From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: "K.C. O'Dea" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [Winona] Format for school-board meetings Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 19:20:18 -0500
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--- Begin Message ---Just a clarification for K.C..the minutes of the meeting are the official record of the board. They record all action of the board, but not the discussion that went into the decision. These minutes are approved by the board at a subsequent meeting and signed by the clerk. I don't believe that an audio or video tape would be considered an "official" record. If we relied on the media to be "essentially the only record of what happened" we would probably have 2-3 different versions.
Eric Bartleson
"K.C. O'Dea" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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10/09/2003 11:49 AM EST
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Subject: Re: [Winona] Format for school-board meetings
[Winona Online Democracy]
As one of the reporters who's job it is to cover the school board's meetings
I see no advantage in holding the meetings outside of city hall. Myself and
the other reporters were no different from the public who attended the last
meeting. We strained to hear what was going on. Since the meetings are not
televised or recorded we (reporters) are essentially the only record of what
happened. If we have trouble hearing, how can we make sure the record always
is correct? No meeting should be ever held without some sort of recording
taking place. This would be especially important if one of the board members
would like to challenge a quote used by the media. No official record could
mean a game of "he said, she said". I brought up these concerns with both
Eric Bartelson and several of the school board members. I was told that the
board may be looking at purchasing a microphone system that travels with the
board so people in the audience can better hear. The is not a good idea for
two reasons. The first being that, it will still provide no official record
of the meeting (just better sound.) And why should our cash poor school
district purchase equipment that they don't need. The public may not relize,
but the school board pays the city nothing to meet at city hall. The school
board must only pay the fee of the person running the camera system at city
hall. Basically the school board gets a well recorded meeting that everyone
can hear for about 40 dollars....sounds like a great deal.K.C. O'Dea
>From: Steve Schild Winona Online Democracy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: [Winona] Format for school-board meetings
>Date: Thu, 09 Oct 2003 10:12:31 -0500
>
>[Winona Online Democracy]
>
>Kathy Seifert asked if I had any specific suggestions about how to limit
>the length of discussion at school-board meetings without locking the
>public out of the discussion. My suggestion is simple: At the point when no
>new information is being offered and people are repeating what's already
>been said, then a member of the board, whether the chair or someone else,
>should say, "Let's move on," or "Call the question." If new information is
>still being offered, then everyone involved--elected officials and citizens
>alike--should be prepared to let the meeting go on. Is it easy to know when
>the new information has ended and the repetition has begun? Not always, no.
>But there's nothing new about that.
>
>Concerning Mr. Kranz's statement about "the value of promoting constructive
>dialogue" on the school board and other elected bodies, my main point is
>this: It hasn't been explained to my satisfaction how the new format would
>indeed improve the quality of dialogue among board members. It seems that
>the main thing the new format would do is make it more difficult for the
>public to know what its elected representatives are doing. How,
>specifically, would the new format improve the quality of dialogue? How is
>it inherently better than the previous format for producing higher-quality
>dialogue?
>
>Regarding Mr. Kranz's question as to whether televising meetings is "the
>only form of accountability and accessibility," the answer is no--but it's
>certainly a big one. What other forum literally lets the public see the
>workings of a public body the way that live television does? Televising all
>the meetings, I believe, is one of the best, if not the best, uses a
>community can make of public-access television.
>
>One more point: It strikes me that the committee structure that would have
>the bulk of discussion on an issue take place outside the regular meetings
>would merely add another layer that would make it harder for the public to
>see and know what went into discussion and decisions about certain
>questions.
>
>Steve Schild
>
>
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