Columbia County school board member Mike Sleeper asked for a review of the system’s cell phone policy this morning.
Sleeper didn’t elaborate on the nature of the review, except to say he wanted a better understanding of the legal implications associated with school system-owned mobile phones and reimbursements granted to those using privately-owned phones for school business.
Earlier this month, Columbia County Commissioner Scott Dean refused to comply with an open records request to examine inappropriate text messages he admitted sending to a county employee.
Though Dean owns the phone from which the messages were sent, he is reimbursed $120 each month by the county for his cell phone use.
Dean said the messages he sent from his phone were private, thus not subject to an open records request.
State law seems to support that assertion, said Georgia Press Association attorney David Hudson.
Still, Sleeper said he wants clarification as to what the public can and can’t see.
Sleeper was Dean’s campaign manager during his re-election campaign.
Reach Donnie Fetter at (706) 868-1222, ext. 115,
or donnie.fetter@augustachronicle.com.
Mmmm....is there someone else who is afraid of what could come out if their cell phone records were released?
You think so Bone? He is the ONLY public official bringing this up IN PUBLIC...and he is the most accessible and communicative elected official in Columbia County.
Wow, $120 a month. I get unlimited text and calls anywhere in the US for only $79 a month. This guys a Commissioner and can't get a better deal than that. No wonder our taxes are so high. And it a personal phone! How much is his phone bill a month if the county is giving him a reimbursement of $120 a month?
My hunch is that since this was a "cloudy" issue with the County Commission, Mike wants things "clear" within the Columbia County BOE. This way, there will be no question. I'm impressed.
Bad - But don't forget the Data-Plan that is additional for SmartPhones, including BlackBerrys.
You want clarity. Solution #1: Stop paying for people's cell phones. Go back to beepers or make them carry a Motorola walkie talkie. Solution #2: If the county or BOE wants someone to be reachable on a cell phone they the county should select the phones, contract for the service, pay for the service, and make it part of the job description to carry the phone. Never never never give people money to buy their own private cell phones. Problem solved, legality unquestionable.
This seems to be a post-election CYA move by Mr. Sleeper. If he was so concerned with the cell phone policy, why didn't he question it during the election?
I wonder if this inquiry has anything to do with the issues that could be revealed about his own fraternization with a county employee.
"he is reimbursed $120 each month by the county for his cell phone use"
What a Crock of Crap! My family has 4 cell phones with unlimited minutes and unlimited calls for $130 per month - for all 4!
No wonder the schools can't meet their budgets!!! That is a joke and should be examined for over-billing immediately. Crooked billing, crooked administrators and clearly crooked policies.
Get a grip Columbia County.
The web is moving.
So are school cell phones presently county owned? If so those existing text messages should be kept in a data bank if the phones are changed to private ones with reimbursement.
Austin, you are correct, and, colcores and Evelyn, time will tell regarding your points. For right now, let Mike do his job. Plus, you have to keep in mind that school starts soon which means that BoE trustees will be on the phone quite a bit. That being the case, wouldn't we want for them to know what is FOIA accessible and what is not? If any of us were to call and/or text Mike, Mildred, Wayne, Regina, or Roxanne, we want answers from them, not a ceremonial response because the lawyers told them to be careful about what is said/texted. It is best to know prior to school starting so that BoE members and employees know what can and cannot be done via a device that the taxpayers subsidize.
Ah, the very reasonable Lee Benedict, a new persona :).
From what I know of Columbia County politics... Lee Benedict is never reasonable. The 'time will tell' comment makes me think that Benedict and his puppeteers have something else planned.
Wonder if Mr. Sleeper is finally going to be forced to explain his issues...he was very lucky that he did not have an opponent in his election. Otherwise the 'fight that never happened' might actually happen.
I think Mr. Sleeper is just asking to see the "policy" for Columbia County BOE. Are all employees reimbursed for their cell phones? The baseball coach at Greenbrier should have a HEALTHY bill after calling, texting and sending e-mail from his Blackberry to players and Mom's of players. Ask the principal at the school what she knows about this!
Seems to me that if the employer pays for the phone or pays the employee funds to cover phone costs then the employer technically owns the phone and can access it's history. Local governments should either provide the phone or don't provide the service. This would eliminate the issue of covering the true costs. Obviously unlimited cell phone service is far cheaper than what is currently being offered.
Scott Hudson said before that others would be implicated in the Columbia County scandal(s). Remember he was supposed to have talked on that Monday and said everyone should be very afraid over that weekend? I wonder if he still intends to say more?
I doubt Scott Hudson will say anything more on the Columbia County scandals because the election is over.
As a school board trustee, Sleeper is part of the group that set the policy he is now asking a review of. I like dichotomy's suggestion that we cut back on paying a large cell phone allowance to large numbers of employees and board members.
Austin said, "You think so Bone? He is the ONLY public official bringing this up IN PUBLIC...and he is the most accessible and communicative elected official in Columbia County."
Austin, you asked Ron Cross about Scott Dean. How about asking Mike Sleeper since that's his pal and campaign manager?
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