The Steamboat Pilot & Today: Steve Marshall: Leaders make decisions

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My hat is off to the School Board for their recent decision to end the district’s contract agreement with former Superintendent Donna Howell. I have no axe to grind neither with her performance or personality nor with the School Board, and I have no children in the district.

My position comes from having worked in the world of nonprofits, staff and boards for the past 28 years as a board member, an executive director, interim CEO, staff person and a committee volunteer, both here in Steamboat and in other parts of the country.

It is absolutely critical for a board and its chief staff person to be able to work together in harmony to achieve the goals related to the mission of the organization. It is absolutely clear to me from reading the Pilot & Today over the past 12 months that this atmosphere did not exist or, as time wore on, was it ever going to exist between the Board and its chief executive.

I do not know all of the historical reasons for this lack of harmony, nor do I care to, but I do know that this type of relationship is necessary in order for volunteers and staff to perform the always difficult job of running a large organization. It would seem that a lot of effort was put into trying to resolve the differences between the superintendent and her Board by bringing in an outside facilitator, but to no avail. It just wasn’t a good fit, and the Board rightly made the decision to end the employment relationship.

The decision that was made was the Board’s to make and theirs alone. I have read the blogs in this paper, I have listened to the street and post office conversations, and I have spent some time with a few of the Board members in the last few days since the decision was made.

My conclusion is this: we elected these folks to set policy and to provide governance for the district’s business and to supervise its employee — the superintendent. They have done just that.

For all of you Monday morning quarterbacks, my message is this: Step up, be counted, and run for the School Board this fall. There will be three seats up for contention.

Steve Marshall

Steamboat Springs

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Community comments

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stmbtprof (anonymous)
August 16, 2007 at 4:57 p.m.
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…rather arrogant for someone whose name most recently appeared in the Pilot's legal section!

Matthew Stoddard
August 16, 2007 at 5:08 p.m.
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As arrogant as a Superintendent who lied about the reasons for checking a school principal's computer, as arrogant as a school principal impersonating a police officer, or as arrogant as a past BOE president for not returning school property after leaving office?

BTW- How many times have you, stmbtprof, been in the Pilot's legal section…and are you willing to prove it? Just wondering to satisfy my “glass houses” curiosity.

stmbtprof (anonymous)
August 17, 2007 at 10:17 a.m.
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I am not commenting on the superintendent…I agree with Mr. Marshall on that issue, however I am questioning his arrogance in describing himself and his credentials.
By the way I have never been in the LEGAL section of the newspaper any where.

stmbtprof (anonymous)
August 17, 2007 at 10:49 a.m.
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Kielbasa…just to let you know i also agree with you on the dollar store issue….just not on the pomposity of Mr. Marshall and his self grandeur in writing a letter to the editor and his self portrait of importance or that we should listen to his wisdom, ahem….excuse me…???

Matthew Stoddard
August 17, 2007 at 10:57 a.m.
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Marshall was identifying his credentials to justify his rationale. We all do it, for the most part. This is one of the things I can respect, even if I don't agree with what someone says. They are identifying themselves to show people how they dealt with something similar based on personal experience, not just “by the book.”

I'm a person who prefers hands-on to following links to “how it's supposed to be,” that certain people quote blindly. I'll take that over booksmarts any day.

For my post to you, I was just again pointing out things I consider hypocrisy among this whole D/Superintendent debacle. People on boths sides of the issue only stick to their one side when both sides were at fault for different things.

stmbtprof (anonymous)
August 17, 2007 at 11:12 a.m.
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yes kielbasa I know what he was doing but his acclaimed expertise is flawed….check out his background and what he has really done..not what he says

corduroy (anonymous)
August 17, 2007 at 12:56 p.m.
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so, since everyone seems so up in arms about what is best for our kids.. who here is going to run for school district?

jlc (anonymous)
August 17, 2007 at 6 p.m.
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Like Mr. Marshall, I have no children in Steamboat Schools, have never had any in Steamboat schools, do not know any Board members, past or present , and have never met a school superintendent in Steamboat or any where else. Although I do have a B.S. in in Industrial Engineering, my resume is not nearly as impressive as Mr. Marshalls. I have lived in Steamboat 10 years on Sept 1, and had an assortment of jobs. I currently drive a delivery truck five days a week. Since it would appear that Mr Marshall is a person of “Means”, I would like to suggest that he contribute $250,000 to the school district so that we working people do not have to make up this shortfall caused by our present board. I am seriously considering running for the school board based on a platform of returning fiscal responsibility to the school district. Would any body be interested in somebody who was running on such a platform?

Zalobar (anonymous)
August 19, 2007 at 11:34 a.m.
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I know several professional people with 8 and more years of higher education. certificates to prove it. They dont know how to check the oil in their cars! They think its normal for a car to break down after 30,000 miles without an oil change. No common sense is a part of their life. Meanwhile, back on the ranch, the rancher is hauling hay with an old school bus, back section cut off. This bus has half a million miles on it and never been overhauled? One can find this vehicle out on RCR44. seems the present board is stacked with over educated simpltons with no semblence of common sense operating from a point of emotion. Recruiting some oldtime ranchers to serve on our boards, school, city and county. might prove the better. Forget a bunch of fancy cridentials.

Matthew Stoddard
August 19, 2007 at 11:46 a.m.
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So, Zalobar- Are your credentials too fancy to run for the Board yourself? Did you already fill out the app? Otherwise, see if you can get a rancher to give up some time on his ranch to run, and we'll see where it goes.

Zalobar (anonymous)
August 19, 2007 at 6:14 p.m.
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Your reading is shallow your challanges are empty. I was making a point of credencials being an empty bag if common sense isnt applied as well. I think our school board has much to learn about doing the best they can with what they have on their plate. In other words, (I hope you find this to be english.) “They threw out the baby with the bath water!!” Im sure they could have reassigned some of the superintendants duties and kept Her in service where fitting. This is just plain waste. Sorry I dragged common sense ranchers into this. Now if you will excuse me I have some hay to get in before it rains again.

Matthew Stoddard
August 19, 2007 at 8:36 p.m.
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I agree: they should have done that with her but since there was the trust issue, they did what they felt was in the best interest of all: make a brand new start. They are even conceding that the whatever new board is elected will end up picking a long term Superintendent. Guess what: they could have taken whatever schmoe off the street, hired that person, then stick the next board with some idiotic $600,000 pay or play contract again, knowing that if the 3 seats up for grabs were taken by non-incumbents. They didn't. Sounds like common sense found a way in.

If you are truly a rancher, do you have time to sit on the board? That was my point: most ranchers I've met don't have the time for what the BOE entails. As for my reading being shallow…give a statement with more depth and we can go from there.

jlc (anonymous)
August 20, 2007 at 4:25 p.m.
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Matthew, Why don't you run for the School Board?

Matthew Stoddard
August 20, 2007 at 9:07 p.m.
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Because I'm not the one complaining about the current board. I'm content with the current direction and look forward to seeing who's running in opposition.