The Worst of Times, The Worst of Times: For Broward taxpayers & school kids, the era of "Marko the Bad & the Extravagant" seemed like it'd never end

No, it's not just your imagination.
The Miami Herald and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel have never reported on the hiring of James D. Stokes to replace Edward J. Marko as General Counsel for the Broward County School Board.

Or even the public meetings held to reach the final candidates, which I, at least, posted on my blog days in advance so that people would know what was going on.
I've been looking and waiting -nothing.

So I checked again after reading Buddy's Nevins' Broward Beat article this afternoon.

Result: We didn't find any Articles containing James Stokes.

Please refine your query and try again.

Per Buddy Nevins' jaw-dropping story, I'd complain to SE Broward School Board member Ann Murray about this situation, but since she hasn't been publicly seen in Hallandale Beach for a non-political purpose all year, there's no point.

Perhaps you feel differently, if so, here are the folks who remain after Tuesday's election results.

jennifer.gottlieb@browardschools.com

ann.murray@browardschools.com

robin.bartleman@browardschools.com
maureen.dinnen@browardschools.com

It'd be nice to see the South Florida news media actually try to ask the newly-elected School Board members on camera what they think of this outrage, and whether it seems at all consistent with what the so-called Integrity Comm., formally known by the tongue-twister, Commission on Education Excellence through Integrity, Public Ethics and Transparency, recommended for regaining the community's trust.
http://browardschoolsintegrity.org/

Oh yeah, and be sure to ask Integrity member Bob Butterworth what he thinks -on camera, too- about the very idea of the present School Board members voting on this before the new members are sworn-in.

Yet another nail in Broward Schools Supt. James Notter's coffin.
Please pass the hammer when you are through with it!

This afternoon I heard from Broward Coalition President Charlotte Greenbarg and Charlotte says:

"They're going to give the Stokes contract to the board Monday as they planned yesterday when they were negotiating with him. I was there."

After hearing that, all I can say is that from here in Hallandale Beach, it sure looks like a railroad robbery, and an "inside job" at that.

Note to self: I wonder if any Broward School Board members have ever been recalled from office before?
If not, there's always a first time, and I'd only be too happy to help get the party started.

I can think of two perpetual no-shows in Hallandale Beach I'd start with: rhymes with Gottlieb & Murray.

------

Broward Beat
Outgoing School Board’s Last Minute Big Contract With Attorney
By Buddy Nevins

A $266,654 contract to give longtime School Board attorney Ed Marko an extra year’s employment is being rammed through a week before the new School Board takes office.

The contract appointing Marko “general counsel emeritus” is due to be voted on at next Tuesday’s meeting, the last meeting of the outgoing School Board.

The new Board will be sworn in a week later, on Nov. 16.

Read the rest of the post at:
http://www.browardbeat.com/outgoing-school-boards-last-minute-big-contract-with-attorney/

-----

http://eagenda.broward.k12.fl.us/cgi-bin/WebObjects/eAgenda.woa/wo/6.0.7.1.3.0.1.7.2.0.40.3.0.13.1.0.0.1.3

The School Board of Broward County, Florida Agenda
Created : October 11, 2010 at 06:46 PM

Public Hearing - Interview the Finalists for the General Counsel Position
October 11, 2010
Monday, 03:00 PM
K. C. Wright Administration Center
600 Southeast Third Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

---

CALL TO ORDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CLOSE AGENDA

PURPOSE OF MEETING:

For The School Board of Broward County, Florida to Interview the Finalists for the General Counsel Position, and any other items the Board deems necessary.

SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION:

1. Interview with Candidate for Position of General Counsel and Determination Whether to Authorize Contract Negotiations with a Selected Candidate or to Consider Other Alternatives for the Position of General Counsel To Interview a Candidate for Position of General Counsel and Determine Whether to Authorize Contract Negotiations with a Selected Candidate or to Consider Other Alternatives for the Position of General Counsel At the February 2, 2010 School Board meeting, The School Board authorized approval of the release of the Request for Letter of Interest (RLI) to seek interested and qualified candidates for the General Counsel position. Advertisements were run in the Sun-Sentinel, The Miami Herald, The Florida Bar News, Daily Business Review, Broward Barrister, Council of School Attorneys and the Broward County Public Schools website. Thirty-one (31) candidates submitted applications for the position of General Counsel. In accordance with the RLI, the following steps were taken. The applications were reviewed by the screening committee, Edward J. Marko, Esq.; Robert Soloff, Esq.; and Ms. Gracie Diaz. The screening committee identified those candidates who met the minimum qualifications for the position and whose resume and documentation indicated substantial experience in governmental and/or governmental law. As a result of the review, six (6) candidates were recommended to be interviewed by the Legal Services Committee. One of the six candidates withdrew, leaving five candidates who were interviewed by the Legal Services Committee. The committee reduced the field of candidates and decided to conduct a second interview with the two remaining candidates, Gary M. Glassman, Esq. and James D. Stokes, Esq. The Legal Services Committee recommended that both of those candidates be interviewed by The School Board. In accordance with the RLI, district staff conducted reference checks for the two remaining candidates. During that process, Mr. Glassman declined to provide a letter of reference from his supervisor at his current employer. Although he was informed that his failure to provide such a letter of reference would result in the withdrawal of his invitation to be interviewed by The School Board, Mr. Glassman declined to do so while requesting that he remain under consideration for the position. As a result of the lack of a letter of reference from his supervisor at his current employer, Mr. Glassman’s invitation to be interviewed has been withdrawn and Mr. Stokes is the only candidate being submitted to The School Board for an interview. There is no financial impact to the school district.

---------

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Mayo on the Side blog

Will Broward Superintendent Notter start feeling heat for school district woes?

By Michael Mayo
October 22, 2010 10:35 AM

As if corruption arrests of two school board members and an ongoing state grand jury probe weren't enough, now comes the latest embarrassment for the Broward school district: a scathing federal audit that questions $15 million in disaster aid spending after the 2005 hurricane season.

The audit examined $15.7 million of $60.8 million (CORRECTION APPENDED: an earlier version had an incorrect figure of $65 million) in FEMA grants that the school district received after Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma.

Shockingly, it found problems with $15 million of the $15.7 million, nearly 95 percent, calling the district's expenses "unreasonable, unsupported, unnecessary or excessive."

Read the rest of the post at:

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/columnists/mayo/blog/2010/10/federal_audit_another_black_ey.html