WCS Board Seeks To Be More Open, Accountable To Public
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Making the board more open and accountable to the public appeared to be one of the goals of the Warsaw School Board at its meeting Monday.
New member Dan Robinson, who served on the board for eight years previously, proposed allowing time for public input before the board votes on agenda items.
Public input is allowed early in the monthly meeting and near the end. Additional time for members of the public to speak has traditionally been at the discretion of the board president.
"It shouldn't be up to the board president, it should be board policy," Robinson said.
"This is a board meeting, not a town hall," said board member Mark Minatel, who is leaving the board at the February meeting.
"We have never refused people the chance to speak," said Cathy Folk, board member.
President Ron Yeiter said he would make it a point to include public comment at meetings, and the board agreed to leave it at the president's discretion.
Accountability entered the discussion when patron Dean Harmon asked the board about the construction project at Warsaw Community High School.
"We've never even seen a picture of what we're gonna get for our $30 million," he said, "and I would really beg the board to know what we're getting as a taxpayer. It's almost like we're writing a blank check."
Earlier in the meeting, representatives from Construction Control Inc., the company that is overseeing the construction project, gave a progress report.
According to CCI, parts of the construction area have been enclosed so interior work can continue during the winter. The total project is expected to be completed in 2006.
In response to Harmon's statement, school superintendent Dr. Dave McGuire said, "There was a full presentation before the board in public session on what was going to be done."
And Dr. Jennifer Brumfield, principal of WCHS, said she, two assistant principals and Greg Schroeder, the WCS maintenance director, meet weekly to go over construction details and also meet with the contractors and subcontractors.
"We oversee the progress of everything," she said, but don't OK the financial end of the project.
Patron Becky Thomas asked if the board has any oversight on the construction project or the cost of the project, and McGuire said, "That is why they hire an administrator for that."
In response to questions from board member Deb Wiggins on how bills for the construction are paid, WCS controller Kevin Scott said contractors submit bills to the architect, who reviews and approves them, sends them on to CCI for approval, CCI sends them to Scott's office and he sends them to City Securities in Fort Wayne. City Securities is the administrator for the $30 million bond for the project, and they pay the vendor bills.
"Doesn't the school approve them first?" Robinson asked.
"We approved the project and the process," McGuire said.
"So you don't know what you're paying?" Robinson asked.
"If we wanted to, could we ask for a financial report on the project similar to the financial report for the school corporation?" Wiggins asked, and was assured that such a report will be available at the next meeting.
Scott also was directed to make a financial report on the WCS budget status available at the next meeting.
The board also:
• Approved the draft of the 2005-06 school calendar. The next school year will begin Aug. 17 and end May 29, with graduation scheduled for June 2.
• Heard a presentation by Lakeview Middle School Principal Tom Kline on the school's programs developed to comply with Public Law 221 and the No Child Left Behind Act.
Kline described programs for honors students and at-risk students, as well as new classes, such as digital applications (publications created by computer), classes for students for whom English is a second language and a program to teach students how to recognize and deal with bullies.
He also said the school has begun issuing academic letters to spell bowl and geography bowl winners and honor roll students as well as to athletes.
• Heard a report by assistant superintendent Sandra Hess about end-of-course assessments. Hess said the assessments, based on test results, "help define areas that need work" and help the administration work toward standardizing the curriculum across the corporation.
• Heard from McGuire that total enrollment in all schools is at 6,625, up 150 from the same time last year.
School board members are: Larry Chamberlain (who was absent Monday), Gene England, Cathy Folk, Mark Minatel, Dan Robinson, Deb Wiggins and Ron Yeiter. The board meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the administration building. [[In-content Ad]]
Making the board more open and accountable to the public appeared to be one of the goals of the Warsaw School Board at its meeting Monday.
New member Dan Robinson, who served on the board for eight years previously, proposed allowing time for public input before the board votes on agenda items.
Public input is allowed early in the monthly meeting and near the end. Additional time for members of the public to speak has traditionally been at the discretion of the board president.
"It shouldn't be up to the board president, it should be board policy," Robinson said.
"This is a board meeting, not a town hall," said board member Mark Minatel, who is leaving the board at the February meeting.
"We have never refused people the chance to speak," said Cathy Folk, board member.
President Ron Yeiter said he would make it a point to include public comment at meetings, and the board agreed to leave it at the president's discretion.
Accountability entered the discussion when patron Dean Harmon asked the board about the construction project at Warsaw Community High School.
"We've never even seen a picture of what we're gonna get for our $30 million," he said, "and I would really beg the board to know what we're getting as a taxpayer. It's almost like we're writing a blank check."
Earlier in the meeting, representatives from Construction Control Inc., the company that is overseeing the construction project, gave a progress report.
According to CCI, parts of the construction area have been enclosed so interior work can continue during the winter. The total project is expected to be completed in 2006.
In response to Harmon's statement, school superintendent Dr. Dave McGuire said, "There was a full presentation before the board in public session on what was going to be done."
And Dr. Jennifer Brumfield, principal of WCHS, said she, two assistant principals and Greg Schroeder, the WCS maintenance director, meet weekly to go over construction details and also meet with the contractors and subcontractors.
"We oversee the progress of everything," she said, but don't OK the financial end of the project.
Patron Becky Thomas asked if the board has any oversight on the construction project or the cost of the project, and McGuire said, "That is why they hire an administrator for that."
In response to questions from board member Deb Wiggins on how bills for the construction are paid, WCS controller Kevin Scott said contractors submit bills to the architect, who reviews and approves them, sends them on to CCI for approval, CCI sends them to Scott's office and he sends them to City Securities in Fort Wayne. City Securities is the administrator for the $30 million bond for the project, and they pay the vendor bills.
"Doesn't the school approve them first?" Robinson asked.
"We approved the project and the process," McGuire said.
"So you don't know what you're paying?" Robinson asked.
"If we wanted to, could we ask for a financial report on the project similar to the financial report for the school corporation?" Wiggins asked, and was assured that such a report will be available at the next meeting.
Scott also was directed to make a financial report on the WCS budget status available at the next meeting.
The board also:
• Approved the draft of the 2005-06 school calendar. The next school year will begin Aug. 17 and end May 29, with graduation scheduled for June 2.
• Heard a presentation by Lakeview Middle School Principal Tom Kline on the school's programs developed to comply with Public Law 221 and the No Child Left Behind Act.
Kline described programs for honors students and at-risk students, as well as new classes, such as digital applications (publications created by computer), classes for students for whom English is a second language and a program to teach students how to recognize and deal with bullies.
He also said the school has begun issuing academic letters to spell bowl and geography bowl winners and honor roll students as well as to athletes.
• Heard a report by assistant superintendent Sandra Hess about end-of-course assessments. Hess said the assessments, based on test results, "help define areas that need work" and help the administration work toward standardizing the curriculum across the corporation.
• Heard from McGuire that total enrollment in all schools is at 6,625, up 150 from the same time last year.
School board members are: Larry Chamberlain (who was absent Monday), Gene England, Cathy Folk, Mark Minatel, Dan Robinson, Deb Wiggins and Ron Yeiter. The board meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month in the administration building. [[In-content Ad]]