In the anti-climax of the year, D. C. Machen, Jr., the Assistant Superintendent of Administration, was selected to be the next superintendent of Bossier Parish schools. Machen was in charge of administration during the time that a handful of unsupervised maintenance employees managed to relief Bossier Parish Taxpayers of upwards of $1,000,000.
For a few days, I actually thought that the board might be grudgingly and belatedly listening to the people they represent.
I was wrong.
I was prepared to give Scott Smith or Debbie Hays an opportunity to turn the system around. Despite what I considered baggage, I believe either of them could have succeeded.
Machen has already proved himself. It's hard to turn it around when you're the one who drove it there.
FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE:
According to The Times:
"Asked of recent fraud committed against the system by employees and contractors, Machen said the individuals involved have been punished by the courts and it is time to move on."
The people who committed the crimes have been punished; the other people who were involved, those who should have been supervising the expenditure of funds, have been rewarded.
This is how the members voted:
For Debbie Deen Hays: Jack Raley, board president; Lindell Webb.
For D.C. Machen: Brad Bockhaus, Allison Brigham, Tammy Smith, Michael Mosura, Bill Kostelka, Julian Darby, Mack Knotts.
For W. Scott Smith: J.W. Slack, Kenneth Wiggins, Eddy Presley.
I can't leave it alone:
Video from Channel 3 shows Machen stating ""I will start off with my employees at the beginning of the school term, rebuilding their confidence that we have not lost confidence in them, what took place on the top of a building is not a reflection of what takes place inside that building."
That's like Obama saying that we should stop spending so much money. Machen was in charge of administration. He acts as if he was not there. Is he attempting to place all of the blame for the lack of oversight on Kruithof? Remember two things: Machen was forced on Kruithof in the first place, and Kruithof manned up and resigned, applying the 'buck stops here' rule.
Unbelievable.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
26 comments:
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What a sad day for Bossier Schools and our children !
ReplyDeleteAnyone know when the school board members go up for re-election? Only two of them seem to have the mentality we need representing us. How on earth could you pick someone who evidently could not do their job as assistant superintendent, so how could he possibly be the #1 man. No one has lost confidence in the level of education in Bossier. It's the lack of supervision and corruption in the central office that has lost the people of Bossier's confidence. I hope Machen can step up and fix the screw ups that he, the school board and others got us into in the first place. ALL of them should have been held accountable for what happened. A million dollars is ALOT of money to flush down the toilet. I feel they all should have been fired or stepped down from their positions. The school board approves all financial matters of the school system. I just don't understand how you could continue approving that much money to the maintenance department. Please keep this in mind when voting in the next election.
ReplyDeleteThis one was a no brainer. I am at a loss. I was not prepared for the total disregard for public trust. I know D. C. has been like a Greek tragedy or more recently a Blanco/Katrina situation....but I honeslly thought the school board members would correct a situation that will now be an ongoing bed of criticism. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Now that DC got the big job - maybe a consolation prize would be to move Scott and Debbie into asst super (due to the audit) and then that would create a ripple effect with principals in certain areas to move up.
ReplyDeleteThis is the best decision the school board could have made. There is absolutely no proof that the new superintendant was involved in any wrong doing. All the gossip and false allegations against well meaning and caring people is a sad commentary on our local population.
ReplyDelete5 years is a long time to not get administration's attention. That is the sad commentary!
ReplyDelete"There is absolutely no proof that the new superintendant was involved in any wrong doing. All the gossip and false allegations. . . "
ReplyDeleteYou are joking, right? What was the false allegation, that Machen was Assistant Superintendent of Administration, and that as such he should have had some clue that for years employees that he should have been overseeing were stealing tens of thousands of dollars every month?
Is that a false allegation?
What "false" allegations are you referring to?
Be specific.
A full audit should be done immeidately.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad DC was chosen - he is a great man and a better leader - i am so glad the sheriff was not able to strong arm the board into hiring his sister - that would have been such a loss to our community - good for you school board
ReplyDeletethe fbi, larry deen's sheriff's office, the legislative auditor, internal auditors, micah tucker, and the inquisitor have been all over the school board for almost a year - they found nothing on DC - get over it - he is a good man and will lead the best school system in north la to greater highs
ReplyDeleteSo anon at 2:09 - you think we should just forget the $1,000,000 and forget that it happened on Machen's watch - he was in charge of administration.
ReplyDeleteYou truly believe that there should be no accountability?
I just cannot believe that people continue to defend this person. It is so insulting to the tax payers of this parish. I'm not sure whether he is the fox in the hen house and covers his tracks or he is that clueless. He's brought the hatchet down on employees that cross him with much flimsier reasons. I can't post my name since I work for the system and everyone knows, you don't cross Little Ceasar without paying the price.
ReplyDeleteOur illustrious school board did succeed in one area...they have now provided our local tabloid fodder for the next 4 years.
ReplyDeleteanon at 3:17am - The "local tabloid" you refer to has done the most investigative reporting of all the mainstream media COMBINED. Mr Lawler has now put his money where his mouth is and hired a retired FBI agent to continue the investigation. The stench at central office is still in the air which means all the dead bodies haven't been removed. In fact, one of the main ones just got promoted.
ReplyDeleteWhom shall we hire to clean up Lawler's stench?
ReplyDelete8:12am - I think his motto speaks volumes, "If you don't want it printed, don't let it happen." You obviously work at central office.
ReplyDeleteDanny Lawler is a thug. Everything he prints has a political motive. In this case he was working for Larry Deen. Just read between the lines before you pass judgment on anything he prints. Its all BS!!!!
ReplyDeleteName calling is unacceptable in an intelligent dialogue.
ReplyDeletei agree, you wont hear lawler going after deen anymore...he went from attacking him (Deen) to becoming his hatchet man-retired judge campbell business partners with lawler-what a crew
ReplyDeletei guess now we know why deen was so interested in going after the school board.
I don't know who pulled the plug on the school board criminal activity, but i understand the FBI did the investigation with assistance from the Sherrif's office. Is that not correct?
ReplyDeleteMarvin/Campbell and Deen doesn't compute. That is like mixing oil and water.
ReplyDeleteJim, not sure what you mean by "Marvin/Campbell and Deen dosn't compute". If you say there is no connection your misinformed. Marvin and Campbell(now an asst. DA) are relatives with Lawler and Campbell being business partners. Deen was being attacked by Lawler until he cut a deal with him to do his auction. Those are facts that can't be disputed.
ReplyDeleteThe Campbell/Marvin faction (I hate to call it that, but it works) are not natural political allies of the sheriff.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of a business connection with Lawler. I was aware of Lawler's deal with the sheriff - 'kiss up and I'll get off your ass'.
Jim, you have an extraordinary perception for identifying the worst in ethics of those who are supposed to be serving the public. What you may not know there are "anons" to fill in the missing links. You are quick to listen and to acknowledge attributes as well. You are the conscience with the will and fortitude to take a stand. Hopefully, our area will always have a YOU in our midst!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words. I do take heed when the 'anons' speak. I don't claim to have all the answers at all, but I do love to stir it up and get people to speak out.
ReplyDeleteAnd they do. My Bossier has a great bunch of contributors.
Let's not forget Mandy machen when everyones speaking of lies,substandard officers of our court,and stealing. She is willing to do whatever it takes to get her way even using her own kids. If she will do that then you could only imagine what else she is willing to do.
ReplyDelete