At the board of trustees meeting held Aug.  21 Vice Chairman Kathy Hamilton’s interactions with her fellow trustees and the press were the subject of much attention.

President Robert Breuder called into question the motivations behind Hamilton’s recent actions, citing her aspiration to higher office as a possible ulterior motive.

“I don’t think she’s congruent with the balance of the board. I don’t think her motivations are what they ought to be,” Breuder said. Breuder went on to label Hamilton a “rogue trustee,” but in his thirty-four years as a college president, Breuder said he’s seen it all.

“There will always be ‘Kathy Hamiltons’. There will always be open books. There will always be tea party ideology. It’s always going to be there,” Breuder said.

In regards to the press surrounding Breuder’s e-mail and plan to “release” $20 million in state funds, the president feels the situation has not held the college in a negative light.

Breuder finds that the vocal minority who have spoken out against him and the board’s decisions don’t represent the entirety of the district’s population.

“You’re always going to have your detractors. You’re always going to have your people who criticize. … The reality is that represents a very small segment of our population.” Brueder went on to say, “The vast majority of people are, I think, very happy with what we do.”

At the previous board meeting, Breuder and the board were met with overzealous opposition from the public section.

Breuder said the college protects the right of people to speak on relevant issues, but he doesn’t encourage the involvement of those who conduct themselves in an inappropriate manner.

“What I don’t like is when they stand there and they distort, they misrepresent, they lie, they skew, they embellish because they’re looking to advance their own agenda.”

Despite the criticism, Breuder is confident in his vision for the college.

“You have to know in your heart and in your head that what you’re doing is absolutely the right thing – that you’re providing a quality education at an affordable price and in an accessible way. You’re giving people value for their time, money and effort, and I believe in this institution.”