Florida’s Polk County is home to the state’s 8th largest school district with 90,000+ students, and for the last 4 years Gail F. McKinzie. Ph.D., has been the district’s School Superintendent. She has enjoyed the accolades of the County’s School Board, receiving high praise, and even higher wage increases.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation doesn’t totally agree with the school board’s assessment.
What happened? Well, two months ago the feds raided McKinzie’s Facilities and Operations Division, the division which doles out hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to a limited number of contractors, monies intended for school projects.
The top man in this division, Bob Williams, Assistant Superintendent of Facilities, his son Rob, Project Coordinator, and Terry Collins, Director of Maintenance, each resigned earlier this month.
Just before they were to be fired.
Ron Ciranna, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, confirmed that Bob, Rob, and Terry were to be dismissed, but would not reveal the reasons why.
As if we have no clue to what the reasons might be.
Here’s the saddest part. Responding to news reporter’s questions, Dr. McKinzie said she was not to blame. That she had, “Repeatedly asked Williams for information, which he failed to deliver.” She followed those comments with, “Our oversight of the Facilities Division will improve in the following months, and we will be more objective in selecting contractors.”
McKinzie, who has had the watch for over four years, and has repeatedly asked Williams for weekly information concerning the status of school projects, which he failed to produce, and yet she considers herself blameless? If the feds hadn’t raided the joint, when do you suppose McKinzie might have suspected something?
When will the School Board react to this situation? Her managerial skills have been sadly exposed, at a cost to the taxpayer of…how much? Big money, certainly.
Dr. McKinzie, please resign. Leave quietly. If not, and if the School Board fails to act they, too, will feel the brunt of voter’s disdain. Maybe. The voters of Polk County are…very often…um…what’s the word?
Am I too harsh? If so, what culpability should be assigned to our Superintendent?
