Union Leader Claims Bylaws Broken by Howell Board MemberUnion Leader Claims Bylaws Broken by Howell Board Member

5/14/13 - The president of the Howell Teachers’ Association accused a school board member of misconduct last night for issuing a press release to defend his actions on the board. At the second call to the public during the board’s regular meeting last night, Howell Education Association President Jay McDowell, pictured, said a press release from Trustee Michael Moloney violated governance bylaws. McDowell said the press release, in which Moloney said that had the original contract proposal been approved, the district would have seen significant cost increases in the second year of the deal and thereafter. That was despite the recommendation from Superintendent Ron Wilson and Assistant Superintendent of Finance Rick Terres that the board approve the deal they said would actually save the district money due to teacher concessions. McDowell claimed that the violation undermined the board’s ability to conduct business and negotiate union contracts. Moloney did not immediately respond, but he tells WHMI that since the press release was identified as his own position rather than that of the board, he did not violate any bylaws. He says he simply released it in defense of his own stance when the board rejected a proposed contract by the HEA earlier this year. He said in his view McDowell’s complaint was trivial, technical, and made-up. The press release was issued after a particularly contentious meeting last month, at the end of which Moloney said it would not benefit anyone if school board members started bashing one another to the news media. Moloney says the press release did not contradict his statement during the meeting because he only clarified his own position rather than attacking others. He also disputed he had violated his standard following a Facebook posting in which he made mention of disgraced Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his corrupt administration while also referencing a new state conflict of interest law that prevented School Board President Mike Witt and his wife, Board Secretary Kim Witt, from voting on the contract. (TD/JK)