The newspaper in Montgomery County has done it again this week with the ousted superintendent, Joshua Powell.
The latest half-reported story involves the recusal of Judges Maze and Lane, which you’ve already read about here.
Let’s dive right in with some excerpts:
Powell told the Advocate Tuesday, “I am disappointed in the comments made by Circuit Court Judge Beth Maze concerning her reasons for recusal. Although her citations of statute, case law and attorney general opinion are certainly relevant to the demotion of an employee, her description of the event was inaccurate. The ‘former Curriculum Director’ was not demoted. Rather, the employee voluntarily requested to be transferred to the position of classroom teacher. The referenced employee continues to perform well and has had a positive impact on the numerous children that have had the good fortune of being in her classroom.”
You already know how Powell operates. He threatens people and gives them no choice but to resign or take a lower paying job. Who in their right mind leaves mega bucks to take a lowly teaching job? No one. It wasn’t a voluntary request or a Circuit Court Judge wouldn’t have declared such in an official filing within the Court.
Taking on a judge and insinuating that he has a superior knowledge of the law isn’t going to serve him well in any courtroom in the Commonwealth.
More:
The board at that Feb. 10 meeting also asserted a conflict with attorney Michael Owsley related to representation of Powell and the board both in civil litigation and hearings before the Educational Professional Standards Board.
Powell alleges actions at that meeting are another example of the board trying to cause harm. He claims board members are powerless outside of a board meeting and restricting access to the public school district where four of his children attend “is another example of the board abusing power.”
Isn’t that fun? Continuing to claim the school board — his collective boss — has no power. Fascinating how that’s working out for him.
The second graph there is the biggy. The one about the school board asserting a conflict of interest with Owsley/ELPO. Which means ELPO can’t continue to represent Powell because the client — the board — says so.
But on Friday, according to our sources within the Montgomery County Schools central office and (of all places!) in the governor’s office, Owsley is alleged to have advised the EPSB that he will continue to represent Powell and that there is no conflict. Despite the school board unanimously voting that there is, in fact, a conflict. Kind of surprising because of the problems that will cause him.
Folks at the Administrative Office of the Courts say Kentucky Supreme Court Rule 3.130 is pretty clear about conflicts and dual representation.
It’s turning into a real soap opera because Powell has basically maxed out the district’s legal insurance benefit. He’s even alleged to have used the Montgomery County insurance policy to pay for representation in his Union County case — something not allowed by the insurer or the district. Now his attorney is ignoring a monstrous conflict of interest that was voted on by an elected government body, which seems to be a trend with attorneys associated with Powell.
Crazy, huh?
Fun note: Donna Wilson finally realized she was taken for a ride and is fit to be tied.
