# Summary: Vandalia Board of Education Meeting Cancellation Controversy
**Source:** Vandalia Drummer News
**Author:** Darrell Wacker, Drummer Editor
**Date:** August 28, 2013
## Overview
The Vandalia Board of Education faced significant public backlash following the last-minute cancellation of a scheduled meeting on August 27, 2013. While the official reason given was the absence of board members, the cancellation occurred amid intense community scrutiny regarding a controversial contract extension for the district Treasurer.
## Key Excerpts & Facts
* **The Controversy:** "On the agenda was a controversial contract extension for Treasurer Dan Schall through July of 2018… Schall is currently under contract through 2017 thanks to a contract approved last August."
* **Public Sentiment:** "There are many people in this community who have decided that they would never vote for a school levy until 1.) former Superintendent Christy Donnelly and 2.) Mr. Schall both left the district."
* **The Editor's Critique:** "The district needs the school levy to pass in August, and the Board is sabotaging the chance of that happening at every turn. If I didn't know better, one might think a secret program to piss off and alienate as many voters as possible is at play."
## Critical Issues & Community Concerns
### 1. Timing and Optics
The Board attempted to grant a five-year contract extension to Treasurer Dan Schall despite several recent unpopular decisions:
* **Outsourcing:** The Board recently moved to outsource the transportation department.
* **Staff Reductions:** The district has laid off teachers and staff over the past two years.
* **Levy Politics:** A critical school levy is pending, and the Board's actions are perceived as alienating the very voters needed for its passage.
### 2. Lack of Urgency
Editor Darrell Wacker questioned the necessity of the extension, noting:
* Schall’s existing contract was already secure until **2017**.
* No other district employees, including the new Superintendent, hold five-year contracts.
* The Board could have easily waited until January or the following August to address the matter.
### 3. The "Tone-Deaf" Board
The article characterizes the Board as operating in a "vacuum" that isolates them from constituent concerns. Public Relations Coordinator Bethany Reiff confirmed that the "chatter" regarding the Treasurer's contract was "overwhelmingly negative" prior to the meeting's cancellation.
## Treasurer Dan Schall’s Role
The editor provides a nuanced view of the Treasurer himself:
* **The "Lightning Rod":** Schall is often blamed for misspending, but the editor notes that the Treasurer spends only at the direction of the Board and Administration.
* **Unenviable Position:** Schall is frequently the bearer of "tough news" regarding the district's financial woes, making him a target for teachers and anti-levy activists.
## Conclusion
The cancellation of the meeting is seen as a potential sign that the Board finally "heard the uproar and listened," though the initial decision to place the extension on the agenda is viewed as a significant "unforced error" in public relations.