Group seeks ouster of basketball coach

It was standing room only Monday night at the Rogers City Area Schools’ high school library.

There were nearly 60 citizens of all ages at the district’s board of education meeting, most interested in Karl Grambau and his position as the varsity boys basketball coach.

“There needs to be an immediate change in the Rogers City boys basketball program,” said Val Vogelheim.

In all, nine people spoke during the meeting and two citizens submitted letters to be read regarding Grambau, who was not at the meeting.

Vogelheim, among other things, said Grambau was often late to practices, leaving the players unsupervised in the gym. He said it was not personal, but Grambau had lost his passion for the game.

He said he presented the board with petitions, seven or eight pages of them, in support of having Grambau removed as coach.

Todd Curtis supported Vogelheim’s statements and added his own.

“This is not a witch hunt. We are not here to just blame Karl for everything. He is a good guy. These players do not need a buddy, they need a coach,” he said.

Ken Rasche said he has been in Rogers City for over 63 years. Both he and his daughters graduated from Rogers City High School. He does not like the direction the boys basketball program has taken in recent years.

“To be honest with you there have been several times in the last couple years, and I hate to tell you this, but I was absolutely ashamed to be from Rogers City,” he said.

Rasche pointed to Grambau’s performance as a coach and said the way he treated officials was part of the reason for his shame.

But, not everyone who spoke, wanted Grambau removed from the position.

Michael Vogler said, while he and Grambau are not friends, he knows him and thinks Grambau is generous with his time and dedicated to the youth in Rogers City. Vogler said while he thought there was room for improvement in Grambau’s basketball coaching, that does not mean he should not be given time to improve.

In a letter to the board, Matthew Quaine expressed concern about the petitions circulated through the school and in the community and made clear he, his wife and his son did not want their names on any petition to remove Grambau.

“(The) whole issue is wrong,” he said. “There is absolutely no way a student athlete should be involved in this process what so ever. A student circulating a petition, parent driven, throughout the high school or out on the street is just unethical.”

After over an hour of comments and letters from citizens, board member Allan Smolinski made a motion to remove Grambau from the coaching position effective immediately. The motion was supported by Lee Gapczynski. The motion failed 5-2.

Marx suggested he and Smolinski, along with the athletic director, Superintendent Dan Byrne and high school Principal Jamie Huber meet with Grambau before the next board meeting and bring a recommendation to the next meeting.

The board agreed and Marx said a recommendation should be made at the next meeting of the board.

In other business:

The board agreed to table the issue of Byrne’s salary for the 2008-09 school year. It will be discussed in the finance committee and then discussed at the next regular board meeting.

A resolution in support of the Citizens for Equity, which works for seeking equitable funding for public schools in Michigan was passed.

The board acknowledged and accepted the following donations: $100 from the Zonta club for focus on fitness, $400 from the Hammond Bay Area Anglers Association for eighth grade students field trip to Oden Fish Hatchery and $100 from the Presque Isle County Association of Retired School Personnel for professional staff training.

Byrne was appointed as chief negotiator for all bargaining units of the school.

A budget hearing for the 2008-09 school budget was set for June 9.

A resolution in support of the Cheboygan, Ostego, Presque Isle Educational Service District’s budget for next year was approved.

Janelle Packer can be reached via e-mail at jpacker@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5695.