Vote passes 3-2
Ashley Hunter
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The topic of the Kilpatrick Auditorium, which the Jefferson County Watermelon Pageant had rented out prior to the Watermelon Festival, returned to the agenda of the Jefferson County School Board.
This time, the matter at hand was whether or not to refund the rental fee which the pageant had been charged and paid. Due to the disgusting conditions which the pageant had found the auditorium in, School Board member Bill Brumfield had suggested, at the June meeting, that a refund should be considered by the board. The discussion of a refund was, however, tabled during the June meeting and placed on the agenda for the July meeting.
Starting off, a citizen came to the podium to share that he had also rented the Kilpatrick Auditorium in the past and had also found it in less-than-preferred conditions. The citizen cited that his group had rented the building without air conditioning or functioning lights (despite being told that the air conditioner was functioning).
“If you're going to refund their money, why not refund our money?” he asked.
Chairperson Sandra Saunders, who had been late to the June meeting, and was not at hand for the presentation and discussion regarding the Kilpatrick Auditorium, requested an update on what was being discussed.
“I can't vote and be fair unless I know [what is going on],” said Saunders.
Shirley Washington offered to update Saunders and the audience about the subject and launched into a discussion about the auditorium, her feelings on the Monticello News, and how she felt the situation should have been handled.
“Emerald Greene [Parsons] came in with some pictures that was taken from the auditorium. She said it came from the bathroom and was the condition of the auditorium and [she] distributed them among everybody in the audience. It was done to degrade this board. Whereas, it could have been done in a better manner. If she had gone to [the] auditorium and found it in the condition that she said, according to the pictures, then the superintendent, the secretary, or a board member- somebody should have gone and seen for themselves, not on pictures,” said Washington. Although, according to the Pageant and Watermelon Festival Committee, they had called the school district office and only launched into cleaning the filth up themselves after no one arrived.
“After that, it just blew up in the Monticello News. I don't do the Monticello News, but other people do. And they were telling me what were in the Monticello News concerning the board. How the editor, the people, whatever, were bashing the board because of the auditorium,” added Washington, who also took the opportunity to question where the refund money would be going, as the pageant did require a small entry fee for the pageant and had been seeking sponsors for the pageant.
“I'm trying to see where the argument is. Who gets the proceeds from the pageant?” asked Washington.
“I'm going to see what all this is about to degrade the board over $600.”
Then, not yet willing to relinquish her hold of the floor, Washington brought up the price of advertising within the Monticello News.
Topics such as the Monticello News being paid to print delinquent tax certifications from the Tax Collector to charging $10 for thank you notes were fumed over by Washington.
“I'm trying to see what the problem is, degrading the board over paying $600,” questioned Washington. “I wanted the citizens of Jefferson County to see how much the Monticello News is making off of them, just by printing their name in the paper. You are all upset, going to degrading this board, for $600 and some dollars.”
Not yet finished, Washington added: “I don't read the Monticello News. It disturbs me. It is confusing to some people.”
After Washington had ceased in her almost five minute tirade, Saunders spoke up: “Again...I still don't know what was wrong [with the auditorium].”
Board member Charles Boland spoke up against Washington saying, “I am not degraded by what was said, because I voted, to begin with, to not charge the Watermelon Festival for the use of the auditorium. So don't include me in that, Ms. Washington, as being one of the board members who is being degraded. I am not degraded because I voted my conscious and I voted for what the citizens of Jefferson County want.”
Parsons was asked to come to the front and inform the board, the chairperson and the audience of the subject of the item on the agenda for the sake of clarity for everyone involved.
According to Parsons, the pageant committee had arrived at the auditorium the day of the pageant rehearsals (as they had been unable to receive a key from the school district prior to that day) and found an infestation of filth.
