'Honest mistake' on filing election forms BOE member says
Oct 12, 2009 | 2794 views | 32 
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Smithwick, a member of the City Schools BOE for nine years, ran in the Republican primary for the District 3 state school board seat in 2008. He was defeated by incumbent Stephanie Bell.
Betty Peters, the board’s District 2 representative, asked state Attorney General Troy King in August to investigate Smithwick’s campaign finance reports, according to The Dothan Eagle.
Donations totaling around $52,000 had not been reported. The previous report Smithwick had filed in May 2008 showed donations totaling approximately $253,000.
Smithwick said the mistake was because of his inexperience in running a campaign.
“It was the first time I had ever been in a statewide race,” he said. “I didn’t know about all the procedures. The race was over and I was licking my wounds and just moving on. But it all has been filed.”
It was also reported Smithwick did not claim a contribution from The Real Democrat Political Action Committee. A record from the Alabama Secretary of State Web site said the group made a $100,000 payment to Smithwick for the school board campaign.
Smithwick said he never got any money from the PAC.
“I did not receive it,” he said. “I think it was mistaken with another [contribution].”
Jyles Machem, head of the Huntsville-based PAC, also said his group did not contribute any funds to Smithwick’s campaign.
“I had my folks go back and talk to the staff of Smithwick,” he said. “They were puzzled as we were. It turns out that what happened was the accountant reported it improperly. He’s correct in saying that he didn’t get any money from The Real Democrat PAC.”
Machem also said that Smithwick received the same dollar amount from an unrelated group, the Tennessee Valley PAC. Their $100,000 contribution was reported on Smithwick’s filing from May 2008.
A statement from the Attorney General’s office, in regards to any investigation of Smithwick, said, “I can confirm that our office has received the complaint from Betty Peters regarding this matter, but as standard office policy we can’t comment beyond that.”
Smithwick said he has not been contacted by anyone from the Attorney General’s office.
“All the forms have been filed with the Secretary of State,” he said. “It was just an honest mistake.”
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Daily Home comment section
Aug 28 09 - 01:41 AM
you get now all you got to do is go for it
Come on Score; if you don't have anything better to do that count pronouns, let me know and I'll find something for you.
I still agree with Tommy Porch; if you're afraid to put your name on what you write, then you don't have a lot of conviction.
John Hancock is my hero.
You don't want acolades but you used I, me or my over 50 times in your article. Kind of seems you do want credit.
The point is this; being on the board isn't a personal goal. I’ve been on a school board before, was the President of a national technology in education group and have been blessed to be able to speak to groups of students and educators all throughout the United States and North America. From all of these things, the one “truth” I know is that every ounce of energy we have should be focused on educating our children.
Sitting on a school board is only as good as what you do when you're serving on the board. I've been doing a heck of a lot in the past six months and not being on the board hasn't hurt me. We've raised a couple of thousand bucks in cash, collected some books (and will collect a lot more) and, thanks to the Daily Home, we've had our cause published. I don't need to be on the board to do any of that. I couldn't take the position right now anyway, as I'm busy commuting back and forth to work; I just spent my freaking 66th night in a hotel this year!
I don't know what went on behind the scenes when I turned in my application this year. Here's what I do know. I applied the year before and Tracy got it. The council was impressed with my credentials and asked me to apply this year. From that point in 2008 until earlier this year, I said I would apply if Skip didn’t apply for reappointment (we went to church together and I've known him quite a while). This year, I was called on the Monday of the week when applications were due and asked if I would apply; I said I would. I forgot about it and was called again on Thursday. Both times I asked if Smithwick was running and both times I was assured he wasn't.
Given that, I turned in my application on Friday morning. The mayor's secretary wasn't there so I left it on her chair. I dropped by the high school on my way home and, when I got there, ran into Mrs. Smithwick. She told me Skip was reapplying so I asked for his number and told her I was going to retrieve my application. I called Skip (he had already called my house and left me a message in the meantime) and told him what was going on.
He thanked me for dropping out and said it was a moot point; he had talked to the council members and was assured that he was going to win anyway. At that point, I went to the mayor's office, his secretary still wasn't there so I picked up my application from her chair and threw it in the garbage can right outside their door. All anyone has to do to verify I didn't apply is look at the council minutes for the next week; as far as I know, Smithwick was appointed since no one ran against him.
