The Wednesday article “Everett School Board censures fellow member over discord” reports in part the following:
The resolution alleges that Jessica Olson publicly disclosed without board authority confidential information from executive sessions about potential real estate purchases in violation of school district policy.
The deal, which has subsequently been called off, would have had the school district purchase the 289,000-square-foot Frontier Communications building on 41st Street in Everett, at a possible cost of $25 million.
Earlier this month, school leaders confirmed, for the first time publicly, that talks took place with the city about leasing space in the building to Washington State University to plant the seeds for a four-year university.
“That needs to be discussed out in the open, absolutely,” Olson said prior to the school board meeting.
“If we’re doing something with the public’s money that taxpayers have voted to give the school district and now using money to in part benefit a public agency other than ourselves, I think the public has a right to know that we’re considering spending the money in this way,” she said.
My thoughts:
This censure of Olson is in fact a censure of the Everett voting public because this is exactly why Olson was elected to the school board.
The Everett mayor wants WSU to come to Everett but does not have the money to buy the seed building. The mayor finds deep pockets at the school district due to a 2006 voter approved levy. The school district falls in step and opens our public purse without the consent of the people. If this school board can do something this deceitful I can’t imagine what has been done in the past and what is in store for us going forward.
This school board needs to wake up and talk to the people. No more secrets.
Dennis Finlayson
Everett
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