Mike Williams, Jenny Marsh honored by Othello School Board
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 1 month AGO
OTHELLO — Former Othello High School wrestling coach Mike Williams and district psychologist Jenny Marsh were recognized by the Othello School Board during the regular board meeting Monday.
Williams recently was named to the Washington Wrestling Hall of Fame. Marsh received recognition as the 2016 School Psychologist of the Year by the Washington Association of School Psychologists. Each received a certificate from the board.
Williams worked as teacher and coach for 30 years, said board chair Juan Garza. Williams said he worked for another decade or so as a substitute janitor, and liked that too.
Williams said he’s been in Othello 50 years, having originally come to town to teach science and coach football and wrestling. He didn’t know how to coach wrestling, he recalled telling school officials, but they weren’t worried. All they needed, he remembered them saying, was a warm body. “And that’s what they got, for a while. Because I didn’t know anything about it.” Over time he learned, he said.
Marsh has worked in Othello 36 years, going on 37, she said. “I have to tell you I was really surprised,” she said. She didn’t quite believe it when they announced her name. She has one more year to retirement — maybe, she said. She’s not sure yet.
In other business, the resignation of the Othello School District IT director prompted a discussion about information and micromanagement.
The resignation of IT director Glenn Whitcomb was part of the consent agenda. Board member Mike Garza said he had been asked about the resignation by a district patron, and didn’t have an answer. Garza said the district patron who asked him expressed dissatisfaction.
“Someone asked me today — this evening — about our IT director, and I said, ‘well, it’s the first I’ve heard of it, so I don’t know anything about it,’” said board member Rob Simmons. The board used to receive some information about district business, such as the reasons for a resignation. But that policy changed in July, said assistant superintendent Pete Perez.
As a result that information is not part of the public record, and Simmons said that meant he couldn’t answer the question even if he knew the reason. Garza said he would like to know a little bit more in some cases, to “perhaps identify if it was something that we as a district can avoid, if it was something we can improve on.”
Board member Tony Ashton said the previous policies were put in place before the board changed the way it operates. “From my view, if somebody is resigning, and it really has nothing to do with the board, for the board to do anything different or the district to anything different, it’s nothing I need to be aware of.” He said it could lead to micromanagement by the board.
But, Ashton said, if an evaluation was conducted and “if there was something that stuck out that pertained to the board in retaining staff, I’d be interested in it.” Both Simmons and Mike Garza said they agreed with that. Board members might not need to know everything, Garza said, but any information that pertains to the board should be passed on to the board.
Juan Garza said he was informed about the resignation Friday, but didn’t pass the information on to the other board members. Board members can go in and ask about details on any subject, he said.
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.