Alexander cast recall as showdown with school superintendent

Members of a local political action committee have expanded their recall effort to include two more Lebanon School Board members.

Petitions filed with the Linn County Clerk's office on June 5 by Warren Beeson and Joyce Weatherly, members of Lebanon Citizens Alliance for a Responsible Education System (CARES) political action committee, target board members Josh Wineteer and Rick Alexander for recall. Weatherly and fellow CARES member Connie Schmidt are the chief petitioners for a recall of Debi Shimmin filed on June 2.

The filing statement on Beeson's petition alleges that Alexander has consistently violated board policy, failed to act in the best interest of the school district and pursued a personal agenda against the district administration. Alexander's support for increased funding for Sand Ridge Charter School and refusal to support the hiring of two Lebanon High School administrators also are listed as reasons for the recall.

According to the statement, "Mr. Alexander's actions have cost the school district thousands of dollars in litigation and unnecessary costs."

The recall petition for Wineteer lists failing to follow board policy and not acting in the best interest of the school district. Wineteer's involvement in amending a contract that increases per student funding for Sand Ridge Charter School without consulting the district's financial officer and failing to disclose that his daughter attends the charter school are also cited as reasons for the recalls.

"I'm glad it happened. It's time to go to the mat," Alexander said while giving a copy of prepared remarks about the recall to the Lebanon Express.

In his written statement, Alexander said that in pursuing his campaign platform of accountability and change he has ruffled the feathers of public officials who previously were not held accountable for their actions.

"My diligence on behalf of the public interest has earned me some powerful political enemies, and they have begun to attack me as a single organized group," he wrote.

Alexander's statement cast the recall as referendum on Lebanon Schools Superintendent Jim Robinson's performance.

"This recall will define whether the community truly wants change, or whether they want the same stagnation and alienation we have had for the past 10 years," Alexander wrote.

CARES president John "Tre" Kennedy said his group made the decision to include Alexander and Wineteer in the recall attempt after the resignation of school board chair Sherrie Sprenger on June 5 and because of feedback from the citizens who believed Alexander and Wineteer need to be recalled.

To qualify for a recall vote, supporters have 90 days to collect 1,398 valid signatures of Lebanon voters for each petition, said Linn County Elections Official John Ramirez when the Shimmin recall petition was filed. Board members would be given five days to resign or file a statement of justification as to why they should not be recalled if enough signatures are certified by the county. An election must be held within 35 days of the justification statement filing by each board member.

Shimmin has declined to comment on the recall. Wineteer could not be reached for comment.