Facility committee, Open Meetings Act subject of Othello School Board discussion
Cheryl Schweizer <Staff Writer> | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 1 month AGO
Cheryl Schweizer/Sun Tribune - Othello School Board member Tony Ashton said he did not think the district's facility committee was subject to the Open Public Meetings Act.
OTHELLO — A committee asked to identify facility needs in the Othello School District will continue to livestream its meetings, and the meetings will be open to the public. But it will not be considered subject to the provisions of the state’s Open Public Meetings Act. That was the outcome of a discussion at the regular Othello School Board meeting Monday.
The committee was set up after district officials commissioned a study to determine possible costs of a proposal to move to a kindergarten through eighth-grade format. The estimate was in excess of $30 million, and did not take any growth into account. As a result Othello School Board members set up a committee to study what would be needed for future growth and any remodeling.
The committee includes five people with kids in school, and one of those dropped out. Committee members voted on a replacement, using a secret ballot. Board member Ken Johnson expressed concern about that, saying it might have been inconsistent with the Open Public Meetings Act.
“I feel they’re doing work for the board, and myself I think should be subject to the Open Meetings Act,” Johnson said. The question was referred to the OSD attorney, who suggested the committee’s deliberations follow the steps outlined in the OPMA, just to be on the safe side. “What we’re asking this group to do is go out and find us a couple alternatives. They’re doing work for the board on this.”
“But they’re not taking any action,” said board member Tony Ashton. “For me that’s the distinction. My personal feeling is, it’s a slippery slope.”
The committee is holding its meetings in public, Ashton said. “To me to officially say that now this is an open public meeting of the board is a step too far, because I don’t think it is. I understand what you’re saying, I just disagree.”
Ashton said was skeptical of the reactions of some people, whom he didn't name, to the committee's action. “I have an issue with the reasons of why this came up, and why it hasn’t come up the first two meetings. I know another person contacted somebody else on the committee to try to start a fire with this as well. I don’t know if that person contacted you or not, but to me it’s disingenuous.
“I just feel like there’s people that want to railroad, and when they don’t get their way they want to try to find ways to circumvent things that are happening. I’ve seen it happen in this town, this city and in other organizations, and as an elected official I don’t feel like I need to bow down to any of those people. They can vote for me or against me if they want, but I don’t think creating an issue is fair.”
Johnson said he’s only interested in ensuring the group takes things like any possible violation of regulations into account. “I just want them to be very cautious as they move along.” Johnson said he’s most interested in making sure the group conforms to state regulations, if the committee is subject to them.
“I feel like this committee is trying to be transparent,” Ashton said. He said he doesn’t mind if the group provides notification of its meetings, but he doesn’t believe the committee is subject to the OPMA. Board members Jenn Stevenson and Mike Garza said they agreed with Ashton.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY CHERYL SCHWEIZER <STAFF WRITER>
Othello School Board approves property purchase
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board has approved an agreement to purchase 81.14 acres of land along 14th Street and Lee Road. The district will pay $2.4 million to the current owner, Terra Gold Farms. The draft agreement was approved during the regular board meeting Monday. The land is located at Lee Road between Seventh and 14th streets. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said there are no plans to build on the property now, but district officials plan to keep it as a site for any additional schools. The sale should be completed by the end of January. In other business, a discussion of a site visit to Wahitis Elementary prompted questions about traffic on 14th Street. Construction closed part of 14th Street during the spring, summer and fall, including the stretch in front of Wahitis Elementary. Prior to construction the road had a four-way stop outside Scootney Springs Elementary, but the stop signs were removed during construction and haven’t been replaced. Board member Juan Garza said he had received inquiries about the stop signs, and whether they would be reinstalled. “It sounds to me like they (the stop sign removals) are permanent, right? It’s going to stay that way.” Bullis said she had received inquiries too, and had asked city officials about them, including a question at the Othello City Council meeting earlier Monday evening. City manager Wade Faris told her, Bullis said, the city wasn’t required to reinstall them. The original purpose was to eliminate some of the congestion on 14th, Cemetery and Ash streets when kids and parents were coming and going from Scootney Springs. City officials think the extra lanes will accommodate any congestion, she said. Board member Mike Garza said the stop signs were installed as the result of a traffic study conducted by the district at the city’s request. He asked if the city had done an additional traffic study prior to removal. Bullis said city officials didn’t give a reason for the change. Mike Garza also asked if city officials planned to paint crosswalks across 14th Street at Wahitis Elementary. “I noticed there are no crosswalk designations across 14th” at the school, he said. Bullis said she would ask city officials.
Othello School District land purchase moves ahead
OTHELLO — The Othello School Board is scheduled to review a draft purchase and sale agreement for 78 acres of property along Lee Road at its Oct. 10 meeting.
Othello School Board discusses 14th Street with city officials
OTHELLO — Traffic, traffic flow and pedestrian safety, especially for elementary students, were the subjects of a lengthy discussion at the Othello School Board meeting Monday.