Joseph City School Board Takes No Action On Staff Resignations

Lorenc, a longtime district maintenance department employee, initially expressed to the board in person during its Aug. 11 meeting that he felt he had been constructively terminated as an employee in a recent performance evaluation, at which time the board informed Lorenc of its desire to convene separately to fully address the issues and reassured Lorenc he had not been constructively fired.

Through an attorney, Lorenc formally submitted to the board on Aug. 27 written notice of resignation due to constructive firing, as the communication was titled. The firm representing Lorenc alleged that, “Lorenc was told several times that his labor was no longer required because his useful life in the American corporate system had expired and he was too old to be of any economically productive value.”

The document went on to declare that Lorenc’s “supervisor told him that a 20-year-old would be hired to replace him and that this has taken place,” also stating that the letter’s purpose was intended to finalize the perceived “constructive firing.”

Lorenc was present to hear the board’s discussion and final action on his resignation Tuesday as well as Joseph City citizen Tim Poudrier’s statement during the call to the public that publicly censured Lorenc’s track record before the board, recounting a February incident in which Poudrier said he voluntarily helped Neal complete within two hours a task which he claimed Lorenc failed to finish in the course of three working days. Poudrier spoke in support of the two temporary district maintenance workers, Chance Rush and Dalton Hughes, strongly urging the board to hire them as permanent district employees and implying that Lorenc should “do (his) job or get a different one.”

In a dissenting opinion, Joseph City resident Jason Hendricks appealed to the board in implied criticism of the board and defense of Lorenc by reciting a storybook-style poem that summarized the life of a poor dairy farmer who was unable to succeed at business due to the lack of community acceptance of a new and improved vehicle.

Referencing Lorenc’s Aug. 11 statements to the board, Hendricks prefaced the poem by expressing his own view that the meeting’s call to the public was an inappropriate forum for the board to hear Lorenc’s grievances with other district employees.

Indirectly calling out the Lorenc situation, Hendricks took issue with the board, stating, “It doesn’t seem like public grievances between employees should be a place for (a call to the public), maybe that should be restricted or kept in-house.”

The board recessed into executive session to discuss Superintendent Bryan Fields’ supervision of district staff, after which Fields suggested that the board take no action regarding Lorenc’s notice of resignation. “At this time I am strongly recommending that the board take no action on this item because it alleges in (the) letter that he was constructively terminated, and I strongly disagree to this. He was specifically told that modifications would be made to his job assignment and we expect him to come back to work. We’ve asked him to come back to work and that’s where that stands at this time,” he said.

Fields also suggested that no action be taken on the resignation of Brad Neal, which was tendered to him by Neal last week and subsequently withdrawn the following day.

Invited by Board President Linda Kor-Fisher to address his reasons for submitting his resignation and for rescinding it, Neal explained his side of the story. “In the spring…we had some (tasks) coming up in the summer that I didn’t feel like the staff that we had wanted to do or was capable of doing. I asked if I could hire a couple of temps to assist (the referenced staff person) in their job and that if I could justify (the temp workers’ productivity) numbers at the end of the summer, that I would like them to be considered to be put on as fulltime employees so that I could maintain your school like you’ve hired me to do.

“In the process of going through the summer I have done, and these two young men have done, what we contracted with the school to do,” Neal stated, going on to relate an itemized tally of tasks completed versus district costs saved during the summer projects, which he estimated totaled just over $30,000 “in 50 days. If I had these two young men and I can work them, I can save the school $616 a day, day in and day out,” he said.

“That’s what I told Bryan (Fields) I would do. I have fulfilled that part of my obligation. I was upset that he would not consider them as permanent employees and so I resigned. On second thought, I realized that I have to provide for my family and that their needs trump my anger. And so I rescinded my resignation and asked Bryan if I could come back to work.”

Fields confirmed to the board that both Rush and Hughes were interviewed for permanent employment positions with the district.

Board member Julie Davis asked Neal whether he at any time promised Rush or Hughes permanent jobs after the summer projects finished.

Neal responded, “I told them that it was up to Bryan at the end of the summer, but I did tell them that I had made an agreement with Bryan that if we could do what we said we would do, that they more than likely would be hired on fulltime. I was told that.”

Davis then asked Neal whether he gave the superintendent an ultimatum that if Rush and Hughes were not hired, that Neal would resign, to which he responded, “I did.”

Kor-Fisher requested a formal report for the board detailing its final resolution of the disgruntled staff members’ posts with the district moving forward. In her closing comments, Kor-Fisher expressed her displeasure at the extended courses Lorenc and Neal chose to resolve their grievances.

“I would like to say this: We’ve been addressing issues of this nature for almost five months now, and I’ll tell you what my greatest concern is in all of this. My greatest concern is that this is taking a great deal of energy to solve. I personally feel, in view of everything I’ve heard and what I’ve read and seen, that Mr. Fields has done an exemplary job of handling these issues. I feel he’s been patient, I feel he’s been understanding, probably more so than I would be in a similar circumstance, and I give him credit for that. But I also believe that it’s taken a great deal of his energy, from my observation, and as a result it takes from our students and from what we have to offer our kids and the programs that we do.”

