Sources: Mason City school district in chaos

MASON CITY – A power struggle is now underway in the Mason City school district, and the battle has made for chaos at the top levels of the public entity.

NIT will not reveal sources or names at this time as the situation is still unfolding and as a condition for publication of this information.

However, sources are revealing to NIT that a certain top-level employee within the district is on the verge of leaving his/her post – and not necessarily willingly. This employee is asking for several hundred thousand dollars in a severance package / buyout. Counter-offers have been made. This employee has legal representation at this time.

In fact, the Mason City school district also has legal representation due to this situation. These two lawyers, representing both sides in this chaotic and tumultuous face-off, are dictating much of the communication between the two at-odds sides. Accordingly, the rancor between the elected body and this employee is making business difficult or impossible to get done.

Sources tell NIT that a certain highly-paid employee within the district is given direction from the elected body but sometimes ignores directives or does otherwise. This employee has also involved the district in business dealings that were abruptly halted after investigation.

Furthermore, sources tell NIT that this top-level employee helped pave the way for a local Mason City man, new to the eduction profession, to land a high-level job at an elementary school without the proper qualifications and in doing so, has put the district in harm’s way with the possibility of lawsuits for passing-over others that may have actually had the certifications or qualifications the position requires.

This situation is rapidly-evolving.

A school board member refused comment on the matter Thursday evening during a phone conversation.

More to come when NIT can report on it.