BY MIKE FUHRMAN
For the second time in less than six months, the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education is expected to consider a motion to censure one of its members during an upcoming meeting.
The I-SS Board, which meets in open session at 6 p.m. on June 3 and June 10 at the Career Academy & Technical School in Troutman, will likely vote on a request to express its disapproval for the actions of District 5 representative Mike Kubiniec. After being ousted as the board’s vice chair in October and censured in December, Kubiniec used what is widely considered profane language during a meeting in April.
Explaining that all members should adhere to the board’s Code of Conduct, District 3 representative Abby Trent requested that the censure motion be added to Monday’s meeting agenda last week. Chairman Bill Howell agreed to do so.
All of us have lapses in judgment from time to time so censure seems a disproportionate response for this type of transgression. Surely, the shame and embarrassment that Kubiniec must have felt for his ignominious behavior is punishment enough for his ill-timed utterance.
The board, instead, should focus on revelations that Kubiniec may have breached his official duties in a manner that is much more troubling than his inability to appropriately express himself when he does not get his way.
Sharing information from a closed-session meeting with someone who has no business having access to that information is an egregious violation of the public’s trust.
According to copies of emails obtained by Iredell Free News, Kubiniec sent information related to a closed session meeting to his former campaign manager and political advisor, a convicted drug offender named Micah Phelps, on May 14.
Furthermore, according to another email, Kubiniec continues to bring up matters in closed session that should not be discussed in closed session because they do not meet the statutory requirements for that type of meeting, according to an email Chairman Howell sent to Kubiniec.
“As I see issues being brought up that do not have anything to do with the business of the schools, I am considering stopping closed sessions unless there is a pressing issue,” Howell wrote in a May 16 email to Kubiniec.
“You introduce information in a closed session that has nothing to do with board business,” the chairman added.
The chairman is right to insist that all board members follow the state’s open meetings laws, and no board member should disclose information from a closed session to someone who is not authorized to have that information.
If Howell believes it is appropriate to censure Kubiniec for using inappropriate language, he should accept a motion and call for the vote. Then he should move on to what’s really important — restoring the public’s trust in this board. Given the secret meetings that board conducted via text message throughout 2023, that is not going to be easy.
The chairman should provide a full public account of any and all closed-session information that has been improperly disclosed to third parties by Kubiniec or any other board member. Similarly, Howell should divulge all improper and illegal discussions that have been held by board members in closed session. Going forward, the chairman and board attorney should immediately shut down this type of activity and promptly report it to the public.
Voters, and all I-SS stakeholders, should demand no less.
Mike Fuhrman is the editor and publisher of Iredell Free News.
Related
♦ I-SS Board ousts Kubiniec from leadership position; Kelly elected new vice chairman (October 10, 2023)
♦ Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education votes to censure former vice chair (December 5, 2023)
Sounds like we have our own kangaroo court right here in Iredell County! Get rid of them!
The former campaign manager tucked tail and ran off to the beach.
Y’all shouldn’t have been so hard on the puppet master.
Revealing closed session information is a major violation. I think it’s time something is done to remove this man. He obviously has no idea what the rules are and his behavior over the last year has been completely unacceptable.
Talk to your NC General Assembly members. Ask them to pass a bill to allow for recall of school board members.
Is there another person on the board who has never muttered “Bullshit” when they were frustrated by injustices? What about Charles Kelly who told us at a school board meeting that he could “cuss like a drunken sailor!”
The public should be more concerned about other board members lying to protect their reputations or making false accusations against fellow school board members.
The dysfunction and conflict that have characterized the school board meetings this past year are not due to Mike Kubiniec.
Ed Ed Ed
Sir you are so confused. But not surprised. Your wife reads pornography publicly with kids present.
No other board member has ever cursed into the mic when the vote did not go their way.
The public should and is concerned about your boy Mike disclosing closed session information to the so called puppet master. OPEN yours eyes people!
Memo to the puppet master:
You talk about how you’ve moved on but then you are the first one to post comments on Facebook.
For two years you and that so called preacher have said you were “coming back” to set the record straight.
Put up or shut up.
Public records requests work both ways. How fitting that this tool was turned around on Kussin K.
Dear Puppetmaster & Pretend Preacher:
I am writing today to let yall know how disappointed I am that yall have not come back to set the record straight & to tell it all. What I want yall to do is tell us about yall’s record ( criminal / drug related & all ). Tell us all the times yall lied to people & used them & then claimed to be doing the lord’s work.
Only thing yall are doing is causing trouble & trying to ruin good people’s names.
Remember the saying reap what you sow.