001their own state accountability the taxpayers I worked 25 years in EMS and when you walk into someone's house and that only person who worked there 80 years and you see that decide between heat and food and their tax bill and their medication if you come talk to me until you've done that you don't understand what these people some of these elderly people in this community are going through and paying their tax bills and the money the fixed money they're on and we were deceiving. It wasn't about I want to be very clear here. It was not about whether we needed an elementary school or not. It was a process in which it occurred. And everyone in this room should be still outraged. I don't care where you stand politically. You should be outraged. And for
002anyone who allowed it to go on, shame on you. Have a voice, use it. That is the democratic process of this country. [clears throat] Dave Bradley chaos, but you know what? In his chaos, he brings out things that people should know about and they shouldn't be hidden. And it cost this community a lot of money and shock a lot of people. [clears throat] >> Any other public comment? >> Sure. >> I'm just going to comment as a citizen. Um [clears throat] I Right. Can I ask you something please? Yeah, that's fine because I'm again I'm here as a citizen only as a citizen. I don't I'd rather not talk in front of students. Uh so I prefer that he not be here. Whoever whoever is going to be part of the board is going to
003be part of the board and how we treat each other and treat our community with honesty, integrity and all of us have to sleep at night with the decisions that we make. Now some of those are guided by sets of principles like honesty, integrity, faith and however people choose to live their lives, they choose to live their lives. I'm not here to disparage anybody's name because there are commandments that tell us that we shouldn't talk evil about others, our neighbors. But we also have to remember that no one is above the truth. And we have to know that what we're doing is in our hearts and in our minds is the right thing. And you're making decisions the right way and for the right reasons. And my hope is that all of you are making
004decisions for the right reasons. that you have the best interest of Lehigh Area School District, the students that go there, the community that voted for you, that you have all of their interests in mind when you made the decisions that you made. And we have to be able to sleep at night, whatever our guiding principles are, whoever guides us, whatever whatever guides us to make decisions, all right, we have to be able to sleep at night knowing that we made this decision because it is the best possible decision really. the area school district, whoever that may be. Thanks. >> Other public comment hearing none, the board will deliberate. I'm going to suggest that um I start with Jeremy as we just go around the table. I doubt that, you know, see how things go. maybe
005wish to make a statement. >> Really happy to say anything. >> April. >> Yeah. Um I said it on Monday and I'll say it again. I think instead of dividing the board even more. This 2.4 for should be held until after the newborn is seated and you should discuss it together and come together. That's how I feel. That's in fairness. Now, as far as Mr. Bradley, and believe me, I supported him for a number of years. You mentioned on Monday night the selling of the two schools illegally, right? Well, I'm the one that found out that they were sold illegally because I filed the right to know. Unfortunately, it was too late to stop the sale. They were never advertised in the Carbon County Journal. Now, our solicitor at the time proceeded to tell me
006that there's only two um legal newspapers in the Commonwealth, one in Alageney County and one in Philadelphia County. And I beg to differ because according to the attorney general, all those legal journals, I think Camry County is the only one that doesn't have it, but I'm not positive because it's been a few years. They're all legal newspapers. And when it came around for the second set of schools to be sold, they put a date in and I watched the Carbon County Journal and it wasn't advertised there. So I sent an email to Mr. cleaver and told him flat out, you either change the date and advertise it properly or I am going to the judge and get it at an emergency injunction against that sale. So it I couldn't find it in the minutes but
007they moved in a month >> and because of that we got more money for Shaw David >> and I don't know it was a few thousand dollars at least because they were supposed to go for 350 go and I think we got 425 for Sh David 425 but anyway the point is I supported him. Then I begged him to stop. After we found out what was wrong, we were ready to start fixing it. I begged him to stop and I was told, "I'm having fun." That's Joyy's job. It's her job. Her job is to rebuild. I'm having fun. And that's when I lost respect for him. Now, he got on the board in 2018. I looked at all the minutes and looked at all the adjournment times and I decided I was only going to
008go with adjournment times over 1000 p.m. So if it was 9:59 I didn't include it. In 2018 we had 10:50 11:14 10:35 10:21 and 1011. So that's six meetings out of 12 after 10 p.m. 2019 we have 11:07, 10:16, 11:42, and 10:30. In 2020, which I'm pretty sure were Zoom meetings, if not almost 10:41, 10:33, 10:16, 11:25, and 11:15. Then in 2021, and I know I think some of them were still zoom in the beginning, but I didn't write down what months I have. Here we have 10:46, 11:49, 11:40, 11:32, and 1111. And he was having fun. I just We have a reputation in Harrisburg as a laughingtock. We do. And that's wrong. We have a reputation across the Commonwealth with school boards. The auditor general in his letter for the 2020 audit said, "We
009are an example of what not to do." What not to do. So, how about we do a little better? We I've been angry and and saying things too because I don't want it to continue. My heart I I ran for this board because I wanted things done legally. I wanted to follow the rules. If you don't like the rules and you change them, that's what you do. And What happened last year broke my heart. It broke my trust. And I will say it wasn't the action that was actions that were taken. It was the process used was unethical. Now, as far as Dave Bradley goes, I I'm going to be sitting over there at these meetings and when 9:30 or 10:00 comes, I can get up and walk out. You all going to be sitting
010here. Well, not you, not Carrie. But the rest are going and not Rusty. You get to go home, too. I'm looking forward to it. But just be just be prepared. You're going to be sitting here till 11 11:30 12:00 at night. And that's all I got to say on that. And I still say in fairness, in all fairness, and for the sake of the kids, put it off and do it together inclusively with the four from over here and the four from over here. I've known Dave Bradley for a long time. The man is a good man. >> I didn't say he wasn't. >> And as Ryan said, those were some very good points. People sometimes don't like to hear the truth. He exposed the truth and people criminalized him for it. Not in the