“We have a hiring committee of five people who are highly qualified to make decisions, and I feel like when a decision is made that is what we follow, unless there is personal bias involved. I think to say that it’s all Bryan making this decision is inaccurate. I think that when all of the individuals are considered, I find that everybody has a job to do and they need to do it, because it makes another individual’s job twice as hard to have to deal with repercussions of these actions.

“I would like this dealt with. I would like some follow up on the record as to how this is going to be dealt with. But by the same token, I hesitate to put more on Mr. Fields on this because, again, we’re taking from our mission of the school, which is to take care of our students. I have no doubt, Mr. Neal, that you are highly qualified at your job. I don’t think they wouldn’t have hired you in the same process that these young men would be hired in because you are a highly skilled individual, and I am glad you’re here for that.

“I think we all need to step back and realize there is a process that takes place and that needs to be adhered to. Every employee has a supervisor to answer to and it goes from there (up) to Mr. Field’s level and then to us if it is not resolved. Everybody has a procedure they need to follow. If they don’t know how to follow that procedure, then they need to be taught, possibly reprimanded, until they follow that procedure.

Kor-Fisher concluded, “I think that when it becomes an emotional ordeal we are sidetracked from the true problem being dealt with, and that is to provide a service to the students and district. I would like us to get back to that. I would like people to go about their job and do their job, and if they choose not to and would like to resign, then that is their right to do so. Be glad you have a job, and be glad that you are appreciated by our employees here. Let’s do our job, let’s serve our students. That’s what I say.”

In other action Sept. 8, the board:

* Read, corrected and approved the minutes of the Aug. 11 meeting.

* Received updates from Superintendent Fields on school enrollment, improved ACT Summit Educational Group student test scores, college information program, student small-house construction program proposed self-funded Hawaii senior student music trip, and Homecoming blood drive. Fields also advised the board of progress of the district’s partnership with Northland Pioneer College, sought by the college to fund an interactive vocational technology course at the Joseph City High School campus.

* Recognized Stephanie Farr as September Employee of the Month.

* Received updates from Elementary Principal Daniel Hutchens on the site council meeting actions for Homecoming, dress-up day, Grandparents Day (Sept. 18), intramural basketball program (tentatively scheduled to begin in April) and non-fiction student reading text strategy.

* Received an update from Business & Operations Manager Steve Mills on completion of field work for the annual district financial audit and the summer lunch program.

* Received an update from District Technology Coordinator Jason Gardner on the completion of the student technology lab with the installation of 300 laptops and iPads.

* Approved all consent agenda items, including district vouchers for general funds encumbrance of $300,764.16 and $186,867.68; payroll, $235,472.78; revolving fund, $5,437.04; auxiliary encumbrance, $336 and $4,514.91; and student activity encumbrance, $96.57 and $445.62.

* Approved financial summaries for district, auxiliary and student activity for July.

* Approved the addition of two 15 hour per week elementary instructional aides to staff.

* Approved capacity stipends for large classes.

* Approved a substitute worker salary schedule revision.

* Approved performance pay plans.

* Approved the resignation of Brent Chase, Navajo Culture class teacher, effective immediately.

* Approved fiscal year 2016 appointments of Rachelle Hansen as an elementary classroom volunteer; Sheri Brennan, eighth grade volleyball coach; Chalene Randles, seventh grade volleyball coach; and Dan Bushman, eighth grade girls’ basketball coach.

* Approved substitute teachers Taura Dobbs, Brooke Frost, Annelie Hansen, Berkley Hendricks, Kathleen Mendes, Dan Bushman and Sierra Browning.

* Approved 15 hour per week instructional aides Andrea Miller and Annelie Hansen.

* Approved tutor Jeff Strong.

* Approved sports event worker Kelly Metzger.

* Approved technology assistant Isaac Hutton.

* Approved concurrent enrollment teachers Laurie Bowler and Janet Bushman.

* Approved temporary 11th grade class sponsor Sarah Farnes.

* Approved student auditorium worker Max Mosier.

* Approved cell phone stipends for Bryan Fields, Jason Gardner, Daniel Hutchens, Terry Johnstun, Eric Miller, Steve Mills and Bill Patterson.

* Approved Jared Dickson as a temporary grounds/maintenance worker at the rate of $12.75/hr.

* Approved Policy JJJ, extracurricular activity eligibility revision.

* Approved the Public’s Right to Know/Freedom of Information policy, including discussion and approval of fees for copying.

* Approved the second reading of policy revisions recommended by the Arizona School Boards Association for executive sessions/open meeting, notification of board meetings, agenda, minutes, retirement of facilities, staff participation in political activities, support staff reduction in force, promotion and retention of students, graduation requirements, tuition/admission of nonresident students, admission of transfer students, student discipline, reporting child abuse/child protection, supervision of students, student fees, fines and charges, request for transfer of records and high school girls’ basketball fundraiser.

* Approved board attendance at the Oct. 7 ASBA Navajo County Meeting.

The next regular meeting of the board will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the district office in the boardroom at 8176 N. Westover St.