PORT TOWNSEND — The School Board has decided against hiring Brian Metke as a consultant.
The board had considered hiring Metke, who was one of two finalists for the post now held by interim Superintendent Gene Laes, and had held about $20,000 out of Laes’ potential salary to fund that consultant position should it decide to do so,
At a Saturday retreat, the board tabled the proposal to hire Metke, a former superintendent in several Oregon public school systems who is now a consultant.
“The district has struggled a little bit due to all the recent changes,” Laes said. “So the board decided they needed to stabilize and not move too fast into something new.”
Metke learned of the board action at Monday’s regular meeting.
Laes said he called Metke at 8 a.m. Monday to inform him of the board’s action, but could not get through.
He said he left two messages, which Metke said he did not receive until 2:30 p.m., at which time he was already in Port Townsend.
On Monday’s agenda, the item “consulting for special projects with Metke” was crossed out.
Metke, who was not acknowledged at the board meeting, approached board members as the meeting ended and spoke privately with School Board President Bobby DuBois.
“They don’t want me,” Metke said after that discussion.
DuBois declined comment.
The board did not discuss on Monday what it would do with the money it had reserved for consulting services.
When the board hired Laes, a former superintendent at Cape Flattery, for $96,000 per year, it specified that the amount was 80 percent of the full salary, and that the remaining 20 percent could be used to hire Metke as a consultant.
Laes, who began work as superintendent on July 1, said that, despite the salary arrangement, “It is a full time job and I am not doing 80 percent of the work.”
Tom Opstad, who is now superintendent of the Aberdeen School System, resigned in April and the board was unable to find a suitable replacement when two of the three finalists dropped out.
They decided to hire an interim superintendent, and narrowed the choice down to Laes and Metke, before deciding on Laes.
Metke called the Port Townsend School District “first rate” and that it was “one of the best kept secrets in the state.”
Metke had appeared at the Aug. 9 board meeting, and proposed creating a report about the school system that would involve him observing all levels of the school district.
The cost of the project was never discussed, according to Laes, but he said that his accepting 80 percent pay freed up around $20,000 for the school district.
Metke relied on visual aids to get his ideas across and used several props during his public interview process in June, including a bird that sat on his shoulder during the presentation.
“He gave his presentation and was pretty unconventional,” said Tom Thiersch, who observed the entire process.
Board member Ann Burkhart said the board “really liked him.
“But the timing wasn’t right.”
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
