I am writing to express support for Mandi McDougall for Centralia’s School Board. She is running against Jami Lund for Position 4, and I’ve been reading lots of information I feel to be inaccurate out there. Jami is being touted as the lone fiscal conservative who can save the district from financial woes.
This isn’t true, as Jami was part of the very school board that allowed the mismanagement of funds in the first place. Jami may have voted against the teacher’s receiving their raise under the guise of financial concern, but where was that concern during the vote to approve a substantial raise for the superintendent? Where was that concern when the board voted to transfer money from the district “slush” fund to cover bond overages, therefore depleting district reserves?
Laying the blame for money woes at the feet of the teachers and their contracts is misguided at best, and malicious when viewed as a political ploy for Jami and his employer to gain support for their agenda. Every move Jami has made as a board member has been calculated on how best to bust up the teachers’ union, while attempting to maintain his political status.
I think people deserve to know the shady tactics being used, and really question the motives of all those involved.
Yes, Mandi has had campaigning done for by many labor unions in the state. That was not at her behest, and it certainly wasn’t meant to intimidate — Mandi has her own supporters, who are voting for her not just because she’s a better choice than the alternative, but because she is truly the person for the job. Please, do research and talk to people who actually are involved day in and day out in our schools — they’ll tell you they’re voting for Mandi McDougall. It’s time to make a positive change for Centralia.
Cassy Henderson
Centralia
