By Antonio D. French
Filed Friday, July 13, 2007 at 9:15 AM
BREAKING NEWS Labels: Schools
The elected and appointed school boards of St. Louis Public Schools are set to clash today in a Jefferson City courtroom after Board President Peter Downs allegedly attempted to make himself the sole signer of district checks yesterday.
Downs apparently went into U.S. Bank yesterday with a resolution from the St. Louis Board of Education authorizing him to remove the district's chief financial officer as a signer. The bank, apparently aware of the ongoing power struggle, said they would only do so with a court order.
Upon hearing about Downs' action, attorneys for the Special Administrative Board filed for a temporary restraining order. That hearing is scheduled be heard this afternoon by Judge Richard Callahan, the same judge that denied the elected board's request to stop the state takeover.
It is unclear when the elected board approved such a resolution, which should have been done in open session, or who voted in favor.
Developing...
UPDATE @ 4:40 p.m. — The elected board may not be happy with receiving what it asked for by forcing the issue. Judge Callahan has ruled against the Board of Education and placed the finances of St. Louis Public Schools under the control of the Special Administrative Board.
UPDATE 2 @ 4:47 p.m. — Board President Peter Downs tells PubDef.net that he personally did not go to the bank. Rather, the Board's attorney forwarded a letter to U.S. Bank requesting them to make Downs' the sole signer, which the bank refused to do without a court order.
UPDATE 3 @ 5:00 p.m. — The elected board approved this action in closed session before Tuesday's public meeting. The vote was unanimous among the six members present (Flynt Flowler was not).
9 Comments:
Very smart move on Peter's part. If the SAB is in charge then they should get their own account.
7/13/2007 11:43 AM
I like anything that puts some heat on Callahan.
He is trying to rule by stalling---he does not want to face the problems which would come with upholding the constitution and blocking the sab---so he thinks if he stalls long enough on setting a trial date, he won't have to.
I have been told that tro's are hard to get---something tells me this one will not be hard to get.
kjoe
7/13/2007 12:46 PM
Looks like the same old foolishness that went on with the Slay appointed and backed board members!
7/13/2007 12:47 PM
Anybody taking bets they get it?
7/13/2007 4:28 PM
I agree this was smart of Peter to do this. At least he is not just sitting back and doing nothing.
7/13/2007 5:34 PM
So Peter and the gang went in closed session and voted on something that clearly should have been done in open session. Seems to me that they have violated everything they ran on. They are no different than any other board for the past 30 years, hungry for power and the money!
7/14/2007 7:34 AM
Legal issues are always discussed in closed session, people. They can hardly sit in a room full of people and media and discuss their legal strategies. Get a grip. You ought to be more concerned that the SAB is not having meetings at all.
7/14/2007 1:45 PM
Hungry for money? Exactly what financial benefit do you think school board members receive?
7/14/2007 1:46 PM
If the elected board has no access to the SLPS's funds, let's see how much longer Lashly & Baer hang around. They're not hanging around out of the goodness of their hearts, folks; Ken Brostron and company need to be paid, and if this "board" has no funds, this cause has lost their counsel.
7/16/2007 7:57 PM
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