Lyle residents still at odds over school
Published 10:53 am Tuesday, October 11, 2011

From left, Lyle Superintendent Jim Dusso, Board Chairman Dean Rohne, Vice Chair Carl Truckenmiller and Treasurer Dan King discuss Lyle Public Schools' legal fees during the board's October meeting Monday. The district has reportedly spent about $8,700 in legal fees this year. -- Trey Mewes/trey.mewes@austindailyherald.com
The Lyle Public School board meeting Monday night wasn’t as explosive as September’s meeting, but tension among board members and administration was evident and many in the crowd were unhappy with the board.
Board member Dan King and the rest of the board were at odds on plenty of issues from board minutes to the agenda. King wished to include board comments on the agenda as well as enter into closed session to discuss the termination of an employee, which board members rejected before passing the agenda as it was posted Sunday night.
In addition, King was insistent in changing September’s meeting minutes to reflect how board members ended the meeting early after local residents interrupted the meeting during King’s board comments.
Tensions picked up when Lyle Superintendent Jim Dusso chided King after King requested more financial information about the district’s legal fees. Dusso told King during the meeting that he never picked up the last packet of information he requested, which was more than a month ago.
“I’m a little frustrated,” Dusso said.
King apologized, saying he was initially denied the information and didn’t know what he requested was ready, nor was he ever contacted about the matter. King apologized for the misunderstanding.
District officials said last month that LPS had accrued about $8,700 worth of legal fees in fending off accusations that the board held an illegal closed session meeting when it first hired Dusso, along with levy recertification-related fees. Dusso said during the meeting that district officials have sought legal counsel due to residents’ complaints.
Audience members were not pleased with the board or Dusso, although there were plenty of administration supporters at the meeting. Several made audible remarks, though the board never formally acknowledged the outbursts.
Of the three residents who gave public comment before the board, two praised the district and its employees for serving students well. Rick Jacobsen, whose wife is an employee, praised the district’s staff, administration and board, at one point visibly shaking when he read a letter he wrote.
Barb Hunter told the board she didn’t fear speaking out and losing her job but she did fear losing her job if the district couldn’t come together.
“Find a way to understand each other,” she said. “Learn to agree or disagree and move on to find solutions for the district.”