Neosho Superintendent Dan Decker placed on administrative leave, cleans out office

Neosho R-5 Superintendent Dan Decker cleaned out his office today after the Board of Education placed him on administrative leave, district sources told the Turner Report.

The action was reportedly taken during a closed session Monday night.

No one was available at the district's Central Office this morning to take a call from the Turner Report.

A meeting reportedly began at 9:30 a.m. in the central office to make the announcement and determine a plan for running the district.



The action was taken following a heated board meeting Monday night in which the superintendent's earlier assertions that insurance money would cover the rebuilding of Goodman Elementary turned out not to be the case.

Decker told those attending the recent groundbreaking for the project that $10.7 million of the $11 million cost would be covered by insurance proceeds. The board discovered Monday night that the district will only receive $8.1 million.

Decker said the difference was due to a misunderstanding with the insurance company.

The board also reacted in a contemptuous matter when Decker suggested he needed another assistant superintendent to help with the workload.

The full extent of the district's money problems is still not certain. The board has not been provided with complete financial reports since August when Decker began the process of eliminating all five members of the Finance Department after they discovered the junior high building project, which was being touted as coming in well under budget was, in fact, considerably over budget.

Decker and former Board President Steven Douglas made a concerted effort to keep that information from going public.

From the February 22 Turner Report:
But nowhere was the impact so dramatic as what happened to the district's Finance Department after it discovered the junior high building project was not coming in under budget as board members had been told, but was more than a half million dollars over budget.

That discovery, the diversion of money from other district accounts to cover the shortfall and maintain the pretense of fiscal success and the discomfort department members felt when asked to divert the money led to the removal or resignation of all five department members.

Board of Education members had been under the mistaken impression that the junior high project was coming in considerably under budget when Rob Singh, the district's accountant, and Associate Superintendent Trish Wilson discovered it not only was not under budget, but it was more than a half million over budget.

The situation became acute when the money in the account that had been dedicated to the junior high project ran out and the account was closed.

In a July e-mail, Technology Director Scott Harris said there was a funding problem with the fiber wiring at the junior high. It had been wired incorrectly and it was going to cost $25,000 to fix it.

"That's all well and good," Superintendent Dan Decker said, but where is the extra money going to come from?"

It ended up coming from the district's technology fund.

Six days later, Public Relations Director Meagan Spangler sent an e-mail to Wilson about signs needed for the junior high, another expense that had not been included in the budget. Wilson forwarded the e-mail to Decker, who said the money might have to be taken out of the junior high budget.

On July 8, Junior High Principal Jenifer Cryer e-mailed Wilson asking what she needed to do to buy bookshelves, PE storage shelves, rolling carts and teachers' desks, none of which had been included when the district issued furniture bids, despite paying an extra $300,000 for furniture when officials thought the project was more than a million dollars under budget. Again, the message was forwarded to Decker, who asked two questions- "Do you see any way we can do this and not get plowed by two of our board members (Douglas and Day)" and "Who dropped the ball on this?"

In an August 8, 2017 e-mail, accounts payable clerk Dawn Speak told Superintendent Dan Decker there was a glitch in the junior high landscaping project, The purchase order had been coded to the junior high account, but that account had been closed..She asked Decker if it could be paid out of buildings and grounds-other purchased services."

"Can we do it out of summer projects?" Decker responded.

On the same day, Wilson received an e-mail from Junior High Assistant Principal Keith Rook providing a list of other items that had been left off the junior high building project accountant, including athletic items, a piano for the music room. She forwarded the message to Decker.

It was during that same time period in July and August that members of the Finance Department told the district's auditors they were uncomfortable with the maneuvers they were having to make to keep up with the appearance that the building project had come in under budget.

Money had been moved from the technology budget, the district uniform account, buildings and grounds and other accounts to cover the shortcomings.

Making it clear that he did not think Decker or the board members who had been heavily involved in the project, President Steven Douglas and former president Brett Day, had been honest with the people, Singh tendered his resignation August 4.

A new employee was hired at that point to help with payroll and Board President Douglas (pictured) began calling the employee to see what was being said in the Finance Department. Douglas reportedly was angry when he discovered the Finance Department members had talked to the auditor about their concerns.

It was shortly after that, on August 11, that Wilson was placed on administrative leave, though she had never received any complaints about her job performance from either Decker or the board.

A few days after that, in an unusual move, Douglas, without Decker or any of his fellow board members present, met with the remaining three Finance Department members and tried unsuccessfully to explain why Wilson was no longer there.



Dawn Speak asked Douglas why the district was not being honest with the public about the junior high project.

Douglas dodged the question and Speak said she would probably lose her job for speaking out.

"Why would that happen?" Douglas asked.

Speak had a good idea of how things worked in her place of employment.

One week later, though she had never had any negative evaluations, Decker let her know that her days at Neosho R-5 were numbered.

The message was delivered, not face-to-face, but in an e-mail.

"Good afternoon, Dawn,

I am sending this note to have the information I am going to share in writing. I feel I have been more than patient through the whole endeavor of the last few months. I have let you vent to me and talk to me in a way I would not tolerate from veruy many people and have tried to be understanding.

However, I continue to get complaints from people in every other department that you are rude, hateful, disrespectful and hard to work with. I believe I have given you enough time for this behavior to cease.

