Letter to Editor

School Board Voters Beware

Voters in the upcoming Manatee County School Board primary should be aware of the facts behind Charles Conoley’s campaign, wherein he touts his ”financial experience“. Mr. Conoley was the CEO of Horizon Bank. He was the boss. However, that bank was closed on September 10, 2010 by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (”the FDIC“). Among other things stated in a 2010 Herald Tribune article, Horizon Bank was found to be ”woefully undercapitalized“ and the bank’s closing cost the FDIC (taxpayers) $58.9 million.

The Manatee County School Board appears to have turned the financially-responsible corner. Do we now want to elect a new Board member who cost the taxpayers millions of dollars and would not take responsibility for his CEO oversight? For example, in response to questions raised in a 2010 Tampa Bay Times article as to the bank’s failure, Mr. Conoley blamed what he called an ”unspoken conspiracy against community banks“. And the reporter who interviewed Mr. Conoley, found him to be ”bitter over what he sees as a double standard“.

Is this the kind of School Board member that we want?

Peter J. Mackey

Bradenton, FL