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CAT Tracks for January 27, 2012
SPECIAL BOE-FOP MEETING...MINUTES |
The Cairo Board of Education and the Cairo Financial Oversight Panel held a special joint meeting on Friday, January 6th at 5:30 p.m.
It was a sight to behold...a disorganized mess from beginning to end. After wasting a couple of hours by attending a Friday night meeting, I simply could not bring myself to sit down at the computer upon my arrival home and attempt to recount the comedy of errors and call it minutes. Deciding that I needed to clear my mind, I literally grabbed a bite to eat, watched a couple of hours of DVDs, and literally "slept on it"...to not avail. My mind is still jumbled and it's not from too much sleep or the effects of old age.
Where to begin?
The respective chairpersons called their respective groups to order at approximately 5:35 p.m.
Maybe that was the problem...the back and forth...like alternating verses of the old children's tune "row, row, row your boat. The Cairo BOE calls themselves to order and calls roll, then the Cairo FOP does the same. Then the BOE adopts their agenda, followed by the FOP doing the same. Each took turns asking if there were any comments from employees and public...resulting in two pauses as no one indicated any interest in addressing either group.
Maybe it was the two agendas...one numbered with 1, 2, 3 while the other waxed Roman - i.e. I, II, III. Unfortunately, they didn't know their Roman letters as both agendas used A, B, C's so when a reference was made during the meeting about "Item C on the agenda", it was which agenda...which "C".
Maybe it was the presence of the Interim Superintendent that is (and counting) and the Interim Superintendent to be.
Toss in one old hearing-impaired CAT and the noisy AC on an unseasonably warm night in January, it was a sight for sore ears. (I will have to give "outgoing" Interim Superintendent Leotis Swopes his props...when the AC kicked in, he actually raised his voice to an audible level. Unfortunately, the effect was like watching a confused TV show or movie...turning up the volume doesn't resolve a confused plot. Sigh...)
Okay, let's do this thing...
...at least give it a try.
After calling their respective groups together and approving their agendas...
Oops...
I forgot to identify the players in our comedy of errors. Roll the credits please:
FOP Chairperson Elizabeth Lewin tried to impose an order on the proceedings...by indicating that the BOE needed to act first in order to provide the FOP with something to act upon.
And, THAT is when our heartaches (headaches?) begin!
The first item for "Open Session" on both agendas (and both labeled "A") was "Interim Superintendent/CEO Contract"...
Cairo BOE Member Brown raised question about the proceedings...asking whether the BOE needed to first of all rescind its action taken at its last regular meeting; namely, when it voted to hire Justin Miller as Interim Superintendent. Mr. Brown seemed to feel that said hiring was maybe premature since the BOE had not yet finalized the terms of the contract. This question raised much discussion...much that was mumbled, so I shall not try to translate. (Sure wish that the BOE-FOP meeting were closed captioned like my TV at home. However, I do believe there would be many instances of what I see on said TV show..."inaudible dialogue".) Whatever was said about Mr. Brown's question, there was no action on same...not vote to rescind. (Mr. Brown exited for the evening at 5:42 p.m.)
However...
It did bring focus to "Item A"...the status of the contract for the new Interim Superintendent/CEO.
FOP Chairperson Lewin turned to the BOE members to make their presentation.
A pregnant pause.
It seems that the "negotiations committee" had not finalized said contract...therefore, there was nothing to report to the FOP, nothing for the FOP to act upon.
Chairperson Lewin was obviously taken aback..."Why? What's the holdup? You haven't met?" (or words to that effect.)
More mumbling...another pregnant pause.
Finally, the members of the BOE's "Negotiations Team" (Coleman, Harris, and McBride) arose from the table and headed toward the Superintendent's office...with Justin Miller in tow.
Chairperson Lewin then tried to make a smooth transition and resume her meeting by turning to "Item B"...District Plan to Fill Superintendent's Position for the 2012-2013 School Year. (Well, good luck with that!)
Chairperson Lewin looked around the table and commented "We need someone who can report to us about the status of the Superintendent's search." She looked around again and said: "But I'm not going to pick on the only member remaining." (She was looking at Rodney Moore when she said it, overlooking Brenda Gooden.)
Anyway...
Chairperson Lewin arises from the table and exits stage right (toward the Superintendent's office in search of BOE members.) Chairperson Lewin returns after about a 10-minute absence...empty handed.
But...
Two minutes later, the BOE Negotiations Team returns to the meeting (with BOE Member Arnold Burris tagging along.) (That was confusing to me...I could have sworn he wasn't in the meeting...but, then again, there were a lot of people stuffed into the room, many not sitting in their "assigned seats", so, maybe I missed him. Actually, after the meeting, I asked Madam CAT President and she reinforced my previous observation. Mr. Burris had not been previously present, arriving coincidentally with the return of the Negotiations Committee.)
Let us continue...
The meeting then resumed with a discussion of "Item B"...the Superintendent's search. More inaudible dialogue and more of just not knowing the "inside information". There was mention of three dates...January 17, January 23, and February 3rd. They knew what those dates represented. Lowly members of the audience (aka pee-ons) did not.