011court system, but with words. The school administration at the time deliberately blocked him from access to public information and he had to take the school to court. Did that cost the school money? Absolutely. Should it have cost the school money? No. If they would have provided the public information, we would never have gotten to that point. But it took several years of fighting just to give a board member information that they should be entitled to see. Dave is a very smart man and I will support them. >> Thank you. [clears throat] >> I'll make my comment. Um, Bill, your words touched me. I I I thought that was interesting about working together. I can I can tell you that um you know I have a great respect for Dave Bradley and I think he's done
012a lot of good work here. Um I'll agree with other people that he can be rather chaotic. I can tell you that um first of all if Sean believes we're not leaving the district I would certainly not be asking him to resign so that you know people could appoint Dave Brett for example. That's I would rather have Sean. That would be my preference. He was voted. Um he should be here and he can't. Um I can tell you that I have great concerns about you coming on to the board. Um and and uh my first years when I was on the board, Gail Maholic and I were two women in the in in the community, people trying to help uh our community and work for the district and the people who were kind of running
013the show here. Um, and in my mind, you align with them. You know, you may not agree with that, but that is my perception. They forced Gail and I to sit on opposite sides of the table. I felt that we were mistreated, and I I felt like Dave Bradley was my protector. I felt that I was safe with him here and that um, you know, that um, things could be okay. So that's that's kind of where I'm coming at with this. >> I agree with Dwayne. I think uh Dave is a good person overall >> and uh I will be voting for him tonight. >> Respect a lot that Mr. O'Brien has brought forward. I do respect these ideas. However, I think there's a better way of handling this this seat. And I would hope
014that you guys could all think that we could work unifiably with the four incoming board members and have an open mind and collaborate and move our district forward like we have been over the past two years. I really feel like we're moving the state. Well, not me, you guys. This vote and we're going to cause a circus for the community and taxpayers. It's disrespectful. it's dishonest and I really wish you guys would reconsider the four of you in coming and whoever gets to see whether it's Bradley or not I look forward to working with everybody and I hope my thoughts are wrong and we can continue to move forward but I just have a gut feeling this is going to be more chaotic than you guys are thinking >> I've been giving this a lot
015of thought we ran together Joy >> we ran together with hard. We made a promise to all each other and to the community. We made a promise that we were going to do better, that we were going to be honest, we were going to do right by the kids, do right by the community, do right by the teachers. I feel like we've been doing that. >> Even though we don't get along in the beginning, we all got along and it was very good. We had a great board, one of the best. I think along the way we strayed things got complicated, very complicated all around. But I truly believe that we know each other. We know how to pick at each other. We know exactly what to do to each other to get on each
016other's nerves, to get in under each other's skins. But when we're in executive session, we're pretty decent. We we think, we get along, we do what's best for the kids in the community. We don't always agree when we're out here. Sometimes, uh, passions fly. People get a little irritated with each other. But the point that I'm trying to make is we're not going to be here anymore. You have four new people. you have to get along with them. And there's a great opportunity for you guys to get along and do great things, really great things. And I think that if you guys get together with them and you talk and discuss who's the best option to fit into this, I think that great things can happen. you guys can just make what we you can
017build on what we've already accomplished and just make it explode and become great. I just think that Dave is not going to get along with everybody and he might be an obstacle and he might be a hindrance and I would much rather see you guys thrive than at each other because we've been at each other. It's not working. It was ugly for this last couple months. And we were great. We did a lot of great things. >> We did. >> We really did. We said we were going to do this and we did. Look at how far we came with the education of the kids. Test scores are improved. Our teachers are more happy than they were. Like we did a lot of good for the community. And I just want you guys to do
018that with the new lunch coming in. And I think that if you guys sit together and put your heads together as a board, not as two separate entities, but as a board, you can both decide the best decision for your board because it is going to be your board and all of your board. It's no longer going to be our board. It's no longer going to be your board. It's going to be your board. And I really think that you guys should just postpone this and give it some thought. I mean, you guys have a lot of time to spend together. Look how many hours we spend together. Look how many days we spend together. How many text messages? What did we do? We put out fires for two years. That's all we did for
019the first two years. Like, you need to be on a team. And I I don't hate Dave. I don't hate anybody because that's a terrible thing to do and it's a waste of my time. And I think he has done a lot of great things and he he but I think he's he's done I think he did what he needed to do and it's time to give the reigns to somebody else and we have some great people with some great ideas and we still have some great people left on the board with great ideas. I just think if you just come together and and to your conclusion to your decision your choice it's much better than people leaving making that's all I have to say >> I think and we were so and have always
020been for one second why the song dance out here why the nastiness out here sometimes being out here it just brings it And I also have a question. You know, if it's true what you said about the good work that we've done, why would you not just support them then instead of running against them? You obviously have a reason to be on this board, too. >> We have I have every right to be on the board and run forward and put my ideas on the table. >> Yeah, you're right. >> I'm sorry. I thought I ran, but I'm allowed.