Oops We Did it Again

I’ve contemplated and mulled, then I thought about it some more. It just didn’t feel right knowing this and keeping it all in. It gave me a bad feeling inside. And you know when I get a bad feeling I try to resolve it with Pepto Bismol or an attorney. Pepto’s cheaper but attorneys have all the answers. So I called a couple attorneys and asked them about an incident. Several people questioned me as to how our CEO could approach County Council with a tax proposal without me blogging about it. I was told in executive session by our CEO that he still needed to talk to the mayor about it and it was to be kept confidential until it was introduced to Council that following Monday. Once again I trusted our CEO. Only to find out that discussion of tax issues should be taking place in the public eye. Why you ask? Because it’s the only way your elected representatives can find out how their constituents fell about it. How do you propose something to County Council without first knowing if the board approves? The board was asked in executive session if we would support this issue. I said I would need to see the language and see if taxpayers would rather go this route than the typical property tax levy. Why am I one again asked to make up my mind on something I know nothing about? So for the benefit of the public I am going to list the reasons your board of education can go into executive session. I also want to touch on public record. It seems many of you think that questions you have are not deserving of an answer because the BOE is some powerful entity that thinks you’re not worthy. You have the right to request anything you want to know. But be specific. While I wish I could answer every question that everyone asks me, I can’t. You have just as much right to ask our employees for information as a board member does. Of course thanks to those wonderful attorneys there are a few exceptions like student info and employee SS#’s, but they are very limited. So if you want to know how much we pay for gas at the high school, make the request.
Here are your 7 topics for executive session:
ORC 121.22(G)

1. To consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee, official, licensed, or regulated individual unless the public employee, official, licensed, or regulated individual requests a public hearing.

2. To consider the purchase of property for public purposes or for the sale of property at competitive bidding, if premature disclosure of information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest.

3. Conferences with an attorney for the public body concerning disputes involving the public body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action

4. Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment.

5. Matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or regulation or state statute.

6. Details relative to the security arrangements and emergency response protocols for a public body or a public office, if disclosure of the matters discussed could reasonably be expected to jeopardize the security of the public body or public office.

7. To consider trade secrets. (Remember these do not only apply to school boards.)

There you have it. The seven magic reasons. I find number two interesting. I’ll let you know why once I get clarification on this issue. I am concerned about some of our "revenue generating resources" and can’t help but wonder if the residents of CF have a limit. Are we willing to sell ourselves to every private school, mega corp. (Sprint, Coke, ChannelOne), prospector, and entrepreneur that comes down the pike? I’m uneasy and taking some Pepto before bed. But I have a feeling I’ll be resorting to those blasted attorney’s in the morning.