Dear Editor:
At the Jan 22 Board of Education meeting the Board voted approval to move the Annual School Board Election from April to November. In my opinion the meeting should have been held at the PAC (performance arts center) in the high school. The performance that took place that night between the eight Board trustees and the mayor was a comedy/tragedy, depending upon your interpretation of the sincerity of those who spoke that night for or against the move. Permit me to explain why I say this.
In the process of passing a resolution, the Board allows residents to voice their opinion, for or against, the resolution to be voted on, before the Board votes on the resolution. Three residents addressed the Board, expressing their opinion why they believed the date should not be changed. I was/am in total agreement with their opinion, however I refused to take part in what I believed would be wasted effort. It was/is in my opinion that the board has already made up its mind. Having served 15 years as a trustee on the Board I’m well aware of the going on that takes place in caucus, before the Board meets the vote in public. That is why I believe they had their discussion with the mayor on this issue long before this move was announced and the Board had the mayors approval to do so. I believe the plan would go something like this.
The Board would take the heat for making an unpopular decision. That decision being taking the opportunity for the residents to vote on an important issue, the budget. Similar to the “back room” deal I believe former Mayor Elwell employed, when he started the move to change the term for the mayor and council from a two to four year term. Thus taking the vote to make that change away from the voters. Elwell claimed he had nothing to do with it, though it was a dead issue.
They both benefited from the change yet made it appear they were not in favor on the grounds that the residents were being denied a vote in the decision making process.
Bottom line is now that eight Board of Education Trustees have to move the election to November. Voters must wait four years before they make an effort to change the date back to April. God willing, I’ll be around to lead the effort to do so.
Tom Troyer