Dear Editor,
As a trustee of Barton Community College, I have great respect for our BCC board chairman. 
I was surprised this afternoon when only one person was allowed to speak and just for five minutes on behalf of Mrs. Debbie Warren.
There was a large crowd present, yet our chairman had decided himself to allow this one speaker and just five minutes.
I am not sure if he cleared this with other BCC trustees; but he did not contact me asking my opinion on this subject.
Several years ago, we had a track coach who was on the verge of not having his contract renewed.
A large group of track athletes appeared at one of our meetings and our board chairman, not Dr. Maneth, allowed four or five of these student athletes to speak.
I thought this was only fair at that time.
I was in the minority at this time as I voted to offer this track coach a contract, although the other five voted not to renew his contract.
When a large number of young people attend a meeting like this afternoon, I think it would have been only fair and good to allow more than just one to speak.
This is a free country where people should have the right to give their opinions. 
For those who were in attendance, they heard me say to Dr. Maneth, that I did not think it was fair not to allow more to speak. 
I am not sure why more were not allowed to speak.
I apologize to those who might have wanted to address the BCC board.
Don Learned, 
Barton Community College trustee,
Great Bend