Brownwood superintendent talks about move to oust him
BROWNWOOD, Texas - Brownwood ISD Superintendent Reece Blincoe is perplexed as to why his school board is considering letting him go.
"There has been nothing that has occurred in my personal life or my professional life that I am aware of that would warrant looking at this again," Blincoe told KTXS on Wednesday.
But Michael Cloy, president of the BISD board, said some board members, including him, "have concerns" with Blincoe.
"That's probably as far as I can go," Cloy said.
No decision was made on Blincoe's job situation after Brownwood ISD's Board of Trustees spent hours in session Tuesday scrutinizing his performance.
The board also held an open session to allow people to voice their opinions – both positively and negatively – about Blincoe's success as BISD's leader.
Options under consideration include buying out Blincoe's contract, terminating his contract or allowing him to continue through June 30, 2017, when his contract expires. A buyout of Blincoe's contract would cost an estimated $250,000 to $500,000.
Following the meeting, Blincoe said he and the board may be discussing the matter again on Sunday afternoon.
"I'm not going to comment on his performance on the telephone," Cloy said.
On Wednesday, Blincoe said the contract buyout being. considered is "all there is."
"There's no grounds to terminate me," Blincoe said, adding such a buyout isn't "built into the budget" and would have to be paid out of "fund balances."
Asked if he felt the push to potentially oust him is being rushed, Blincoe said, "It seems that way to me."
Cloy, on the other hand, said the discussions aren't moving forward too briskly.
"We have had multiple meetings, including some over the summer, discussing things so I don't feel rushed at all," Cloy said.
Asked why it is happening now, nine months after the board agreed to extend his contract to mid-2017, Blincoe said: "That's a great question that I can't answer."
What is especially surprising to Blincoe is the effort is being made even though he has passed all of his school board evaluations since becoming BISD superintendent in 2008 – and that no written disciplinary actions have been filed against him.
Blincoe said he would expect at least four members on the seven-member BISD board are behind the movement.
"You don't usually go down these roads unless there is at least four members," Blincoe said.
Cloy said "no comment" when asked about whether four board members had formed an anti-Blincoe coalition.
Blincoe addressed the concern of some that he is heavy handed as an administrator.
"I definitely will talk about that," Blincoe said. "That could not be farther from the truth. You could go around my office and they would tell you that I am very easy to get along with.
"But when I wanna get something done, you bet. I'm not threatening. I'm not a bully. I'm far from heavy handed and I'm darn sure not a bully."
But Cloy, the school board president, said he had heard differently after initially saying "no comment" when asked about Blincoe being labeled heavy handed.
"I've heard that term used," Cloy said.
Blincoe said there have "always been people that wouldn't agree with me."
"Maybe I'm not your typical Brownwood type," Blincoe said. "I'm pretty aggressive in my way of thinking. You might even say I'm liberal in some of my views. Maybe my lifestyle's different, (that) I act different from folks that are around here. I don't know."
Meanwhile, Blincoe said he believes he has "done an outstanding job, if you don't mind me saying so myself."
"I'm proud of my record in Brownwood, I'll tell you that," Blincoe said, noting the district has received $3 million in grants over six years, lowered taxes and schools have been labeled "Blue Ribbon" during his tenure.
"I sleep well at night," Blincoe said.
