3.8 million in tort
funds as an asset. More than $1.1 million in state payments have not
been made. Those two figures comprise the bulk of the $5.1 million
deficit.
Daniels also reported the self-insurance fund has run a $3.6 million surplus since changes were made in the 2003-04 contract, but
he cautioned that $3 million of that came in first three years of
five-year cycle. The surplus was less than $50,000 last year with no
increase in those covered.
