June 8, 2023 – West Bend, Wi – I am here today concerning our school district’s Nepotism Policy 511.1. While I’m all for freedom of speech and sharing of ideas, I also believe in advancements due to merit. Of the seven school board members, two of them are affected by the nepotism policy: Chad Tamez whose wife is an Aide in the school district and Kelly Lang whose sister, Kara Petzold, is a teacher in the school district.
Chad Tamez is on the school board policy committee and Kelly Lang is on the curriculum committee. Both committees deal with issues that will put them in a conflict of interest where they should be fully expected to recuse themselves.
In Chad Tamez’s case, in particular, the Policy Committee has been in discussion about the nepotism policy, and he has not recused himself. He has even said he feels the nepotism policy is too restrictive. I am not only disappointed with his ethics on not recusing himself on an employment policy that CLEARLY affects his wife’s employment and his position on the school board, but I am even more discouraged at how an attorney and the Superintendent of Schools both sitting on the same committee are not asking him to recuse himself. This is unseemly especially because the school board has to avoid even a perception of impropriety.
To make my point clearer, I will use a couple of analogies. By allowing a board member who is affected by the nepotism policy to help revise the policy in his and his wife’s favor, since he has stated that he thinks it’s too restrictive, it would be like having a CEO profit from insider trading information or corporate buyouts. Not all shareholders have this inside information. It would also be like allowing a professional sport team write the rules in their favor for a game. This is quite absurd.
Something else to ponder, can board members provide examples of who’s been hurt by the policy being too restrictive? What about equity? The school district is an equal opportunity employer and should provide equally to all taxpayers!
I am asking Chad Tamez to recuse himself from any further discussion on the nepotism policy and for Superintendent Wimmer and Attorney/president of school board Chris Zwygart to encourage him to do so. In addition, I am requesting that any and all influence Chad Tamez has already made with regard to the policy be revisited and dismissed before it reaches the full board and that both Chad Tamez and Kelly Lang recuse themselves from voting.
Thank you.
Jody Geenen
West Bend, WI
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