Outgoing Interim Superintendent Swopes indicated that there had been several applicant...6 of which he felt were suitable for consideration. He further indicated that he had placed asterisks next to three names whom he felt met the BOE search criteria...having a strong financial background. Interim Superintendent Swopes (with later support by FOP Chairperson Lewin) indicated that each of the BOE members needed to go through all of the applicants files and complete a rating of each...a "data sheet". (I think that the January 17th date was a deadline for completing the review of the applicants files...I think.)
There was further discussion about setting up interviews with applicants. Whether that was what the January 23rd and February 3 dates were all about...I haven't a clue. (As is often the case at these "public meetings"...the guess of those not in attendance - having a life - is just as good as those who did attend...who don't have a life.)
Moving right along...
"District's Plan Regarding Facilities for the Proposed and Anticipated Renovation Being Considered."
Another mumbled discussion referring to documents not provided to the audience of a "public meeting". The only "news" that was clearly heard and stated: "That the decision was made at the last meeting to move pre-school to the Cairo Elementary building (aka Emerson) for the next school year. (Madam President and I talked afterward and agreed...that "decision" was not made in any meeting that we attended. Maybe they decided in closed session that THAT was what they were going to do, but they didn't come out and vote on. Poor, pitiful, pee-ons.)
The remainder of the discussion regarding facilities...
Seems that the total price tag of renovations required for moving the Central Office to the CJSHS pod area is $72,000...which should be less than that since there will be no need to install tiny toilets for the discarded plan to sent pre-school to the pod. Interim Superintendent Swopes expressed regret over the poor design of the pod area...having only one rest room. He indicated the need for an "adult toilet" for Central Office personnel and visitors.
As the conversation lagged, there seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm for proceeded with the renovations. Interim Superintendent Swopes tried to rebuild that fire by saying that there would be "a savings of from $65,000 to $100,000 in utilities" to be gained by closing the current Central Office (old Cairo Junior High).
When a question was raised about Shawnee Community College's current use of the Central Office building for classes, Interim Superintendent Swopes indicated his belief that the District could rent the CJSHS facility to SCC for their use (which was done the last time they close the Cairo Junior High School building.) He even mentioned "raising the rent" charged to SCC. (Good luck with that!) Another tidbit...SCC no longer has a "contract" for use of the Central Office for classes. SCC's agreement with the District is on a month-by-month basis.
And, finally (for the initial open session portion of our show)...
"Charter School (Information) Update"
Again, this was an issue impossible to follow since the "powers that be" were privy to handouts...the pee-ons not.
Pure silliness...
An old saying:
"Who's zooming who?!"
I hope these folks don't really believe this sh*t. I hope this was all for show...for pee-on consumption.
Changing the name of Cairo High School to Cairo Charter School ain't gonna accomplish one damn thing. If the Cairo BOE and Cairo FOP were concerned about "curriculum", they would NOT have cut ten teaching positions at the end of last year...would NOT be discussing more reductions in force LAST NIGHT!!!
Wave a magic wand...
...POOF! Charter school...wonderful offerings...come on down!!!
One of the Cairo BOE members asked a very good question: "Is there extra money available if we change to a charter school?" ISBE representative Debbie Vespa (who KNOWS) smiled, shook her head, and said "No."
So much for expanding curriculum. And if there aren't new offering, why would the exiles return?
Bears repeating:
I pray to God that these people are knowingly playing yet another game of smoke and mirrors. If they truly believe that which they spout, there is indeed...NO HOPE IN CAIRO SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER ONE.
Counting to ten...
I guess I should mention that the "charter school movement" will NOT happen during the 2012-2013 school year. Interim Superintendent Swopes suggested the BOE form a committee to explore/study/prepare over the next year...a committee of maybe two BOE members, two union representatives, and two community members.
Hey, blessed relief...
The BOE and then the FOP voted to enter closed session at 6:20 p.m. (Belinda Becker of "Robbers All" did her thing in 30 minutes and left the building.) The BOE/FOP voted to exit closed session at 7:34 p.m.
Confusion resumed...
BOE President McBride and FOP Chairperson Lewin looked to Interim Superintendent Swopes to make recommendations for approval. Interim Superintendent Swopes was looking down at his papers. They looked at him and mumbled something. He looked down at his papers. And again.
Finally, they got his attention, he laughed, and we resumed.
Interim Superintendent Swopes made the following recommendations (which were then approved by separate votes of the BOE and the FOP):
Interim Superintendent Swopes then raised the issue of changing procedures with respect to the proceeds from basketball games...depositing them into the CJSHS activity account, to be used PBIS activities and such. Well, the BOE was ready to deal with that...tabling it for further review and discussion.
Finally...
...FINALLY...
A motion was made, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 7:41 p.m.
The FOP then did the same!
CAT Tracks Editor's Note:
Once again, I am going to cop out...
...no way I'm gonna go back and proof read. Oh, I ran the spell check, but as we all know, that doesn't catch everything.
However...
I sat through this mess, I wrote about this mess...ain't no way I'm gonna go back and read this mess.
The third time would not be charming at all...
PS: If you find errors and it really, really bothers you...write me. I will probably make the correction...
