BY KARISSA MILLER
Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education member Abby Trent testified for more than an hour on Monday, detailing several incidents that led her to seek a No-Contact Order against fellow board member Michael Kubiniec.
“I feared for my safety. I felt that I needed to have someone walk me to my car from school board meetings and walk me to my car after work,” Trent, 26, told Judge Christine Underwood. “I did have an incident after a school board meeting where a car was following me.”
Tom Snyder, a family friend, took the stand on Trent’s behalf, explaining that Trent feared for her safety and the well-being of her unborn baby. As a result, Snyder said he began walking Trent to her car after school board meetings and following her home in his own vehicle to ensure she arrived safely.
Following a recess in Monday’s hearing, Snyder testified about a comment he said he heard Kubiniec made during the break. Kubiniec said, “If Abby doesn’t get this protective order against me, I will come after her,” according to Snyder’s testimony.
Despite that evidence, Judge Underwood dismissed Trent’s motion for a No-Contact Order.
According to the judge, Trent’s attorney failed to prove that Kubiniec’s conduct rose to the level of stalking, which was required to justify issuing the No-Contact Order.
“There is a big difference between nasty politics, unnecessary politics and just being a nasty person,” Underwood said. “If everybody that hurt our feelings or worried us were brought to court for their behavior, I would spend a lot of time in this courtroom.”
Kubiniec, who denied in a social media post that he made the comments Snyder testified about, said he was pleased with the outcome of the court proceeding.
“It’s great that it has been resolved in my favor,” he said in an interview. “It shouldn’t have been brought in the first place.”
Kubiniec, who was removed from his position as vice chair and later censured by the school board during his first year in office, still faces a misdemeanor stalking charge as a result of a criminal complaint filed by Trent.
Trent said she sought the No-Contact Order as a result of actions by Kubiniec and others after she was forced to move out of her home, which was owned by her grandfather, because it needed repairs.
Trent’s attorney, Christina Clodfelter, attempted to prove that the No-Contact Order was justified because of actions Kubiniec took after initiating his own investigation into Trent’s residency.
Clodfelter introduced multiple emails as evidence of harassment and pointed to the November 6, 2023, school board meeting as evidence that Kubiniec had tried to terrify or intimidate Trent.
I-SS Superintendent Jeff James, who attends all school board meetings, was among the witnesses Clodfelter called to testify Monday afternoon.
“I heard the words, ‘Where do you live?’ yelled very loudly,” James said when asked about that meeting. “It sounded like Mike and was from his end of the table and was yelled three times.”
“As a matter of fact, the board attorney stepped in and told Mr. Howell to close the meeting down,” he added.
In November 2023, Kubiniec attempted to have Trent removed from the I-SS School Board based on the grounds that she had moved out of the district she represents. Trent had notified I-SS chairman Bill Howell and the superintendent that she had temporarily moved in August of 2023 so her home could be repaired.
According to Howell’s testimony, he contacted the Iredell County Board of Elections and learned that Trent was still qualified to serve on the school board, despite temporarily moving out of her district.
Howell told the school board that Trent was living out of district, but that no one needed to investigate it.
During her testimony, Trent said that Kubiniec sent multiple photos of her house via email, sent mail with tracking information to her temporary residence, and even contacted her family members in an effort to get personal information about her.
“I feared for my safety in my own home. I was worried because it was a temporary move, and it would be another attempt to harass me and potentially hurt me. I was the fourth vote that led to his removal as vice chair,” Trent explained.
As a result of the “constant harassment,” Trent told the Judge that her health began to decline.
“It was already a high-risk pregnancy. I started having issues with my blood pressure and was advised to monitor it at home. I had stress. I couldn’t sleep at night. So they decided to do additional monitoring,” Trent explained, mentioning she had to go to the doctor multiple times a week.
Kubiniec did not testify.
During closing statements, his attorney, Ronnie Crisco argued that Trent’s attorney failed to “establish that any unlawful conduct has taken place.” There was no way of proving that the photos taken of Trent’s house were done so on her property, he said.
After Judge Underwood ruled In Kubiniec’s favor, Crisco asked the judge to order Trent to pay Kubiniec’s attorney fees. The judge denied that motion.
That’s okay. What goes around comes around, Kubiniec. You’ll stalk the wrong person one day or go to a house to take pictures and you will get what’s coming to you. Keep it up!
Going to a person’s house numerous times, harassing them by email, contacting family members, & tracking someone by mail sounds like stalking to me. Nobody should have to go through this. He even kept on doing these things after multiple people told him to quit. This is just wrong.
You people just do not get it! Just because Ms. Trent said something happened, doesn’t make it the gospel truth. She has absolutely no proof that Kubiniec drove by multiple times in the middle of the night, pulled into her driveway, and took photos. His lawyer shot down her theory of someone having to had pulled into the driveway. Also, tracking mail is to ensure delivery of what one might consider confidential and sensitive information. Kubiniec mailed packets, not only to Trent, but also to all board members, Superintendent James, and the board lawyer. Why is she signaling herself out? Because it fits her twisted narrative. Chairman Howell also sent a letter to Trent via certified mail – same address. Is he being accused of stalking? Furthermore, no family members testified that Kubiniec contacted them because he never did. No proof. Wouldn’t they have been witnesses on her behalf? Wouldn’t they have been there to prove his supposed guilt? There are so many holes in this case that it’s a joke. She and her mother were grasping at straws to try and come up with something, anything, that could pass for what they considered stalking and harassment, and they failed. Moreover, Ms. Matthew’s is trying to manipulate a situation to her liking.
What a drama queen. First she betrays all her friends, then files charges against the people she betrayed and pretends to be the victim. This woman is not a Republican at all, just another turncoat drama-filled liberal.
