KENANSVILLE — Public information was finally given to the public, said Jimmy Dixon of Mount Olive. A simple request, he said took the Duplin County school system 12 weeks to provide him with documents that he had every right to have.

Dixon appeared before the school board to recount his experience last Tuesday, during the school board meeting. Dixon concluded that either employees were intentionally stonewalling him, or were “stupid” and did not know the law.

The documents sought were itemized copies of bills from attorneys that represented the public school system during the legal suit this summer.

“My goal is to present this in a way that will ensure that the recent improved performance of the central office in responding to request continues,” Dixon began.

A pattern of stonewalling was encountered when Dixon requested the information. “My original request was properly made to the proper people. The records requested were public record, and I had a legal right to promptly get them. The custodian of these records first denied giving me these records claiming client attorney privilege.”

Dixon said either the person was “stupid”, or was trying to scare him off from getting the documents.

Though, after protesting, he did receive summary billing statements, but not an itemized bill of services he had requested.

“I was told accurately on several occasions that I had everything that they (the central office) had. This revealed an even more alarming and disturbing situation to me, and a serious lack of judgment on Dr. Doby’s (superintendent, Dr. Wiley Doby) part and Mrs. Oliveraz’s (Chief Financial Officer, Carolyn Oliveraz) part to the extend that they would expend these huge amounts of hard earned public and tax money without itemized bills ...”

On Nov. 5, six weeks after Dixon had made his request, he went to the school board and talked to members during the public comments section of their meeting. After Dixon had left the meeting, attorneys from Schwartz and Shaw told the board they could provided them with itemized bills.

Since then, Dixon said, “Everybody knew two things, that those itemized bills existed, and I wanted them.”

Four weeks later, on Dec. 2, said Dixon, he had still not received the documents. At the December meeting, the board ordered that the requested records be obtained and given to Dixon within a two week deadline. The records were finally given to Dixon, he said, on the last possible day.

“Guess how much time Dr. Doby, Mrs. Oliveraz, Schwartz and Shaw used to follow that directive of this board. That’s right, they used the whole two weeks ... So as a point of reference, it took me a total of 12 weeks to do what could have been easily been done in one week. ... This should never happen to anyone again.”

Dixon said it was “very disturbing” that he had to go through everything he did to get public information.

School board member, Jennings Outlaw offered a motion to set a time limit to deliver public records. No motion was made to change the policy of public records. After Outlaw’s suggestion, Doby said, “And that is not true. There were no plans not to provide it.”

Oliveraz was not at the meeting.

The board will meet again Tuesday, Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. at Wallace-Rose Hill High School.

Michael Connolly can be reached at (910) 592-8137 ext. 120 or can be emailed at sicity@intrstar.net