Truth about Pasco Schools: Who's Running this Show?

Who: Leland A. Goeke, owner of Systemic HR Solutions (click here to view his Linked-In Profile)

What: Lee Goeke was hired by the Pasco School Board to facilitate the search for a new superintendent. Typically school districts hire a firm that specializes in this type of search. For a job like this, we would expect to have experienced professionals working on what Amy Phillips of the school board has called, "The most important decision they will have to make." At least that is what the Washington State School Directors Association recommends (check out their guide on "how to hire a new superintendent" here). But instead Pasco hired a one-man-show, Lee Goeke.

Where: Apparently this was done in a closed-door executive session because it was not done in an open meeting. Unfortunately the law states that there are very few things a school board can do in an executive sessions, and hiring Lee Goeke is not one of them. (you can view the rules regarding executive sessions here). In fact an article in the Tri-City Herald says that, "Nancy Krier, state assistant attorney general on open government, said not making those decisions during public meetings could open the district up to legal action." (read the TCH article here).

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2015/05/02/3541844/pasco-school-board-accused-of.html#storylink=cpy

When: According to Sarah Thornton, Assistant Superintendent for legal affairs in Pasco School District, Lee Goeke's first hire appears to have happened some years ago. When he was specifically appointed to conduct this search is not clear.

How: A public records request revealed that he had no actual contract to conduct the search. PSD's own Sarah Thorton, claims he was hired to do this very important job with only a verbal agreement. She claims, "There was no written contract signed with Mr. Goeke as he had previously been set up as a contractor/vendor with the district's Fiscal Services department."

Why: This is the big question. Why would the district hire Lee Goeke?

Was he the most qualified? Not really. He has very little experience in conducting superintendent searches. Was it cheaper to hire Lee Goeke instead of a traditional recruiting firm? If you ask a school board member they will say yes. Most have claimed he cost half of what a traditional firm would cost. Unfortunately they are wrong. When asked about Goeke's fee, President Brault is quoted in the Tri-City Herald (the same story linked to above) as saying that he could not recall exactly what he was paid. However, we have the district invoice that shows exactly what he was paid. $19,755.03. Unfortunately, it only proves that for his rushed, one-man services, PSD paid the same rate (roughly $20,000) as most districts pay to hire a whole reputable firm recommended by the WSSDA (Washington State School Directors' Association). For the same fee, Pasco School Board could have hired an experienced firm to conduct the search with a legally binding contract and money back guarantee. Instead, we have a verbal contract with no guarantees and are still out twenty thousand dollars for our trouble.

So why was he hired? Perhaps because he was already friends with people inside the district office (as implied by Ms. Thornton). This would give an inside candidate a considerable advantage. Evidence shows it certainly was not a cost saving measure. His lack of experience in superintendent searches indicates it was not for his job skills. By all indications and by any standard of measurement, he was not the best man for the job.

What ever the reason, why was the board led to believe that his fees were substantially lower than they actually were? And who told them his fees were lower? Why weren't they told about other services and companies with more experience and better track records? Where is the board getting their information?

The fact that there seems to be no answers to these questions is at best disturbing and at worst, frightening.

Who is really running this show?