Questions over the Valparaiso School Board president's residency led to frustration during Monday's city council meeting. Some community members called on Dr. Robert Behrend to resign during last week's school board meeting, citing a Christmas card his family reportedly sent out, noting a new address in Wisconsin.
Dr. Behrend told council members that he was ambushed at the school board meeting, saying that his fellow board members already understood he was still a Valpo resident. "This is absurd!" Dr. Behrend exclaimed. "But again, it's nobody's business. Absolutely ridiculous! And for that whole charade to be set up by the campaign manager of my vice president."
He and the two Republican council members alleged political motivations for the residency questions.
School board vice president Erika Watkins acknowledged that she had wanted a turn as president but denied that the residency questions were political. "But what I will not accept: my name or anyone's name to be criticized in such a way that it takes away the honest parts of who we are," Watkins said.
Dr. Behrend also took aim at journalists and others for publicly discussing the properties he owns. He added that the situation has been difficult for his family.
"Are you waiting for somebody to be hurt, and then we could say the blood is upon you guys?" Dr. Behrend asked, looking around the meeting room. "This is ridiculous. Ask any police officer. It's simply unsafe. What are we doing? I've got my wife calling me crying every day like it's her fault. My wife didn't do anything wrong. She sent a Christmas card out."
While council members themselves seemed to disagree on whether Dr. Behrend should continue as school board president, they acknowledged that it wasn't their decision to make.
Even though the council appoints members to the school board, City Attorney Patrick Lyp said it doesn't have authority to remove them. He noted that Indiana Code is a bit vague, when it comes to appointed school boards.
"There is nothing in state law addressing this," Lyp said. "I think, in part, it's because the community we live in right now has an outlier process. It's a process where board members are appointed, as opposed to being elected upon there."
Still, Lyp said that based on the evidence he's seen, he believes Dr. Behrend qualifies as a Valparaiso resident, even if that bar is low. Lyp said Dr. Behrend provided him with a copy of his driver's license and other documents.
A few council members suggested that Dr. Behrend should still resign from the school board, even if he technically meets the requirements -- saying the residency questions might tarnish his legacy and accomplishments.