Hey Micah!! Been wondering where you were hiding.
How does she pretend to be the victim? These things were admittedly done to her. That makes her the victim. Has nothing to do with being a liberal or conservative.
Captain oh Captain, you dodged a bullet this time!
“There is a big difference between nasty politics, unnecessary politics and just being a nasty person,”
All three describe Captain K.
Todays episode of :
– The closet democrat gurl who cried wolf-
Is this the fake preacher with the fidelity issues or the convicted drug offender with no job?
Its the same guy that wouldn’t stop harassing my girlfriend. True weirdo.
He drove by our house yelling and cussing at us and threatening to fight me lol
Thomas: She wasn’t anything until Angie told her what to be.
Regardless of politics, it seems Kubiniec is a petty, miserable person. I’m embarrassed for him and I don’t even live in Iredell County. I’d sure be embarrassed to serve with him on the BOE.
What an embarrassment Mike Kubinec is for Iredell County, same embarrassment as Micah Phelps who continues to obsess about and try to find fault with Abby Trent. Abby serves ALL of District 3, not just Republicans but everyone and fyi Kubinec and Phelps, District 3 dislikes both of you as well as your buddy Anita Kurn! Iredell County sees who is working for the people, Abby Trent, and those (Kubinec and Kurn) who are not working at all but simply self-promoting! Then there is Phelps who thinks he is some political strategist but only strategy he has is stalking and creating drama! Abby Trent is the only adult amongst these immature, childish people who cannot seem to build a successful record of their own efforts so they attempt to find fault in Abby. This is shameful!
How sad that this is where we find ourselves with the behavior of so-called leaders of our schools. I hope this is at least a wake-up call for Mr. Kubiniec to stop acting like a creep. Unfortunately, this reminds me of the current “bear vs. man” question making the rounds on the interwebs. In one respect it is showing that there are two kinds of men: Men who understand why women answer “bear,” and men who are the reason women answer “bear.”
I also want to add, how are any of the actions taken by board member Kubiniec helping the teachers, students and staff of Iredell-Statesville Schools? The attacks on board member Trent are unfounded and baseless by those who simply want to continue to cause division and drama. We have more pressing issues in Iredell County. Our homes are being bought up by large corporations as well as land and cardboard box homes and apartments are being slapped up faster than you can blink and the cost of these soon-to-be slums is not reasonable with the local incomes. (Why is that?) And these homes will put even more stress of funding more public schools on the taxpayer. Two, we have serious mental health and behavioral issues with the children of our county and sadly many children do not get a decent meal when school is not in session. Yet members of this board want to spend over $200 million on a high school in Troutman. Why in the world in an area that median incomes are approximately $50K a year (2020 census data says $73,100; I think that is incorrect and needs investigation unless it’s combined income of 2 adults https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/iredellcountynorthcarolina/PST045222) would such a costly school even be suggested, especially when teacher salaries are so horribly low!!! These issues are only a drop in the bucket! We have fanatic citizens who continue to push a questionable ‘book agenda’ that truly was not an issue in I-SS until they brought it up publicly. It could have been addressed in a different forum and handled appropriately. (MGSD did so without all the publicity and drama.) But no these same attention seekers just continue to make noise but do nothing for the betterment of our schools. Final word on the books, if anyone truly is concerned about this issue, do the research at the state level where it is pushed and find a resolution. We need problem solvers (everyone not just elected office holders) to step up and take action in Iredell County — not drama queens looking for attention!
Based on the case, the burden of proof was up to the plaintiff. She and her lawyer couldn’t substantiate it. They couldn’t prove whether it was even Kubiniec who took the pictures. Plus, Trent feebly tried to show that the person had to have taken them close to the house and parked cars. Ever heard of a camera with a telephoto lens? Apparently not. She was just so sure the person pulled into her driveway. Also, she never proved her claim this was done repeatedly (at all hours of the night, according to what she previously stated in IFN). Where is the security footage to capture the multiple attempts he supposedly drove by? Was she awake in the middle of the night to take pictures of his car? She is fabricating a narrative that simply doesn’t exist much less can be proven.
In addition, if proving that Mr. Kubiniec contacted family members to gather information to defame Ms. Trent was so important to her, why weren’t the family members there to testify? Because they would not have been able to truthfully say that it was Kubiniec who contacted them. Trent presented no credible evidence that he ever texted, emailed, called, or spoke to any family members. Is there a possibility that this evidence was between the family members and someone else (but given to Kubiniec)? I guess she and her lawyer didn’t think of that either.
As for Mr. Snyder, he made a Hail Mary pass to discredit Mr. Kubiniec by stating that he overheard Kubiniec saying he would go after Trent if she didn’t get the protective order. How ludicrous! This was a blatant, deliberate lie. Why would Kubiniec state such a thing, especially given that there is another upcoming court date? Tom – you will answer for your lies when you meet your maker – if you even make it there at all for all the trouble you’ve stirred up with Trent and her mother. Absolutely despicable!
Kubiniec has ran and cried to the GOP once again for a situation he created, and that he has received negative light on. Seems very similar to his bff Ms. Thunderdome! Much like getting Mr. Micah Elon Phelps involved in school related issues, they both are attempting to involve the GOP in an issue between board members. Are these actual adults?
Oh look now Micah’s Mom has chimed in. Seriously, do you people share a brain cell? Who cares about Kubiniec or his feelings? Why in the world would any citizen care after his actions? Kubiniec and all of you have proved you aren’t concerned with what is best for the students of Iredell-Statesville Schools, teachers or staff much less education. They are interested in self-promotion and person vendettas. All of you need to get a life and, better yet, get out of Iredell!