Bus Barn issue becomes contentious at Monday night School Board meeting

Although discussion of a proposed site for a new bus barn was not on the agenda for the Decorah Community School Board Monday, that didn't prevent a contentious confrontation.

During the public forum time that allows for community members to speak (without reply/rebuttal from the board), bus driver Lyle Halverson spoke against the site in the Decorah Industrial Park in favor of the Fox and Coon site. Halverson has also written letters to the editor in regard to the issue, that have fed the stories on decorahnews.com.  He was also on the committee that advocated for the Industrial Park site, but contends he was not listened to.

Halverson was continuing to articulate his position when Board President Ron Fadness reminded him that he had exceeded the standard three minute time for individual comments, and asked him to quickly wrap up his comments. However, when Halverson continued and began to accuse three board members of having conflicts of interest because of their relationships with Decorah Jobs, Inc., Fadness gaveled Halverson to stop his comments. By law the Board could not engage in discussion, but made clear their feelings that Halverson had stepped over the line in his attack on board members and that they would respond in a future meeting.