The dressing rooms were littered with trash. Molding waste filled up toilets; one toilet was reportedly so full of waste that it could not be cleaned or unstopped and the pageant committee had to put up an 'out of order' sign. The auditorium stage was full of chairs and risers, which needed to be moved by the committee. The trash cans were full of garbage, rotting food, and insects. The seating area in the main auditorium was littered with trash. There were only two working stage lights. The air condition was not operating properly. The stage curtains were stuck and required the committee to climb up ladders and remove the cords holding the curtains back. One side of the auditorium had a water leak, which left the carpet soaked and smelling of mildew; the mildew smell and fumes gave several of the committee members headaches throughout the weekend and one contestant slipped on the wet carpet and hit his head; according to the contestant's mother, he had been on concussion watch as a result of his fall. The stage floor was dusty and grimy, even after the pageant committee's attempts to sweep it clean.
The back door of the auditorium had been left unlocked, resulting in a building that was not secure.
The grass was long and, according to Parsons, looked as if it had not been cut in weeks. Upon discovering the condition of the auditorium, the committee had called Superintendent Arbulu and requested that the custodian, who was under the payroll of the school district, to come and assist with the cleaning but the custodian did not arrive until Saturday morning, long after the committee had been required to clean the mess up themselves. Further, the committee had to go out and purchase all the unexpectedly needed cleaning supplies in order to get the auditorium in presentable condition.
“We never said 'give us a refund'... If it seemed implied, it might have [been],” said Parsons. “Mr. Brumfield made the suggestion to do the refund for us. Mr. Boland had spoken up and said he agreed and didn't think we should've been charged, to begin with.”
After a moment, Parsons added, “What all does this have to do with what my printing bill to Bainbridge Post Searchlight...I have no idea.”
As soon as Parsons had finished, Washington added, under her breath, “I'm not paying that $600.”
“$600 for the Jefferson Watermelon Pageant or $600 for the Monticello News?” Inquired Parsons, to which Washington replied: “You were the spokesman, so you were over the pageant and you’re the editor to the Monticello News...either way, you take it.”
Parsons attempted to clear up with Washington that the $600 would not go to the Monticello News in any way, and that Parsons would not benefit from the refund at all.
“I’m not drawing a paycheck. I’m here as a volunteer for Jefferson County, trying to do something for the Jefferson County girls. If you want to sit there and bash evil on me for that, then you go right ahead.”
Not one to back down, Washington commented on Parsons’ suggestion at the last board meeting in June that if the auditorium did not receive more attention and care from the school district and no other building came accessible for the pageant, the pageant may face having to move to Madison.
“You (Parsons) said you could take it to Madison, you were the one saying that. Maybe you would like to consider that. You might want to consider that,” said Washington.
The audience began to stir and talk at this point, causing Chairperson Saunders to regain control of the boardroom before asking if Superintendent Arbulu had been aware of the issues at the auditorium, which Arbulu confirmed and the board agreed that they had been made aware of the situation at the auditorium after the last meeting in June.
Nan Baughman, chairperson of the 2018 Watermelon Festival stood, requesting a chance to speak (which was granted by Saunders).
“When we made the presentation at the last board meeting, we were doing that to make the board aware. We didn’t ask for the refund; Mr. Brumfield suggested it.” In response, Chairperson Bill Brumfield nodded. “Mr. Boland never wanted to charge us. We just wanted the board - [who] is always saying ‘we don’t know what’s going on’ - to see. We wanted to make the board aware of the condition that the auditorium was in. That was all,” added Baughman.
Parsons spoke again, turning to the citizen who had spoken at the beginning of the topic’s introduction to the meeting. “But what I’m hearing is this gentleman has come forward and also said that he’s complained in the past too.”
The citizen joined Parsons at the podium, saying that he believed that, should the board refund the pageant’s rental funds, then he was also due a refund.
“All I’m saying is that if you refund them for the air conditioner not working, and for the way that the auditorium was set up, then you need to do the same for me,” he said.
“Absolutely,” agreed Saunders. “And if that happens, then you will be placed on the agenda too for the same thing.”
