August 19, 2009
From Jim Mabbott, N.W. Regional ESD Superintendent
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to the recent recall effort regarding Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson and the “ethics investigation ” regarding her service as a Jewell School District Board member.
During her time on the Jewell Board, Ann exceeded the Oregon School Board Association code of conduct for Board members, worked tirelessly on behalf of students, staff, and community members, and had absolutely no ethics violations attached to her record.
Ann has also served on the Board of Northwest Regional Education Service District since July 1, 2007.
As you may know, over a year ago, a few Jewell School District citizens closely associated with John Seeley (former Superintendent of Jewell School District and who recently had his teaching license revoked by Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission, as stated in local newspapers) filed an ethics complaint against all Jewell School District Board members (current and several former).
The ethics commission found there was no merit to those complaints other than a small notation regarding a process that has been common in the great majority of school districts in Oregon: school districts commonly meet in Executive Session to discuss the need for an immediate temporary Superintendent when the current Superintendent leaves without notice, or as in this case, is put on paid administrative leave pending an investigation (I served as one of the interim Superintendents for no compensation during that time).
It is my opinion, and the opinion of the District’s attorney, that this process is consistent with Executive Session law (ORS 192.660). In fact, this was a very rare situation in that the Ethics Commission did not penalize the district in any way.
Ann Samuelson has done nothing wrong in her role as a Jewell School District Board member or as a Clatsop County Commissioner.
You may disagree with her opinions, but is that a reason for Oregonians to recall our elected officials? If so, I suspect we wouldn’t have any!
Ann Samuelson:"Just time for a short explaination of the jewell recall, many folks that signed the orginal petition on Karl and I didn't really know what they were signing, I've talked with a number of them since. Once again lies of the followers of the superintendent,(John Seeley has since met all the requirements and restrictions of his court imposed probation) who is now on probabation for mistreating his daughter, and some anti lnger's such as Auerbach signed the petition."
21 comments:
Jim Mabbott, the NW Regional ESD's superintendent?
Is this the same guy?
Now, why would he give up that job to superintend lowly little Jewel School District?
It is an error he is the NWRESD Superintendent and an outstanding one at that. He temporarily helped out the district as an interim for no compensation when I was on the board.
So he says in his presser in your behalf but, he was NWRESD superintendent prior to taking this job in Jewel?
When did you go onboard at NWRESD?
You are still serving on that board aren't you?
Has your recall been rescended since the ethics investigation ended and where can we see those findings?
Recalled from her local school board.
Ejected from her local political party.
Looking at another recall from a county commission.
See anything here could bring up a question or two about this woman's ability to serve effectively?
Ann was found to formally have violated the Open Meetings Law. Look up the Ethics Commission site. This sounds like the lawyer who got caught speeding and claimed it didn't count because his car just liked to go real fast.
The previous poster is right.
So far she has been recalled by her own neighbors, found to have violated the Open Meetings law, and all we hear is her constant whining about how hard she's working and how she's responsible for anything good that happen (last example a breaking news press release using your tax money claiming she helped get some anonymous donor to give a generator in Nehalem. The person who gave it - anonymously - is the good guy, not the politician who tries to take credit for it!
"I Work For You
My priorities:
· Creating living wage jobs
· Fostering healthy and safe communities for Clatsop families
· Bridging the north/south divide"
The above is on the front page of Samuelson's website.
Has she follwed through with those three priorities?
I am still curious as to what the "North/South Divide" is as she keeps referencing.
Taken from the minutes of a Clatsop County Board of Commission meeting and so sadly ironic that she is now ejected from that school board and facing recall from county commission..."Commissioner Ann Samuelson “raised a pom-pom” to County Clerk Nicole Williams,
explaining that while at the Association of Oregon Counties conference last week, she
had repeatedly heard praise for Williams from other counties’ clerks. Samuelson, who is
also a member of the Jewell School Board, said that while at the Oregon School Boards
Association conference last week she learned that the Lake Oswego School District has
instituted a “Culture of Respect” and called upon everyone, including the local
newspaper, to make a similar effort. She urged all to work together to build community."
Ann Samuelson said...
Meanwhile back at my post as a County Commissioner, I've procured a generator for the Nehalem Valley Church, which I will personally deliver this week so that the newly formed, NV Alert group can operate out of that location providing food, shelter, and community if another severe storm hits far south county...this has been on my bucket list as a County Commissioner and I'm checking it off!
Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson secured the 5,000-watt Honda generator from an anonymous donor and plans to deliver it to the church this week. The donor is an equipment supplier with whom she has done business in the past, Samuelson said.
Significantly different account on this gift from Clatsop County's website.
Kudos where kudos are due and they go to that equipment supplier and with the utmost respect but, we here in District 5 would only expect this self-serving, self-promoting crap from Samuelson to be B.A.U.
I have a question for those of you posting here, what do you do to make Clatsop County a better place, there are many people doing that all over the county, just wondering if you participate in that activity, in addition to this form of expressing yourselves.
For an elected official facing recall from a county commission, recalled from a local school board for public meetings violations, thrown out of a politcal party organiztion for an alleged plot to take over that group in collusion with a rep for an energy speculation firm under scrutiny by the same commission she serves on, you really think you should be asking that question about what we have done to make Clatsop County a better place?
