School Board Considers Hiring a Negotiator

The newest incarnation of the had to deal with a procedural hiccup Monday night as an item was pulled off the agenda because it was not voted on in a public meeting.

“Votes are not allowed to be taken in executive session,” said former school board member Jim Davison.  “It’s against the state sunshine law.”

The school board had prepared to vote on an agenda item that would authorize the board to hire a negotiator to work with the West Chester teachers’ union.

The teachers’ contract expires next year.

“I would like this item pulled off the agenda,” said school board member Sean Carpenter.  “I would hate to have something important like this nullified on a technicality.”

According to state law, an agenda item must be put to a vote in a public meeting in order to be voted on in a full session.

Usually, the agenda items for full school board sessions are voted on in committee meetings that are open to the public.  The negotiator agenda item was discussed in an executive session that was closed to the public.

According to members of the school board, an informal consensus was formed at the executive session, but no actual vote was taken.  The issue will be discussed at next month’s personnel committee meeting.

Former school board member Jim Smith said during the meeting that he would ask the school board to not hire a negotiator.

“The last time we used a negotiator, in 2003, the teacher’s went on strike,” Smith said.  “The negotiator and the whole process ended up costing around $230,000.  That’s a lot of money that could be spent on children.”

The head of the teachers’ association, Debbie Fell, also asked that the board not hire a negotiator.

“We’re coming in to the board in good faith,” Fell said.  “We’re concerned that the board may not share our objectives.”