Recall leader Margie Russell called on Beverly Humiston-Scott to resign, and a resident asked about a restraining order between president Monty Guiles and board member Humiston-Scott at a school board meeting Monday night.
Only two members of the public spoke at the packed meeting, which was promptly adjourned.
The committee chairperson of the recall effort read aloud a written statement that she shared with The Mancos Times last week. The statement accused Humiston-Scott of no longer being an effective board member and of being a bad example for students.
“We want to listen and read about discussions regarding curriculum, systems, kids and finances, not censure and arrests,” she read.
The board did not publicly comment on her statement during the meeting. Guiles voiced his support for the recall effort last week.
Superintendent Brian Hanson said he had not taken a position on the recall effort, but he would if the question made it to a special election.
Resident Bob Becker asked whether school board funds were used to pay the legal fees for Guiles’ temporary restraining order against Humiston.
Guiles asked Becker to direct his question to Hanson.
“I would remind everyone this is public comment, and not public discussion,” Guiles said.
Hanson said in an email school legal services were used to file the request for a protection order because Humiston-Scott allegedly threatened Guiles while he was acting in his official capacity as school board president.
“It would be the same for any employee or Board member who is threatened when acting in their official school district capacity,” he said. Guiles said that Humiston-Scott threatened him during the July school board meeting while she was being arrested.“She looked right at me in front of everyone and said ‘You are going to pay for this,’” Guiles said. Guiles said that everyone on the board and the administration members that attend the meetings including the superintendent, secretary and business manager heard the statement. Humiston-Scott’s lawyer, Bobby Duthie, said the restraining order has been dropped.
Humiston-Scott was arrested at a July school board meeting after she repeatedly refused to leave while accusing other board members of violating law for agreeing to censure her outside a public meeting.
The recall effort was started two weeks ago, and 213 signatures must be turned in by early October for a recall election to be held.
mshinn@cortezjournal.com
