Carol Coen Out at FWCS (UPDATE)

Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 3/26/08 @ 12:42 am - Filed Under 2008 Local Elections, Featured

Fort Wayne Community School Board member Carol Coen will resign from the board this summer according to a JG story. It’s no secret that I wanted both her and Steve Carona to be ousted in the upcoming election - I guess we’re halfway to that goal now. In the article Coen says she moved out of the 2nd district and into the 3rd district that is represented by Jon Olinger.

What I find extremely odd is that Coen is resigning before her term is up. Typically if a public official decides not to fulfill their obligation then they give a reason for doing so, but Coen simply said she was “not interested in finishing her term”. She is an elected official and should not back out of that commitment she gave to the public without good cause. Simply deciding to take your ball and go home does not suffice…

(H/T: Mitch Harper)

UPDATE: A quick search of the Allen County Recorder’s database shows that Coen’s old property was transferred to the new owners on 6/7/2007 and the DLGF sales disclosure form has a date of 4/17/2007. That means she was working against the remonstrance after she had moved out of her district. I’m not sure what the rules are for school board members that leave their district - the Indiana code is littered with multiple school organizational statutes…

Comments

6 Responses to “Carol Coen Out at FWCS (UPDATE)”

Kevin Knuth on March 26th, 2008 7:54 am

In regards to school board- you have to live IN the district to establish residency to be on the ballot. However, you can move after that date if you choose.
Jennifer Griggs Jeffrey on March 26th, 2008 8:28 am

There seems to be something inherently wrong with that.
Jeff Pruitt on March 26th, 2008 9:11 am

Kevin,

Thanks. I read that in this morning’s JG story - I also saw that statute last night but there are so many regarding schools I didn’t want to take the time to figure out which one applied to FWCS…
Evert Mol on March 26th, 2008 11:57 am

By leaving early, she gives Mark GiaQuinta the opportunity to seed the board with a replacement of his liking. If the rest of the board wants a level playing field in the next election, they should vote to leave the position vacant until then.
Jon Olinger on March 26th, 2008 6:07 pm

If the position is left vacant for 30 days after a board member’s resignation a circuit court judge can appoint a new board member.
MRev. Kenneth White Jnr. on March 28th, 2008 3:39 pm

IMHO, as of 4/17/2007 she should have announced her resignation effective 6/7/2007 or when ever that particular school year ended. not almost a year and a half later. In my personal opinion she should be arrested for fraud and failure to notify her constituency. All of these loopholes smack in the face of open and responsible governance and brush aside taxation without true representation which is a foundational principle of this country.