Oswego Board Member and Superintendent Lock Horns Again, This Time In Middletown

by Steve Yablonski | March 5, 2010 4:21 pm

Fran Hoefer of the Oswego school board, foregound, is told by Will Geiger, board president, left, not to speak during the Middletown School board meeting on Thursday evening. Hoefer was escorted out of the building by Middletown police. Photo by Dominic Fiorille, provided courtesy of the Times Herald-Record.
Fran Hoefer of the Oswego school board, foregound, is told by Will Geiger, board president, left, not to speak during the Middletown School board meeting on Thursday evening. Hoefer was escorted out of the building by Middletown police. Photo by Dominic Fiorille, provided courtesy of the Times Herald-Record.
Fran Hoefer, center, of the Oswego school board, was not allowed to speak and exits the Middletown School board meeting on Thursday evening. Middletown police escorted Hoefer out of the building. Photo by Dominic Fiorille, provided courtesy of the Times Herald-Record.
Fran Hoefer, center, of the Oswego school board, was not allowed to speak and exits the Middletown School board meeting on Thursday evening. Middletown police escorted Hoefer out of the building. Photo by Dominic Fiorille, provided courtesy of the Times Herald-Record.
Fran Hoefer, right, of the Oswego school board, was not allowed to speak and exits the Middletown School board meeting on Thursday evening. Hoefer was escorted out of the building by Middletown police. Photo by Dominic Fiorille, provided courtesy of the Times Herald-Record.
Fran Hoefer, right, of the Oswego school board, was not allowed to speak and exits the Middletown School board meeting on Thursday evening. Hoefer was escorted out of the building by Middletown police. Photo by Dominic Fiorille, provided courtesy of the Times Herald-Record.

OSWEGO, NY – Oswego school board member Fran Hoefer is in trouble with the superintendent – of the Middletown School District.

Fran Hoefer
Fran Hoefer (file photo)

Hoefer made a trip to Middletown to attend Thursday’s board meeting and became involved in a dispute with Dr. Ken Eastwood, Middletown school superintendent, and former Oswego school superintendent.

Hoefer is an old nemesis of Dr. Eastwood’s; the two were at odds six years ago when Hoefer was first on the school board and Dr. Eastwood was the superintendent.

According to a report in the Times Herald-Record[1], Hoefer went to to Middletown to defend Middletown school board member Roy Paul who is in danger of being kicked off the board for misconduct.

In 2004, Hoefer was expelled from the Oswego board for similiar charges.

Dr. Ken Eastwood
Dr. Ken Eastwood (file photo)

According to the Times Hearld-Record:

“After an extended executive session on legal matters and a pleasant interlude in which scholar-athletes and art students were honored, Oswego school board member Fran Hoefer approached the microphone for public comment. President Will Geiger cut him off immediately, saying public comment was for local residents. Board member Nick Mauro loudly interjected that Geiger was violating open meetings law by stopping a nonresident from speaking. Hoefer tried to keep talking, and chaos momentarily ensued before Geiger called a recess and cut the video feed.

“Security asked Hoefer to leave. Middletown police were called.

“‘All I want to do is speak to the board,” Hoefer said. “I’ve been a victim of the same kind of illegal attack as your young board member.'”

Dr. Eastwood said Hoefer was asked to leave during a public comment period of the meeting after it was determined that Hoefer could not prove he was a taxpayer in the district.

Hoefer did not immediately leave the meeting.

“You have an evil man running your school district. He won’t allow people to speak,” Hoefer reportedly said as police escorted him out of the meeting.

Hoefer said he was invited to the meeting, but wouldn’t say by whom, according to the Times Herald-Record.

Neither Hoefer nor Dr. Eastwood have returned calls seeking more information for this story. missing or outdated ad config

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Endnotes:
  1. a report in the Times Herald-Record: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100305/NEWS/3050387

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