Ruth Miller open meeting law violation
(You will find more on this by searching archives on Google.)
The only one who got it right was Debra Gilbert. You have two different camps on this SC. Young needs to learn to sit down and shut up. I can guarantee you Young and Shearer are camp Miller.
They will also be the two Miller will throw under the bus when push comes to shove.
This deception and divide and conquer has been heating up since Millers first day and its not over , buckle up its just beginning. Just be aware we are watching you .
NORTHFIELD — As a result of wording in the July 13 Pioneer Valley Regional School District School Committee’s agenda, the School Committee received an open meeting law complaint from Pioneer parent Anna Joseph.
According to the district’s attorney, Russell Dupere, the complaint lay with the meeting not being correctly posted, an error which centered on the agenda item “FY18 budget.” It was while discussing the budget that eight members of the School Committee voted five-to-three to eliminate the school resource officer’s position, a cut that would save the district about $28,000.
“If some people knew there was going to be a discussion of the SRO, that’s something that should have been posted,” Dupere explained. “I don’t know how it came about, if it was a spontaneous thing or if people knew it was going to happen.”
Though the School Committee members had different opinions concerning whether members knew in advance, there seemed to be agreement that the way agendas are written should be changed.
“This is overly broad, it lacks specificity and it’s not acceptable,” School Committee member David Young said of the posting. “There needs to be enough specificity for the public to know what we’re up to.”
Had the agenda read something more specific, like “examination of potential cuts,” Young argued that, perhaps, principals might have attended the meeting with ideas for trimming the budget.
“Our agendas are not clear enough,” School Committee member Sue O’Reilly-McRae agreed. “I usually look at them and don’t know what they mean.”
Though O’Reilly-McRae and Martha Morse felt the discussion came about spontaneously during the meeting, other members weren’t so sure.
“I have my own suspicions and I believe we have two camps on this School Committee,” said committee member Debra Gilbert. “I feel blind-sided as a School Committee member. I feel there was outside discussion with certain people.”
Joseph, who said she filed the complaint with the School Committee on July 21, proposed resolving the problem by adding discussion of Igor Komerzan’s position to the Aug. 24 agenda. At Dupere’s recommendation, the committee voted unanimously for the next agenda to read “FY18 budget discussion regarding potential reductions including but not limited to the SRO position.” Dupere also said he would review the agenda before it is posted.
While discussing the Open Meeting Law, Young also emphasized the need to list yea and nay votes in the minutes and for members who might have a conflict of interest to leave the room when discussing certain topics.
The School Committee’s response and Joseph’s original complaint will be sent to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s office, Dupere said.
Given the committee’s agreement to discuss the school resource officer’s position again, Joseph said she was gratified by the outcome, but would be more gratified if there was a more positive perception of Pioneer’s School Committee and administration, saying there’s a “dedicated, interested, heartfelt core of parents distressed by the public’s impression.” However, she said she holds no malice for the committee.
“These are earnest people who say ‘I want to step up and support my community,’” she explained. “How can you be opposed to that?”
Still, Joseph declared the School Committee cannot continue unchecked or without consideration for regulations, like the open meeting law.
“They realized they made an error,” she said. “To me, the system worked.”
