Onalaska school board approves budget in another animated meeting

New board member Jake Speed aired some grievances

The Onalaska school board unanimously approved the district’s budget for 2016-17, though it was an animated process at the meeting.

Outspoken board member Jake Speed took an opportunity to air grievances for the district spending around $40,000 in attorney fees after school  board candidates Tim Smaby and Ann Garrity were taken off the ballot following nomination paper errors. 

“Maybe we outta reduce it by about $40,000 since we threw that much away this year on attorney’s fees just to attempt to, harass me, essentially,” Speed said. “We spent way too much money.”

Speed’s argument begins at the 13:40 mark.

Other board members bemoaned the timing of Speed’s argument and why it wasn’t brought up earlier.

Smaby and Speed went back and forth during the meeting over Speed’s complaint with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board over those nomination papers. 

Smaby: “Are you accusing somebody on this board of breaking the law?”

Speed: “Well, there has been some things that have gone on … You’re one of them.” 

Smaby: “This is a public forum. You do not have a right to accuse someone of crimes.”

Speed: “You know what? The district attorney is sitting on a complaint.”

Garrity eventually commented on dustups that have taken place at meetings.

“You take no responsibility for your actions or your behavior on this board,” she argued. “You refuse board orientation, you refused board mentorship.”