Greene County Daily World

Bloomfield double dribbles on filling AD job

Posted Thursday, August 30, 2007, at 11:09 PM
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Unbelievable.

Bloomfield School Board what are you thinking?

How can your administrator tell a man he's got the athletic director's job and then he decides to withdraw his recommendation before Thursday night's board meeting got into full steam?

The vote to table the matter was 5-2. Board members Bob Kirk and Doug Frye dissented and said they wanted to go ahead and consider the matter as advertised on the agenda.

The board's majority action begs many questions.

Who works for who in the Bloomfield School District?

I always thought the superintendent worked for the school board.

Maybe not?

Why not put it to a vote and let the community know the real position of the individual board members?

Why did the board swing on this hire as the superintendent said in his comments during the meeting.

It's obvious there were some behind-the-scenes discussions.

Board member Doug Frye stressed, "I'd like to know what happened...we sat here ...coming up with the one we we're gonna hire and then get a call it's not on the agenda...the candidate was talked to and he was told he had the job. Now he doesn't."

The finalist candidate for the job -- Rick Hudson -- deserves better. He's more than qualified, experienced as a coach and business owner/manager. Above all -- he's a local guy who bleeds Cardinal Red.

He was told by the superintendent that the job was his. One detail was omitted. The school board hadn't voted yet.

The man even had his family at Thursday night's meeting to share in the occasion of receiving the new job.

They all surely left confused and disappointed.

What kind of unprofessional mess is that?

Rick handled it all with a lot of class and even was able to generate some of his characteristic 'good humor' in some comments to the board to try and soften the blow.

It sure will be interesting to see and hear all the 'whys' and 'hows' of this debacle.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story and see how all this plays out.

For now, the whistle has blown -- no decision has been made -- and it looks like a simple case of a double dribble mess.

Comments
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Last time I checked, no one is hired at the school until the school board actually votes during a meeting on the recommendation. Mr. Hudson might have been told that he was initially going to be the recommendation, but he also would have been told that it could be changed or he might not be accepted. So, he didn't actually have the job... and couldn't have believed it was his without formal action by the board. Oh, and the Superintendent has the right to change his mind on recommendations, and the obligation to do so if he believes there is a better recommendation that can be made.

-- Posted by alexis on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 7:44 AM

I am sorry for the Hudsons as they are true Cardinal supporters. Well said Alexis and hoosierxheart on protocol.

-- Posted by Greene County Patriot on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 9:36 AM

You know, this all could have been avoided last year if Bloomfield would have hired the right person for the position.......the person who would have taken the position to even greater heights, the person who would have never, ever left Bloomfield. Someone who has Bloomfield in his soul. Josh Thompson. But it appears the principal made his power play, and now you've got this mess. You sleep in the bed you make.

-- Posted by Spongefactor on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 10:35 AM

You are right about the protocol... BUT it wasn't followed. The superintendent told Mr. Hudson that he had the job. I'd say Mr. Hudson had pretty good reason to believe the job was his. But Mr. Hudson knows that board well enough to "not take the tags off" his new clothing.

It really bothers me that the term "debacle" and anything to do with the Bloomfield BOE are mentioned in the same paragraph. Correct usage of the term, but it bothers me nonetheless.

-- Posted by anon on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 10:36 AM

Spongefactor: Hindsight's 20/20 so I'll add my 2 cents.... why didn't this board hire Chuck Roach as principal when it had the chance? Maybe ALOT of things that have happened could have been avoided.... You are so right - they're sleeping in the bed they made - but it's our kids who will pay the price.

-- Posted by anon on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 10:47 AM

The way I see it... protocol was followed completely. Mr. Hudson had to know that he didn't have a job until it was said so by the school board at the meeting. I'm sure Mr. Sichting informed him of this. Mr. Sichting pulled the recommendation because of a change of mind, and he has the right to do so. As Alexis put it... he has the obligation to do it if he feels it's in the best interest of the school.

