Imagine that...Carreel has it within him to admit he made a trivial error... but then insists that his conclusions are still correct. Isn't that kinda like the guy who said, "I thought I was wrong once...but it turns out I wasn't". Not exactly the reach-down-deep-inside response we were looking for. and Jim, we too can admit when we're wrong. But we're not, in this case. Does that have a familiar ring to it?
Jim Carrel has even obtained a legal opinion that his conclusions are correct. But don't you worry Sun Prairie residents, the beautiful thing about the law is that even if it seem apparent that it says one thing, there's always a lawyer out there that believes it says the opposite. Jim Carrel must have found that lawyer.If you ask SP-EYE, Carrel's logic represents the biggest stretch since Ryan Leaf was selected #2 overall in the 1998 NFL draft.
[SP-EYE does the math: $3,000 for a 2-3 day conference means that their "lost wages" represent as much as $1,000 a day? That would put their "day job" salaries at about $125/hr, or $250K per year. Now THAT is a tall tale! What we like about Carrel is that he doesn't just dream, he dream BIG.]
Is it possible that Carrel (and others) could successfully seek reimbursement for their $2,000 to $3,000 each in lost wages? Sure. Anything's possible. It's been possible each year for a long time that the Cubs would win a World Series...but they haven't.
Two things would have to happen in order for Carrel's scenario to even remotely appear on the threat warning detector.
First, Carrel would have to convince someone that attendance at the annual convention represents a "required duty" of a school board member. The State Statute Carrel DOESN'T point out, 120.12, outlines the legal duties of a school board. There are 26 line items. Funny, not one of them says anything about conference attendance. It's called choices, Mr. Carrel. You can choose to attend, or choose not to. But it's not a pre-requisite of the job.
The second thing that would have to happen (assuming he could ever get past #1) is that at an annual meeting of the electors, the electors would have to vote to approve such a reimbursement. You think THAT's going to happen? It's been tough just getting approval to pay those board members $3,200 per year for their time and effort. What on earth makes Carrel think the electors would vote to reimburse ANY school board member for $3,000 for one conference that's not remotely mandatory. It's more likely the electors would vote to lynch him.
So sleep easy, Sun Prairie. Jim Carrel can boast all he wants. SP-EYE will be here to give you not just the facts, but documentation to support them.
Read for yourself: Ch. 120, State Statutes
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