Board of Education President Phil Kauffman is having a little trouble setting up a committee meeting this week. The committee is "not a real" BOE committee according to President Kauffman. It's just a group of BOE members meeting to discuss a BOE policy committee.
The "not a real" committee meeting is today. We think.
Kauffman told the Gazette that the meeting today would be closed to the public. Then, after the Gazette went to print, the MCPS Public Information Officer changed the meeting to be open to the public. The Gazette had to change their online version of the article. Apparently, the MCPS Public Information Officer outranks the Board of Education President.
The online Agenda for the meeting said it started at 11:00 or 11:30, both times were listed on the Agenda. Then the Agenda was changed to show the meeting as starting at 11:00, then it was changed again to show it as starting at 11:30.
We've heard a rumor that a closed session of this "not a real" committee will be held at 11:00.
Go or don't go. The meeting may or may not be open to the public at one of the times listed.
This is an excellent of example of good government in action, or maybe not.
This is an excellent example of what the voters want. The Board of Ed is an elected body.
ReplyDeleteand sadly, no webcast
ReplyDeleteThey'll blame it on the overcast.
DeleteUltimately, it’s the ballots we cast.
ReplyDeleteBTW: It would be great if Parents' Coalition posted a sample ballot of its recommendations for BOE, County Council, County Executive, etc.
The problem isn't the Board members themselves, but the policies within MCPS that must be changed.
ReplyDeleteActually the problem is TWO board members and the media generalizing the entire board and making a huge issue out of a few thousand dollars. Do policies need to be more concrete without as much wiggle room, absolutely. Those changes appear to currently be in the process of being made. Why must it be extremes with you when you're never happy with the outcome either way?
ReplyDeleteFirst, there are no changes under way. There is no committee. There is no Board action. Three Board of Education members got together and had a chat. That's all. The Board of Education as an elected body has not done a thing about the use of credit cards! Zip! They haven't mentioned them at all. Don't get ahead of yourself.
DeleteSecond, who is "you" that is never happy? Missed that.
Third, the problem is not just two Board members. Never has been that small a problem. The Board of Education has an annual expense account of $96,000. They spend it every single year and ask for it every single year. If you think this is just about two people you aren't reading the MCPS budget.
Fourth, credit card misuse and abuse is a huge problem in MCPS and has been for years! There are 1,392 other credit cards in use that are not even being discussed in the media, yet we know those cards are also being abused.
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2013/01/credit-card-abuse-misuse-continues-in.html
Finally, did you see our post about the leather computer bag? Seriously? You think this is just about two Board members?
One more thing: The MCPS American Express annual bill has been steadily increasing since Superintendent Joshua Starr arrived.
DeleteIt's almost up to $7 million dollars a year of spending that is undocumented in the MCPS budget. The monthly AMEX bill is paid without reconciliation.
Hey you, that is a huge issue!
http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2013/10/starrs-american-express-bill-jumps-to.htm
Anonymous, June 14, 2014 at 5:26 PM, that's funny!
ReplyDeleteSo, you have no problems with purchase of two leather tote bags with $486 of MCPS operating funds, because that wasn't done by the "two board members?"
And, you have no problems with a hotel room-service meal for $73, paid for out of MCPS operating funds, because that wasn't done by the "two board members?"
Etc., etc., etc.!
Nice try, but it is just not credible to scapegoat "two board members" for what is clearly a systemic problem.