Board president says guilty as charged to DUI
Milicent Obbards and Jessica Smith
After leaving Oregano’s Pizza Bistro in Scottsdale on July 11, Colleen Clark the MCCCD governing board President was arrested for driving under the influence.The blood alcohol examination revealed a 0.204 percent intoxication level, Clark admitted to Police to consuming two glasses of red wine.
Clark publically announced her arrest during a board meeting held September 8.
When asked why she waited nearly two months before disclosing the event Clark said, “when the DUI was issued I had to find an attorney and figure out what I was going to do before disclosing it.”
As the only member of the board calling for Clark’s resignation, Debra Pearson believes enough is enough.
Pearson said she finds it frustrating that it took a DUI charge to draw media attention to Clark’s behavior.
“Where have you been, where have you been?” Pearson asked of the media in response to what she feels as a lack of press coverage of what she considers Clark’scontinuous, irresponsible behavior.
Pearson said herfocus now is for reform. Reform of the board and the practices of the way things are being done. “We need to change the make-up of how things happen,” Pearson said.
Pearson said she lacks the confidence in Clark’s abilities as board president, believing it would take years to clean up the damage she has done in as little as nine months.
She is concerned that Clark’s personal issues will further plague the board and not allow needed decision making to be addressed.
Pearson believes the public would be better served if Clark’s DUI could be discussed publically.
After the Sept. 22 board meeting Clark said, “Every decision we make counts. Every decision we make has profound impact beyond what we can fully comprehend in the moment.Although I had no intentions of going (out that) evening, I don’t typically go out because I work two jobs, but on this particular evening I guess I was really unfocused.I’m not validating it in anyway but I wasn’t at a bar, I wasn’t bar hopping…My encouragement to students would be making sound decisions, just remember every decision counts, there are consequences beyond what we can comprehend, just like words, words make an impact.”
Clark said she plans to plead guilty to the DUI charges.
The district’s Faculty Association issued a statement on its position regarding Clark’s DUI.
“The incident regarding Governing Board President Colleen Clark is unfortunate. The Faculty Association will stay focused on teaching and learning, the issues that affect our students and faculty, and not on the personal challenges of Ms. Clark.
