# Auto-Generated Transcription of clevenger-june21-interview.mp4
This transcription is generated using OpenAI's tool [whisper](https://github.com/openai/whisper), using the `small` model.

**WARNING:** This transcription contains errors and should be used as an assistive guide, not an authoritative reference. 

See [original audio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM)

Transcription:
[0s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=0): This is Reid Suitman with the Cater Vote and the following interview is with
[5.5s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=5): Bill Clevenger after the June 21st special Board of Education meeting at
[11.76s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=11): MacArthur High School. Hi, can I ask you a couple questions? So I'm obviously
[19.82s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=19): interested in the transparency issue. I know you guys have your hands full of
[23.64s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=23): course with the building problems right now, but a minute ago you kind of spoke
[29.34s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=29): to the effect that you don't think anything extra needs to be done for
[32.82s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=32): the transparency. Are you open to any suggestions like a accountability
[37.34s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=37): committee or opening an investigation into the history of this issue? I'd have to
[41.78s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=41): look at that because most of the people here who are in position today weren't
[45.98s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=45): here before. They had no responsibility for the previous actions. They weren't
[52.02s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=52): employed here. So when we get into discussions of five, ten years ago, the
[59.26s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=59): folks that are here today had nothing to do with that. So a better thought would
[1m4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=64): be to move forward with our staff now, give them the benefit of the doubt, let
[1m10s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=69): them do their job that they were hired to do and what they're expected to do, and
[1m13s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=73): then let's move forward and create a climate that the community has confidence
[1m18s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=78): in. And we can move forward in that environment a lot better than we can. Let's
[1m24s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=83): look in the windshield rather than the rear view mirror. Are you open to forming
[1m29s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=89): an accountability committee of teachers and parents? I'd have to look at it and
[1m32s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=92): understand exactly what might be proposed and what their role might be and
[1m38s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=97): how that role might materialize over a given number of years. I'm not a big one
[1m44s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=103): but three committees that aren't going to have continuity and aren't going to have a
[1m50s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=109): successful impact on an organization. So I would have to see the whole scope of
[1m55s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=115): what the idea entails before we would have that conversation. Okay, and I'd like
[2m1s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=120): to ask you about an anonymous tip that I received. Last night after I published
[2m7s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=126): my article I received an anonymous tip that... Note from the editor's desk. I have
[2m12s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=132): had to cut this part of the recording because we cannot publish an unverified
[2m18s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=137): anonymous tip. I have sent a FOIA request to the district to get more
[2m23s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=142): information regarding the tip and that information will be shared at a later
[2m29s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=148): time. Okay, would you be interested? I was not involved in that conversation with
[2m37s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=156): the staff. That was staff-to-staff conversation and my responsibility right
[2m43s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=163): now is at the board level and those staff that use with Dr. Clark. I understand Dr. Clark is the spokesperson for the
[2m54s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=174): district. At the last meeting I tried to interview Denise Swarthout and she
[2m60s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=179): directed me to Dr. Clark. I was shut down by Dr. well actually my board
[3m4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=184): secretary Melissa Bradford who told me to talk to Denise Swarthout. So I was kind
[3m8s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=188): of getting a run around and I've been having a hard time getting an interview
[3m11s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=190): with anybody who has background knowledge on this issue to get more
[3m15s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=194): information about kind of the underlying process and why it took so long to get
[3m21s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=200): the analysis scheduled. The scheduling analysis I think was just an unfortunate
[3m28s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=207): sequence of events that took place where the contractor wasn't available for a
[3m34s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=213): given period of time and then Ken Metzger, our director of buildings and ground, wasn't available for another period of time. The contractor actually wanted to become the engineer, wanted to become the implementer. Really nobody was in the building so they could have a more thorough look and not disrupt anything.
[3m53s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=232): And unfortunately those time delays led us to where we are. Whether that's a problem, I understand that, but that's the reality of the
[4m4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=243): construction industry is getting engineers, architects in place to do the studies that you need to have done. And sometimes timing just doesn't work out. Could we have acted faster? Quite possibly. But the reality of it is we're where we are now and we need to move on these projects. We need to make determinations that are in the best interest of our students, they're in the best interest of our faculty and staff,
[4m33s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=273): and they're in the best interest of the overall Decatur community. And then let's not forget the cost factor of those. How does that weigh into the future of this course? And there's always a cost-benefit analysis to go with these things as well. So I think when we think about this, it's a big puzzle and we're putting pieces together right now.
[5m0s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=300): So it's going to take a little bit of time, a little bit of patience, and all of our staff working together. But I think we're going to come out with a solution that works for the year, and then we'll start into that overall planning process that Dr. Clark talked about at the end of our presentation.
[5m15s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=315): Can I just have a minute with you?
[5m17s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=317): Sure. Can I go up to the top for a second?
[5m19s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=319): Yeah, I'll be right there.
[5m21s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=321): So I think that's kind of where we are right now.
[5m24s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=324): And I think I have a pretty good understanding of that.
[5m29s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=329): My big concern really is the transparency. It sounds like the district is on top of the building issues and that I have been unable to get access to the administration and has background knowledge on the issues to get my questions answered about the transparency.
[5m47s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=347): Which has been a hot topic for a while, and I think three different board candidates ran on transparency as a major platform issue.
[5m57s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=357): And I don't see anything meaningful being done to address that so far.
[6m1s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=361): Well, I've worked with the Open Meetings Act for 40 years.
[6m4s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=364): I think I know what the Open Meetings Act is all about, and I'm going to do my best to make sure that we comply with the Open Meetings Act,
[6m13s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=373): and that we work with our community for the betterment of our school system.
[6m17s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=377): I just have a long term history in the community.
[6m20s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=380): And you can look at my record over time and the things that have been accomplished over that time period,
[6m26s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=386): and I'm hoping to be able to provide that same kind of leadership here.
[6m30s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=390): Okay, I think that's all my questions.
[6m32s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=392): Okay, good deal, Covinger. Thanks.
[6m34s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwspS_ekaIM&t=394): See you later.