The South Kitsap School District board’s internal struggles have continued into the new year after the first 2023 meeting was adjourned early due to verbal arguments between director Jeff Daily and other board members.

It was business as usual for the two hours and 15 minutes of a work-study to review the draft details of a $271 million bond aimed at renovation efforts of several schools. The board also began discussion on whether to dissolve the Facilities Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee, which was set to be voted on at the next board meeting.

The mood changed, however, when discussions surrounding the board’s audit committee began. Director John Berg recalled a proposed governance culture policy that had been determined to be controversial regarding the committee and how it was to function. The policy was not adopted, but with the draft in hand Berg said he wanted it referred to legal counsel for comment and asked board president Jeffrey Wilson to do so.

Daily called out that action, saying the board needed to make such legal decisions as a whole. “We’re supposed to be a board,” he said. “You didn’t ask the board. You just did it.” Daily, who has multiple lawsuits filed against the school district, continued to argue, and director Kate Espy told him he could not behave like he was. Wilson agreed, saying that Daily was overreacting.

At one point, Daily said, “I’ve got the floor, Slick,” though it is unknown to whom he said that to due to technical issues with the Zoom recording. The meeting ended shortly after Daily’s microphone was muted as he continued to create a disturbance.

Wilson later called out Daily for his behavior, labeling it as childish and self-centered. “Obviously, the guy’s got a lot of problems, and he hasn’t been working well with the board, but we’ve been getting the good work we need to get done in spite of his antics.”