Petition seeks ouster of Bell City officials

~ The school board president said he doesn't expect anyone to step down.

A former Bell City school board member wants a Stoddard County circuit judge to remove six of the seven current school board members and the school superintendent from office in the aftermath of a state investigation over the district illegally obtaining state money.

Curtis Finney, who now lives in Bloomfield, Mo., said Tuesday he plans to circulate a petition asking for court action if the board members and the superintendent don't resign.

Finney, who also is a former mayor of Bell City, said school officials are guilty of "gross public mistrust and illegal activities."

School officials deny it.

School board president Larry Gene Strobel said he won't resign and doesn't expect other board members or the superintendent to step down.

The director of school law for the Missouri School Boards' Association, Susan Goldammer, says state law only allows for such a petition effort in the city of St. Louis. In that case, a petition can be filed by 10 householders of the city seeking removal of members of the board of education and its officers.

She said an individual, however, can ask the county prosecutor or the state attorney general's office to ask a judge to oust school officials. The prosecutor or attorney general could prosecute the case or allow the complainant to pursue litigation.

The law, she said, is designed to prevent harassment of public officials.

The legal procedure was used in 1995 in the Rockwood School District, she said.

But Finney said he still plans to circulate a petition. He said that could put more pressure on the court to act. "It should make a difference," he said.

Finney said he plans to discuss the issue with the Stoddard County prosecuting attorney.

The state Board of Education voted last week to financially penalize the small school district $13,000 for illegally counting some students as residents and subsequently drawing more state aid.

Joby Holland, the superintendent of the neighboring Scott County Central School District, has accused Bell City school officials of falsifying student addresses.

Finney believes Bell City school officials knowingly violated state law in order to build a winning high school basketball team.

But Strobel said school officials shouldn't be taken to task because some students didn't live in the school district.

"We don't go out and check the addresses. That is not our job," he said.

"You just try to do the best job you can and go on," Strobel said.

The board president wishes the issue would go away. "Everybody keeps throwing gas on the fire," he said.

Finney said, "Those responsible have had ample time to step down and save the school, the students and the town and the community from further negative publicity," he said.

"No one should have to explain to their children and grandchildren that it is OK to lie, cheat and steal because everyone else is doing it," Finney said.

"I hope those involved come to their senses before this goes to court and further tears a community apart," he said.

Finney said he isn't asking for the resignation of school board member Scott Nichols because he was just elected to the board in April. Nichols shouldn't be blamed for past actions of the other school officials, Finney said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123