BG – as far as being snookered, I would like to think that isn’t the way things happened. Since then, I have heard from reliable sources I would have “won” but who knows what the truth is?
The point is this. If I wasn’t going to be appointed, someone should have just told me and I wouldn't have wasted my time. I'm a busy person and don't have time to play around.
Unfortunately, this seems to be the pervasive attitude in Sylacauga. Such as...
Steve is going to apply but we know he’s not going to win? Oh, well.
REEF is stinking and negatively affecting people's lives? Oh, well.
The school is full of mold and making people sick? Oh, well.
We don't have soap, toilet paper or paper towels for our kids in school? Oh, well.
The teachers are buying their own supplies? Oh, well.
I could go on and on but, like I said, I'm a busy person and I've wasted about 20 minutes writing this note.
One thing is for sure; when things aren't right, I raise hell. We need to hold our government; both elected and appointed, responsible. The people of Sylacauga need to learn that and speak up like BG and me. That doesn't sit well with some folks but I don't care; I'm not going to stop.
One doesn't need to "sit" to "serve". I'm actively helping teachers and students. I don't want any accolades; I just want everyone to remember that it's all about the kids.
Tommy Porch called for us to use our real names. I respect Tommy and agree with him.
Anyway I actually never applied for the board this most recent time. I said all along I wouldn't apply if skip did. I was told he was not so when I heard on the day of the deadline that he had, I went to the mayor's office and retrieved my application. Like I said, I said I wouldn't run against him and didn't. He called me and said it was a moot point as he already had the votes in the council to win. I thought that was kind of odd but dropped it. What really bothered me was that so many people knew but no one cared; kind of like what is happening now. It is just as well for me, I have had to travel so much this year I might not be too effective. Of course that hasn't stopped me from trying to raise money or start a book drive. The issue isn't me, it is about the dedication of people charged with educating our children. Isn't that what it is all about?
I assume you are wanting to sling some good ole mud on Skip since you were rejected from a position on the Sylacauga BOE. May make you feel better, but will be political suicide to air your grievances in public if you ever plan to apply for that board again while you are back in Sylacauga. Again, the issue at hand is reporting from a statewide campaign, what local politics has to do with that are beyond me? From reading your posts on this site, seems you have a disdain for Sylacauga now even tho you grew up here? Politics 101, roll with the flow for awhile, you catch more bees with honey than vinegar.
That was a big confusing, eh?
What I meant was that, I wasn't going to write about the condition of the school; I was going to write about the BOE itself. I didn't get responses except your's (and you're so NEGATIVE, LOL!!!) that I think I'll just keep it to myself. There's always a best time to leverage knowledge; this isn't it.
st
I hate when people call me Mr. Terrell; it makes me sound so old! It's actually Dr. Terrell but I prefer Steve. That keeps it personal and friendly.
Anyway, you're right, this isn't about having the school torn down; neither from your perspective of what you thought I meant, nor from what I was thinking when I wrote that note.
Good try though!
I'm out of town, so I want have the chance to check-in until tomorrow. You've only got two more guesses so think carefully!
st
A LOT of people in Sylacauga know the story of my experience with the school board. The question then becomes; how much of that story do I tell? Do I throw a lot of folks under the bus, a few folks under the bus or just be a nice guy and keep it to myself?
Your input is appreciated.
Mr. Smithwick did not know the procedures? Really, that's the best explanation we get. I call bull-shite again. Mr. Smithwick has been around the proverbial block a time or a dozen, he knows the rules, believe that.
Is he guilty of anything underhanded? Not for me to judge, but I betcha Mr. King ain't gonna drop this investigation jus cause the accountant has a finger pointed at them, no siree bobtail, more to come on this one.
I have never been to an Alabama game with Skip in my life. You need to get your facts straight.
If you will look at my posts, I have not defended nor commented in any way on the article in the morning paper. All I have said is that anyone writing should be willing to sign their name to what they post. If that bothers you, so be it. I worked in the school system for thirty five years. I am sure I know more about the workings of the system and Sylacauga in general than you will ever know.
As far as the RV situation, frankly, that is none of your business. As Mrs. Morgan said, the slinger is the one that should be in question. Sylacauga can certainly do without the likes of you if you choose to leave. I promise you, you will not be missed.