Joplin R-8 board hires high-powered KC law firm to respond to writ of mandamus

After a one hour, 10 minute closed session that was not listed on the agenda, Joplin R-8 Board of Education President Jeff Koch announced that attorney Shellie Guin of the high-powered Kansas City law firm of Guin Mundorf would handle the board's response to the writ of mandamus filed by a lawyer representing three Joplin residents who are asking the judge to install Jim Kimbrough on the board.

The Guin Mundorf firm has worked for the district before including handling bargaining with teachers, while Guin served in the prosecutor role during my 10-hour hearing before the board on May 23, 2013.

She is described in this way on her firm's website:

Shellie L. Guin has over 19 years of experience practicing in the areas of education law, labor and employment law, insurance defense and litigation. Shellie provides general advice and counsel to public school district clients concerning a variety of areas, including personnel matters, contract negotiations, student/parent issues, purchasing and vendor issues, board policy and liability, compliance issues, special education and general liability issues. Shellie also advises school districts on employment matters such as personnel management, termination, wage and hour issues, discrimination claims, employee leave and contracts. She has successfully defended school districts against a variety of claims in both state and federal court. Shellie is an accomplished speaker with extensive experience conducting training and seminars on a wide variety of education law topics, such as student discipline and civil rights issues, purchasing and vendor issues, construction and bidding matters, regulatory compliance at both the state and federal level, employee evaluation and termination, sexual harassment, discrimination, Sunshine Law issues, Section 504, ADA, IDEA and FERPA.

(Photo- In the background, you can see a meeting of the minds between blogger and frequent Joplin Globe guest columnist Anson Burlingame and Globe reporter Emily Younker, also known in this instance as a captive audience.)

Tonight's meeting was the first to include the three members the Jasper County Commission appointed to the board- Gary Nodler, Sallie Beard, and Ron Gatz. If Judge Joe Hensley issues the writ that Joplin residents Joshua Bard, Jon Buck, and Jamie Johnson are asking for and Kimbrough is installed, it would mean that Nodler, Beard, and Gatz would no longer be board members since that would mean that Kimbrough was appointed to the board May 26 and the County Commission should never have become involved since there were never three openings.

While answering questions from the media after the meeting (the accompanying video), Koch said that the order by the judge said the response must be filed by Monday and that the judge indicated he would make a ruling on Tuesday.

The board will hold its regular meeting Tuesday with a closed session beginning at 6 p.m., with the open session to follow at 7 p.m.