Recall effort against Yoncalla school board chairman begins

<i>Note: This story has been corrected from an earlier version.</i>

YONCALLA — A group of Yoncalla residents is trying to recall school board Chairman Gideon “Hop” Jackson.

Chief petitioner Sharon Mast filed paperwork with the Douglas County Elections Office Monday, and she has 90 days to collect slightly more than 160 signatures from registered voters.

“Mr. Jackson endlessly demonstrates disregard of the law by voting, not declaring and participating in matters that a conflict of interest may exist,” the statement said. “... Previously, Mr. Jackson was censured for his libelous actions by his own board, but insists on committing further offenses. Thus, removal from the board is legally necessary before his actions tax the district financially, costing our children educational opportunities.”

Jackson had not heard about the petition, he said this morning.

“Until I see it in writing, I don’t know anything about it,” he said.

The board did vote 3-1 to censure Jackson in September because of a comment he made about a former student; Jackson voted against the motion and Donna Murray abstained. During a public meeting, Jackson had addressed Becca Denley’s mother about Becca’s eligibility to play sports. Denley came to the next meeting and said she had always been eligible to play sports, and that Jackson had defamed her. Jackson said he did not mention Denley by name.

“Mr. Jackson has become a liability to the district with his actions over the last several months,” Mast said in an e-mail message. “He was elected to be a board asset and now his actions have affected the integrity of the board ...”

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has received a complaint about Jackson, and it has asked the person who filed the complaint to provide more information, said Director Ron Bersin.

One of the controversies surrounding Jackson occurred when he voted not to reopen the position of volleyball coach, a position his wife held. Principal Brian Berry and Athletic Director Cheryl Simons had recommended that Jackson’s wife, Beverly Jackson, not be rehired. He later voted to reopen the position. Jackson did not declare a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest before either vote.

That controversy was laid to rest Monday night when the board voted 5-0 to hire Bill Gauer as volleyball coach. Donna Murray was concerned that Gauer might want to spend more than is budgeted for the program. He also wants to pay an assistant coach with fundraisers, a move the school board cannot support because of district policies, collective bargaining and taxation, Superintendent Art Johns said.

Murray said she was impressed with Gauer’s coaching experience, however.

The board also hired Isaac Hathhorn as track coach and JJ Mast as football coach. JJ Mast currently coaches in Elkton.



• You can reach reporter Teresa Williams at 957-4230 or via e-mail at twilliams@newsreview.info.