St. Regis board responds to community petition

In an unusually well attended meeting of the St. Regis School Board of Trustees on Jan. 9 a petition presented to the board during public comment addressed public concerns with the board and the administrative leave of Tammy Demien.

Apparently aware of the petition being presented, the school board began the public comment portion by stating the official policy of the period.

“Public forum is a time for people to come and address things that aren’t on the agenda,” St. Regis School Board Chair Shelly Dunlap read. “Because they are not on the agenda, the board isn’t able to generate discussion or make comments back and forth to those comments. We can take them for a later time and put them as an agenda item...the board must protect the privacy rights of its employees and students. Commenting on public matters does not include contested cases and other adjudicated proceedings including pending investigations or individual performance.”

After Dunlap completed reading the policy for public comment, John Cheesman stepped up to a podium placed in the center of the room and presented the board with a petition signed by around 80- members of the community.

“I didn’t write it, I didn’t pass it around, but I did sign it,” Cheesman said. “I was asked to present it because some people are afraid to because they are afraid of retribution. I think if you got to be afraid of your school you got problems.”

Cheesman read the petition, which expressed “no confidence” in the board of trustees as well as St. Regis Superintendent Janet Hanson. “You have demonstrated an inability to act as responsible agents and stewards of the tax dollars that are given to the St. Regis School District,” Cheesman said.

The petition goes on to state placing employees on administrative leave has cost taxpayers $100,000 “to no positive benefit to the students, staff or community.”

A copy of the petition was presented to each member of the board before more discussion occurred on the matter.

Questions from the board arose as to who authored the petition and Cheesman stated he did not know but “the newspaper” was stating several people.

“That’s the big problem people have,” Cheesman said. “We all feel so misled.”

Cheesman and board member Carol Young then entered into a discussion regarding the $100,000 figure and whether or not any legal advice was given to the writers of the petition. Young also mentioned Montana Code 24-401 as the boards reasoning for not disclosing more information regarding Demien’s administrative leave.

“Because that clearly states that we are obligated by Montana law to proceed the way we did,” Young said. “If someone has another alternative for us that is not breaking the law I am sure we would be happy to hear it.”

The discussion continued between the two parties about money being spent until it was concluded the discussion was coming too close to violating the rules of the public forum.

When the discussion was opened up to other members of the public, Virginia Turner, a new member of the community, was first to speak.

“If there is something you can do to resolve it quickly then resolve it,” Turner said.

After Turner spoke, Tammy Demien’s husband Dan stood up and spoke to the board and members of the public.

“I believe my wife should have had the right to defend herself and maybe she will,” Dan said. “I hope things go smoother in the future.”

Support for the school board was also shown from several members of the community. Nancy Smith spoke about her positive experiences with St. Regis Schools and said that the community needs to “focus on being unified.”

Another member of the community, Marlys Schwaderer, also showed her support for the St. Regis Board of Trustees by stating they “do their best to try to respect and honor the kids” and thanked the board for volunteering their time.

Other residents such as Floyd Brady expressed their concern with the “lack of transparency” in the investigation – specifically Dan and Tammy not knowing what the consequences are.

“We do not need this in the community,” Brady said.

As the public comment portion wound down, Vice-Chair Charlee Thompson read a statement from the board regarding the petition.

“The St. Regis school board recognizes the community and the concern that is has for the events that have happened in the last four months,” Thompson read. “We understand that everyone in the room wants answers to the events that have happened. We cannot at this time or anytime in the future comment about those events. Montana state law has outlined this for us. We cannot speak about personnel issues.”

The statement continued by stating the board is “one of the most fiscally responsible schools” in Montana and mentioned positive ways the board and the school has made St. Regis schools better.

“We understand that money is a hard topic and the economy isn’t helping,” Thompson concluded.

“Neither are attorneys or the legal system. Some of you may not like some of us on the board, but know that we want only the best for our children. The school board strives to be as transparent as the law will allow us to be and we will continue to do so and ask that we pull together as a community and work together to make St. Regis Schools an amazing place for our kids.”