Gladys Roann-Watson asked Superintendent Arbulu if the facility’s rent was broken up in any way, such as a defined portion for utilities or insurance.
“We've pretty much broken it out. It’s rental fee, plus clean up, plus utilities. Everything is spelled out in our policy of lease agreement,” said Arbulu.
According to Roann-Watson, the board was going “around and around”, when they had the option in front of them to refund the portion of the rental fee that the pageant had been found unsatisfactory within the auditorium.
“Next time, someone needs to do a walk through with whoever is going to rent it,” added Roann-Watson, as that it would help prevent the situation from taking place again.
Arbulu stated that in the future, a walk-through would be held before any rental agreement was signed.
After discussing hiring a reliable custodian for the board to depend on, and the fact that the school board had charged for the funeral of Jefferson County Sheriff David Hobbs, Brumfield made a motion to refund the custodian’s money as well as half of the utilities, and the rental fee. Brumfield’s motion also included not paying the custodian who was supposed to have cleaned the auditorium.
Boland asked how much the refund would come to, and Arbulu gave a rough estimate of around $250.
“They did not come for the refund, so whatever we give them is out of the ballpark,” said Saunders. “They wanted to make the board aware and now we know; this will not happen again.”
At this point, Roann-Watson made a counter motion, in order to prevent the school district staff from having to go back, do the math and keep the situation prolonged, that the board gives back $300 to the pageant.
“I say we give them their $600 back,” said Boland.
Brumfield seconded Roann-Watson’s motion, withdrawing his own, in favor of supporting her motion.
The motion to refund $300 back to the pageant/festival was approved 3-2, with Shirley Washington and Sandra Saunders voting against the motion.
In closing, Saunders asked the board if they had any closing comments or remarks.
“I think we are giving the Chamber of Commerce the shaft,” said Boland, who also offered to compensate the pageant/festival committee on some of the money that they are not being refunded.
“I'm sure they will be eternally grateful,” suggested Saunders, before asking if Roann-Watson or Brumfield had any comments – both declined.
Saunders then turned the floor over to Board member Shirley Washington for her own closing comments, which took up a total of two minutes and thirty seconds.
“I just wish the Monticello News report everything I say correctly. I don't read it – but other people read it. One thing about the Monticello News, if I would read it, it would really steal my joy [and] I don't want the Monticello News, or anything or anybody else, to steal my joy,” said Washington. “Regardless, whoever it is that writes such negative articles, then that's where their heart is, that's where their mind is, but I am commanded to still love them in spite of [that].”
“It's really doing me well. I went to the doctor last week, they have taken me off all my medicine and I said 'Gee, boy, that Monticello News paper, it is really doing me well!'” Washington added.
In response to the unveiled attack on the Monticello News, Parsons asked Washington to clarify what the refund to the pageant had to do with Parsons' business, which was in no way affiliated with the Watermelon Pageant or Chamber of Commerce.
“What does this have have to do with the Chamber? It is a personal attack and a personal vendetta,” said Parsons.
“You were the representative last month to the board meeting. I thought you were in charge,” said Washington.
“Was I representing the Monticello News or the Jefferson County Watermelon Pageant?” asked Parsons.
“Well, you're the editor of the Monticello News, so that makes a big difference,” Washington added.
“I am also a mother, but you aren't going to stand here and talk about my children. I came here as the Jefferson County Watermelon Pageant-” Parsons started, only for Washington to interrupt with “Did I talk about your children? I didn't say anything about your children. Let's get it straight now, did I say anything about your children? I didn't even know you had any children.”
At that point, Saunders banged the gavel, as the audience began to stir and murmur in response to Washington's comment towards Parsons.
Saunders' took the floor back, saying she had no further comments, and Brumfield made the motion to adjourn, with all the board voting in agreement.
The Jefferson County School Board will have a special meeting on Tuesday, July 24, with the next regularly scheduled school board meeting will be held on Monday, August 13
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