Then or Now
Without directly accusing the District of hiding the $500,000 until the bargaining was completed, Mr. Mielke said that, whether done then or now, the half-million should be divided up with the 350 members of the Union.
Not so fast, Ms. Cote said.
At last Tuesday nights School Board meeting, Mr. Mielke made threatening legal gestures toward the District if the Superintendent or another authority figure did not contact him within 48 hours.
Why No One Spoke up
Neither members of the Board nor Ms. Cote directly replied to the Union president. As with the City Council, policy discourages members from interacting with the public, especially in contentious situations.
Having huddled previously with Mr. Mielke during the past six weeks on the same subject, Ms. Cote said the issue is more complex than the Union president indicated at his public speakout.
Further, she said, he knows it is more complicated.
Already Planned
Not only that, she said, when Mr. Mielke demanded an immediate response or else from the School District, tomorrows meeting already had been placed on their mutual dockets. They had agreed on the time and the place earlier on Tuesday. For at least one overarching reason, the so-called sudden-find could not be negotiated or distributed, according to Ms. Cote, because the number is fluid.
Liquid Form
I need more information than I have now, the Superintendent said. I dont have the final answers on our budget review.
As a component of the Districts ongoing business audit, the true final total wis not expected to be known for another 60 days, at the end of the school term.
A Suggestion
Finally, Ms. Cote said, as the lone employee of the School Board, when decision-making time comes on how to handle the money, she may not act unilaterally. I will make a recommendation to the Board, she said.
