On Jan. 31, I attended a JJC board workshop meeting. I sat quietly in the back row and used my video camera to record segments that I thought might be pertinent to taxpayers.
As the meeting adjourned I left and as I was exiting the building, a campus police officer was standing there on his cell phone. As I passed by he stopped and said he was calling the police on me. With the way he said it, I thought he was just making a joke and I laughed and casually walked on. This morning I found out that it was not a joke.
Apparently board member Susan Klen called the police on me just before the meeting adjourned. Two officers showed up in the board room just after I had left and they asked her for a description. She described a short haired blonde guy in a brown coat. Board Chairman Barb Delaney was standing nearby, somewhat shocked that Klen had called the police and said, “You don’t mean Brad, do you?” Klen did. As Chairman Delaney stood in disbelief along with board member Dan O’Connell, and the board’s attorney, she informed board member Klen that this was an open meeting and Brad had every right to record. I was there, as always, to promote transparency and inform taxpayers. This clearly demonstrates how some JJC board members really want to continue to operate in the dark without transparency or accountability to taxpayers.
Almost a year ago I proposed six changes that the JJC board could make to improve transparency: among them are to allow for public comment sign up at start of meetings, provide detailed meeting agendas like other schools, and allow for some questions during meetings. No action has been taken.
Brad Baber
Former JJC Board Candidate and Citizen Watchdog