In the Jun 2009 Mount Vernon School Board Meeting five people spoke to the School Board. below is the speech given by the second speaker of the meeting Levi Stickle;


As someone who has been interested in the John Freshwater case I have sat in on most of the Employment hearing. Through out my education I have been taught about the rule of and the process of law.

 

In the Spring of 2008 I watched as an investigation was to be done by a supposedly impartial - outside firm.  Well the report by H. R. On Call was brought out on June 19-20, 2008 and it was anything but impartial.  I have also learned that Mr. Herlevi neglected to even speak with witnesses who were in Freshwater’s room at the time of the so called "cross burning" incident.  He even neglected to talk to Pastor Zirkle who was the focal point of the supposed healing session and exorcism that allegedly took place in the FCA. 

 

The H.R. On Call investigator chose to use the old fashioned way of recording the information in the interviews they did.... pen & paper.  He seemed rather proud of that, but he obviously missed so much. What did he have against modern recording technology?  Had he used a recorder he might not have missed so much. And then we learned that your attorney, Mr. Millstone, proofread the rough draft and made suggestions to Herlevi as to what to include in the report.... SO MUCH FOR AN IMPARTIAL, INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION!

 

But the thing I find most disturbing is to find out that MR WATSON & MRS GOETZMAN you are refusing to testify in the hearing when your names have been brought up by several witnesses who said you might have important information on the matter.  And now, you are holding up the hearing by refusing to testify.

 

So as a young person I find myself questioning the people elected to office in our community and the process of the law.  Please, for the sake of other young people like myself, for this community and to simply get to the truth stop the charade and testify!  Let's resolve this matter with Mr. Freshwater  and spend the money to educate students, rather than make attorneys rich.