-- Posted by leonard on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 12:08 PM

Well, I totally agree with greeneeyes. Couldn't have said it better myself. Nothing has changed at Bloomfield, nothing ever will. Mr. Hudson would have been a perfect fit for that position, he still is the right person for that job. Bloomfield loses, again.

-- Posted by Indygal on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 1:17 PM

Good decision Mr. Sichting/School Board! The student athletes win. The coaches win. Bloomfield wins!! Don't settle for something less than the best.

-- Posted by leonard on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 1:34 PM

leonard you are right that we shouldn't settle for anything less than the best. (Though everyone has their own opinion on who would have been best.) Having the principal do double-duty would definitely be less than the best. I really really hope it doesn't come to that.

-- Posted by anon on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 2:50 PM

How's this solution? Give Rick Hudson a 1 year deal with the knowledge that the job would be reopened at the end of the current school year. Conduct new interviews and select the best candidate at that time. If Mr. Hudson does what he says, he would have to be a front runner at the end of the process. If there is a better option at that time, the school would have that option. Would Rick go for it. I think he's confident enough in his abilities that he might.

The bottom line is that Andy Ross left the school in a bind when he left so late in the summer. I'm sure the school thinks that they would have had more applicants if there had been more time at the appropriate time of the year. They might be right. But I have a hard time believing that a full time principal will have the time to cover his current duties and the duties of a fulltime AD. What is going to slip through the cracks? Greg Parsley might be superman,but its a tall order to fill. Even if the rest of the administarion kicks in some help,this was a full time $60000.00 a year job. Your telling me he can do it in his spare time?

I like my idea better.

-- Posted by CUBHATER on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 2:52 PM

Yes, cubhater has a very good idea. Maybe the BOE is reading these comments? Nonetheless, those of us who care need to contact our board members.

-- Posted by anon on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 3:47 PM

You are a genuis CUBHATER, I like your style but it will never happen now, it is a now a Power Play, Super vs. Board. The line has been drawn so keep on dreaming.

Go Cubs, you guys rock.

-- Posted by CranialMan on Fri, Aug 31, 2007, at 9:20 PM

Why is the Linton newspaper trying to cause trouble with the Bloomfield School Board? I think that the elected Bloomfield School Board is more than capable off hiring an athletic director without the help of the Linton Daily Citizen.

-- Posted by RLU on Mon, Sep 3, 2007, at 7:11 PM

I find it curious to find admonition about Mr. Sichting on this posting and praise on the bomb threat posting.

He has done a remarkable job during his first year.

-- Posted by Greene County Patriot on Tue, Sep 4, 2007, at 9:40 AM

Greene County Daily World, not LDC. Some kind of merger between the Daily Citizen and Evening World.

I was for the Evening Citizen (although I really favored the Morning Alien), but lost out. Regardless, the paper is a County rag, not just a Linton edition.

-- Posted by simmons on Wed, Sep 5, 2007, at 5:07 AM

The point is that the Bloomfield School Board is more than capable of hiring an athletic director, leave them alone and let them do the job they were elected to do.

-- Posted by RLU on Wed, Sep 5, 2007, at 10:54 AM

hoosierxheart.... I agreed with your use of the term "debacle." It bothers me that our board is guilty of one....

Rumors are flying everywhere - it appears to be another one of those "good ol' boys" things we got going in Bloomfield. Except there's more than one group of "boys" and they ain't playin' nice together.....

Poor Mr. Sichting is caught in the middle; that man has my utmost respect.

-- Posted by anon on Wed, Sep 5, 2007, at 7:34 PM

hoosierxheart.... I agreed with your use of the term "debacle." It bothers me that our board is guilty of one....

Mr. Sichting has my utmost admiration and respect.

-- Posted by anon on Wed, Sep 5, 2007, at 7:37 PM

I think the BOE should give Hudson a chance to show them what he can do. What would they have to lose by hiring one of their own?

-- Posted by bloomfieldfan on Mon, Sep 10, 2007, at 11:24 AM