This department is going to move ahead in a positive way, with or without you. We have new people who are happy to be here and working very hard and I don't want a cancerous attitude to continue to infect the department.

With that said, I know you are going on vacation and I want to request that while you are off you decide if this is a place you can come to work, be happy and positive.

If this is not something you do and we have the same issues when you return, I will have no choice but to terminate your employment with the Neosho School District.

Speak resigned, leaving only one of the five people who had been the district's Finance Department at the beginning of August 2017.

Lisha Hardy, who was in charge of the district's health benefits, resigned in December.

In November, with all of the pesky members of the Finance Department that had questioned the administration and the board's transparency on the junior high project, Douglas proudly announced that the project had come in under budget.

All it took to be able to make that announcement was the departure of five people who had given 47 years of their lives to the Neosho R-5 School District.

Meanwhile, the central office has struggled for months with an inexperienced finance team, often not having financials available for board meetings and the accountant who was hired to replace Singh was fired.

Secret agreement with architectural firm
The steps to keep the public from finding out the problems with the junior high building project also led to Decker negotiating a non-disparagement agreement with the architectural firm, as revealed in the February 12 Turner Report:

They can't talk about it because Superintendent Dan Decker signed a contract with Sapp Design A

ssociates that includes a non-disparagement clause. The district also received $150,000 from Sapp in what appears to be "hush money" designed to protect both sides from embarrassment.

After R-5 accountant Rob Singh discovered the project was over budget and it was learned that Sapp's first manager for the building project Eric McCune and former Assistant Superintendent Tim Crawley overlooked alternatives that had been approved, putting the project, which the board had promised would be completed within its budget, more than half a million dollars over, Sapp removed McCune as project manager

After that, negotiations began between Decker and Michael Sapp of Sapp Design Associates, which appear aimed at making sure the public did not become aware of what had happened.

A clearer picture of what was going on is provided in an e-mail exchange between Decker and Michael Sapp, obtained through a Sunshine Law request, then provided to the Turner Report and verified.
In a message dated May 9, 2017, Decker wrote, "As a district, we feel because of the way Eric McCune, architect, represented himself, as well as Sapp and Associates, decisions were made to spend money we were told we had. One such purchase that was made was for furniture. This was an increase of $300,000 and was directed by Eric McCune, architect. As a district, we are requesting Sapp and Associates cover $300,000 of the $656,000 the district is over budget on this project. In return for this, we will sign a non-disclosure agreement."

In an e-mail dated July 26, Sapp says he has "drafted a donation letter." In the message, he also says, "This has been an incredible project for us and we are so excited for the community as well as the students and faculty who will utilize this great 21st Century facility."

Sapp ends the e-mail by pushing his company's involvement in the latest R-5 building project. "Also, I would like to discuss Goodman Elementary and getting a draft contract generated to send to you."

On advice of the district's lawyer, the non-disclosure agreement was changed to a non-disparagement agreement.

On July 31, Decker wrote that Douglas approved the agreement.

In a contract signed September 8 by Decker and Sapp, the architectural firm agreed to pay $62,007.75, referred to as "a credit of design fees." It was noted that the payment was for a claim made by the district, but Sapp was not acknowledging any fault.

Sapp and Neosho School District and each of their current and former employees, shall not engage in any conversations, comments, critiques, discussions, descriptions, and/or any other type of communication whether oral or written, direct or indirect, with any third person or entity referring to, relating to and/or in any way concerning the character, integrity, honesty, hiring and employment practices, and general reputation or business pursuits of any other parties, or their employees, or make or say any remark that would tend to cast another in a bad light, except as required by law.

By the time that agreement was signed, Decker and Sapp had already worked out a $150,000 "donation" from Sapp to the Neosho R-5 School District to be used for furniture for the new junior high.

In a letter dated July 26, 2017, Decker wrote the following:

Dear Mr. Sapp:
On behalf of the Neosho School District, we wish to thank you for your cash contribution to be used for our furniture fund at the new junior high school.
We acknowledge that no goods or compensated services were provided by your organization in return for this contribution. The cash contribution we received was $150,000 and received on July 26, 2017. The entire donation is being used per your request to assist with the purchasing of furniture for the new junior high facility.
Thank you again,
Sincerely,
Dan Decker

Previous Neosho R-5 Posts

Under Douglas-Decker stewardship, 26-year-old P. R. director takes lead role in Neosho R-5 School District

Neosho R-5 Board President's response to allegations: I believe in the greatness of the Neosho community

Allegation that five-year-old Neosho boy inappropriately touched, threatened kindergarten classmate at center of possible legal action against school district

Neosho R-5 Board President: Central Office wasn't aware board had to approve change orders on Junior High building project

Carver Elementary principal's administrative leave, removal of Finance Department illustrate toxic atmosphere at Neosho R-5

Neosho Superintendent signed non-disparagement contract, agreed to $150,000 "donation" from architectural firm

Former Neosho R-5 accountant: Finance Department told to keep quiet about Junior High project funding errors

Neosho R-5 administrators say there are things they can't tell staff, but they will be transparent about it

Neosho Daily News on junior high investigation: We report news, not speculation or gossip

Neosho R-5 School Board President: There was no trickery with our lovely junior high

State investigators examining discrepancies, lack of transparency in Neosho Junior High building project

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