Are you inferring as well that as citizens of Clatsop County we do not have the right to hold you and others accountable for your action in representing our interests?
Are you saying all on this site that question your self-serving actions are not entitled to do so?
Seems you do more to harm us here in south county than any north coast nabob could ever do.
"Ann Samuelson said...
I have a question for those of you posting here, what do you do to make Clatsop County a better place, there are many people doing that all over the county, just wondering if you participate in that activity, in addition to this form of expressing yourselves."
So, by not volunteering Ann and accumulating a list of boards, panels, commissions and the like, whose rosters our names appear on, if nothing else, we have no right to question your or anybody elses integrity in service to this commmunity and as you infer in your question, make no contrbution tho the same community?
You insult us all by asking such a question and as it is unfortunate for you, our integrity and leadership is not under the scrutiny and judgement of the citizens of Clatsop County you serve.
How about, and in your defense, you take the time to at least update us on the progess of your three priorities in service to this community...
· Creating living wage jobs
· Fostering healthy and safe communities for Clatsop families
· Bridging the north/south divide"
Ann, quit whining about how poorly you are paid, how much money of your husband's money you are spending on lawyers, and generally how awful everyone is to you when you are spending both personally and as a commissioner the public's money like a drunken sailor.
Other people actually do "volunteer," to do all kinds of things to improve the environment, feed the poor, etc. without expecting to be thanked every five minutes.
Weren't you at Wyden's Town Hall when he blasted NOHA for gross mismanagement? Yet you whined about how the Daily A is "lying again" and what a bang up job Patricia did in letting NOHA go to hell.
And if you care so much about the poor and ill why did you vote to end the Healthy Family program, shut down Uniontown Apartments for the mentally ill, and close the Open Door program. Please don't say Clatsop County doesn't have the money when you spent thousands to cheerlead for Bradwood at FERC and approved tens of thousands of dollars for outside lawyers year after year.
596645 08/22/2009 Original Friends of Ann (10227) Ken Leahy(Owner of Bradwood Landing Property) Cash Contribution $220.00
Samuelson has just a taken $220.00 contribution from Ken Leahy the owner and a main player in the Bradwood Landing LNG facility?
Legal or not doesn't that constitute a conflict of interest, a bias that could cause her recusal from any further participation in the deliberations by Clatsop Commissioners?
You know everything mcgee, what do you think?
What the hell are the Chambers of Commerce in Astoria and Seaside doing taking political positions (letters in the Daily A opposing ATTEMPTS to even get recalls on the ballot)?
Isn't that illegal?
Are they going to endorse candidates for County commission and where were they when Richard Lee was robbing us blind?
Is the new standard you have to have committed a felony to be recalled?
How many letters of endorsement have you seen from just a normal, run of the mill district constituent from any one of these districts in support of any one of these officials under petition for recall?
Seems to me the only ones praising the accomplishments, miracles, heroics and whatnot are the recall subjects themselves with a smattering of the usual suspects lending their names.
Anonym 8:16AM said:"Legal or not doesn't that constitute a conflict of interest, a bias that could cause her recusal from any further participation in the deliberations by Clatsop Commissioners?
You know everything mcgee, what do you think?"
I think the citizens of all three districts that Samuelson, Hazen and Roberts represent in "The Public Trust" will deal with them effectively in the end should these petitions go to a vote.
Peter, who appears to be a constituent to Samuelson, made a good point as well..."Seems to me the only ones praising the accomplishments, miracles, heroics and whatnot are the recall subjects themselves with a smattering of the usual suspects lending their names."
I'm not even going to go there on the Leahy contribution except to say it is on record and up to Oregon SOS to sort out.
Looks like this particular recall candidate has clammed up.
Samuelson is like KLNG-AM.
All the news they want you to hear and the best money can buy.
I just listened to the October 2011 interview Ms. Samuelson conducted with Floyd Holcom.
Because both Ms. Samuelson and Mr. Holcom fired off such blistering, defensive, name-calling, replies to a few folks who commented on the interview...
I read up on Ms. Samuelson as Mr. Holcom is already a known entity.
Well, no wonder!
Samuelson has a fistful of axes to grind with just about everyone beginning with the Daily Astorian.
Fair and balanced she is not, but then she is neither a trained or professional broadcaster either.
Like her guest she really should stop firing off emails, tweets, Letters to the Editor, or talking on the radio every time someone/anyone rubs her hair the wrong way.
Thank goodness we have no local television facilities here. Can you imagine having to watch their antics as well as listen to them?
They have both chosen to be in the Public Eye, to become public figures on the North Coast, and hence they are eligible and deserving of praise, detraction, questioning of motives or motivation, examination of their backgrounds (personal and professional), and all else.
Both whine and cry and pout and snuffle and issue loud counter allegations and challenges whenever they are called to task.
A common tactic of those who, more oft than not, wish to deflect attention and interest from themselves and their actions (past, present, future) when things aren't going their way.
No wonder they were so good together on the radio program...two peas in a pod.
And are such good allies off the air, as well.
Birds of a feather do, indeed, flock together.
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