Debbie “It’s-not-my-role-to-meet-with-my-constituents” Wolfmeyer was reelected president of the District 150 Board of Education at a special meeting on July 1. I haven’t seen this reported in the Journal Star, but I did see it reported on WEEK-TV and on the Peoria Story blog, which provided these details:
In a special meeting, Debbie Wolfmeyer was reelected president, with Linda Butler reelected vice president.
The vote was 4-3, with only Ross, Rachel Parker and Laura Petelle voting for Ross. The new board member, Chris Crawford, who was seated, voted for Wolfmeyer, along with Jim Stowell, Wolfmeyer and Butler.
You can read more reaction to the vote on Peoria Story.
In other District 150 news, I learned that June 30 was David Walvoord’s last day as legal counsel for the Board of Education. Also, board member David Gorenz has officially been succeeded by Chris Crawford as of July 1. Gorenz did not run for reelection.
::THUD::
yeah she did such a great job last time around. Looks like Crawford has solidified his position as a David Gorenz clone.
Why was this a “special” meeting and why has this gotten little to no coverage in the media? Do they just not care any more? I truly don’t understand how Peoria continues to ignore the actions of this school board. The district watch group points out the obvious flaws and is given grief for being Negative Nellies. Something has got to change and I hope Dr. Lathan is the beginning of that change.
How did Ross get a Masters in anything? Internet? She’s more racist than any white person I know.
You mean ” I know nothing” Schultz, oops, I mean Wolfmeyer will once again be in charge?
ridiculous. looks like its just more of the same in dist 150’s future. this entire group needs to elected by the people. that way if they fail to do their job we can vote all of them out. otherwise, nothing will ever change, and they can never be held accountable for anything.
I did think that the board was supposed to vote at regular meetings–I’m not up on the law, however. However, they certainly didn’t advertise the recent changes of meeting times and “extra” meetings–no mention was made at the previous regular board meeting that the next meeting would be on a Tuesday (June 29) instead of Monday. I’m sure they didn’t want to hear any public comments about their choice of president; however, the public has usually been given that opportunity. I do not think the agenda for that special meeting mentioned any public comment time.
Welcome to Hell, Grenita…
Laura, stop wasting your time and just resign… Do you want to be the school board’s version of Gary Sandberg?
I happen to like Gary Sandberg!
SO do I… but how many times does he become meaningless in City Council because he is the only reasonable one there?
I hate to see Laura waste her time… especially when she has much more important things to do. (She has only 4 years to find a school for “Flipper”.)
Laura can and has been making a difference. Change doesn’t come overnight. I think Laura should have been made President. She seems to be the only one somewhat in tune with the voters – not at all times on all issues, but definitely the one that gives the public the most respect and is the most thoughtful and researched on the issues.
Should anyone with school-aged children NOT in Dist 150 be on the board? No offense but I’ll bet the junior Petelle will be going to private school. Mine is.
Laura for President of our school board. Man you need to stop drinking the Kool-Aid that our board and adminstrators are consuming as their wisdom juice!!! Of course I feel that is on her agenda to woo people for a constiuent base that will pave her way for her next step in public office.( Sarah Palin want-a-be). No wonder we can’t get competent people on the District 150 school board!!!!
Laura, Martha, and Crawford were not on the Mary Davis Bandwagon. One of these three should be President (IMO). Question: to what lengths can a principal go in order to avoid hiring (or interviewing) a teacher they don’t want? Under what (if any) circumstances can a teacher be put on an involuntary transfer list?
Good luck to David Walvoord, who is one fine attorney. Too bad attorneys do not have more choic in picking their clients!
yeah whatever.
The PJS evidently didn’t think last night’s board meeting was significant enough to report. There was certainly more dialogue from the board and Dr. Lathan last night–an unusual acknowledgement and discussion of items brought up by speakers. Elaine Hopkins has written (as usual) a good accounting of the meeting at http://peoriastory.typepad.com/
I think the school age children should be the board members as I think they would make better decisions that the ones that the stupid people elect.
I think it would be interesting to FOIA emails from this group of District 150 employees. They have a business together and I am sure they have communicated about their business on Dist. 150 time. Of course Dr. Mary M. O’Brian was let go so she has plenty of time to try to be a consultant. As a parent, I wouldn’t let her near my children.
http://www.skillsprout.com/skillsprout_about
District 150 board members will be discussing whether or not they want to return to televising board meetings live in their entirety–open to the public Committee of the Whole Meeting at 7 p.m.
Probably won’t go back to live broadcasting, because it was a cost-cutting measure; overtime for a tech person mostly, but also to hold off spending on needed new video gear.
Dennis in Peoria–Do you really believe that about 45 minutes of use per meeting is going to put that much extra wear and tear on the equipment. Even Martha–at the last meeting–said she wanted to find out if money was being saved. I don’t know how much they paid Dan Kerns for taping, etc. If fact, I thought he sometimes brought Richwoods students along to get credit for their media courses. That might not be the case but I thought I had seen students working the cameras, etc. If that is true, I would make the case about cheating students out of that experience–but I am not at all certain that they did help out.
I noticed in Chris Crawford’s bio (new school board member) that he is employed by the same law firm that the school board hired to defend them in the whistleblower lawsuit. I would certainly hope that he would be wise enough to abstain from voting on anything to do with the case.
Didn’t the “whistleblower” have a no-fault termination clause in the contract? Wasn’t that the “basis” for the action (misguided or not)? I would rather have someone competent in the facts make the judgement rather than one appeasing their “constituents”.
I don’t know, wish I had an answer on that, Sharon. I wonder if that line item is detailed in the overall Dist. 150 budget?
They had their chance tonight to tell how much they saved–but no answer. However, Wolfmeyer and Stowell (especially, Stowell) made it clear that money was never their reason for not televising the public comments. That wasn’t news to me. Jim stated that he’s been listening to the same four people for 70 meetings taking up an hour to an hour and half of his time. Jim, you are better at math than that–4 x 5 minutes is only twenty minutes. Also, none of us that usually speak now, including Terry, were coming to board meetings at all until 2 years ago (48 meetings ago), when the board came up with the idea that primary kids would learn better if their school day was 45 minutes shorter.
Can anyone explain what difference it makes who is President of BOE? Just wondered. Also, who is replacing Walvoord? Anyone know?
http://www.psd150.org/BOE/Policies/Section2.pdf
President
The Board of Education elects a President from its members for a 1-year term. Any member with one full year of experience on the Board will be eligible to serve as president. The duties of the President
are:
1. Preside at all meetings;
2. Make all Board committee appointments, unless specifically stated otherwise.
3. Represent the Board on other boards or agencies;
4. Serve as chairperson of the Education Officers Electoral Board which hears challenges to Board of Education candidate nominating petitions;
5. Sign official District documents requiring the President’s signature, including Board minutes and Certificate of Tax Levy;
6. Call special meetings of the Board;
7. Review appeals of record access requests that were denied;
8. Ensure that a quorum of the Board is physically present at all Board meetings
9. Administer the oath of office to new Board members; and
10. Serve as the Board’s official spokesperson to the media.
The President is permitted to participate in all Board meetings in a manner equal to all other Board members, including the ability to make and second motions.
I had thought that the president worked with the superintendent to develop the agenda for the school board meetings. Perhaps that has changed?