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My brief impression of Dorothy Neumann

Dorothy Neumann was a secretary in the school system and consequently knew about many of the skeletons in the School District's closet. This insider knowledge seems to have reinforced in Dorothy the kind of suspicions with which Duluthians have about our schools. Dorothy has mentioned the inflated school enrollments which I tried to publicize in my failed 1991 campaign.

Shortly before the four new board members were seated I approached Eileen and Laura and asked them to consider supporting me for the chairmanship. Eventually they agreed but asked for one consideration, that I support Dorothy Neumann for the position of Treasurer. I agreed knowing that the Treasurer's position was largely impotent. On the night the school board met to swear in the new members and elect officers the new members met their side of the bargain and I was elected Chair by a 5-4 vote. All the other old members voted for someone else. When I took the podium as Chair I was surprised at how nervous I was. We voted for Vice Chair, Clerk and as expected these posts went to other old board members. When we got to the vote for the Treasurer's position I voted for George Balach and turned in my ballot. Immediately I realized I had broken my promise. I looked on helplessly while the ballots were counted and dreaded the exposure of my unintended betrayal especially since I had just voted for George who they regarded being hostile towards them. I was desperate for the meeting to end to apologize to them for my blunder.

For her part Dorothy took my apology in stride and said she never sweated the small stuff. I was very grateful to her. To assuage the new members I gave them all their preferred standing committee assignments and made Dorothy Chairman of the Human Resources Committee.