At 1:30 PM filings initiating the recall and discharge of each of five Seattle School Directors were filed at the King County Elections Office. Directors Sundquist, Maier, Martin-Morris, Carr, and DeBell are the subjects of these five recalls. Directors Smith-Blum and Patu are not subjects of recall.
Each of these filings rely heavily on the Washington State Auditor's Audit issued on July 6, 2010 for evidence. See Seattle Weekly's coverage of the audit here.
If you wish to volunteer to collect signatures...
please contact: .. dempsey_dan@yahoo.com
using the subject line "RECALL".
We expect to receive authorization to begin collecting signatures around August 22. Signatures will be gathered from voters registered in the City of Seattle. We hope that most voters will choose to sign all 5 petitions. Approximately 32,000 valid signatures will be needed for each director to bring about a recall election. A 180 day maximum for signature gathering is allowed and the election is scheduled 45 to 60 days after the required number of signatures has been submitted and verified. The elections offices checks each signature for validity.
Terms for Directors Carr, Maier, Martin-Morris, and Sundquist expire in November 2011, DeBell's in 2013.
This recall effort and the appeal of the Superintendent's contract are appropriate as accountability needs to be required of public officials. Salary and benefits for the Superintendent cost the district over $350,000 per year. Read the appeal filing to see the leadership that $350,000 purchased. It is certainly mysterious as to why the five school directors under threat of recall approved a one-year contract extension on July 7, 2010. Sundquist, Maier, and Martin-Morris never mentioned the audit in explaining their decisions to extend the Superintendent's contract. Directors Carr and DeBell referenced the audit and spoke about accountability but voted to extend the contract. Patu and Smith-Blum voted against the extension.
The reasons for this recall are solely based on the Washington State Auditor's report which clearly showed:
"The School Board members completely failed in their duty to enforce laws and policy and completely failed in their duty to oversee the superintendent."
Directors Patu and Smith-Blum were NOT in office during the period covered by the audit.
Seattle Times coverage here.
From the May 24, 2010 Financial Audit:
"Our audit identified significant deficiencies in controls that adversely affect the District's ability to produce reliable financial statements." pg.27
November 28, 2007 The Board signed
Apparently the State Auditor's Office saw things differently.
Currently we expect to have Recall Petitions available for signatures in mid-September.
