College board declines to censure board member following complaint

The Clatsop Community College Board did not have the votes to censure board member Tim Lyman following a complaint from three applicants to the college’s budget committee.

At an April 11 board meeting, Lyman argued that the applicants — Temese Szalai, Richard Winn and Marcy Dunning — did not have sufficient financial expertise to serve. In a complaint to the board, the candidates, who have since been appointed to the budget committee, argued that Lyman’s statements were “disrespectful” and in violation of the board’s code of ethics.

At a board meeting on Thursday, an ad hoc committee composed of board members Lloyd Mueller, Sheila Roley and Ashley Flukinger reported that they believed misconduct had occurred. Several board members expressed that the budget committee members were owed an apology, but a motion to censure Lyman was defeated due to lack of support.

“I just want to put that on the record that there is disappointment,” Szalai said of the board’s lack of action during public comment following the deliberation. “And I don't necessarily see that oversight on the part of the board necessarily helping with the college's reputation or the reputation of the governance of this college in the community.”