Up Next: RIH BOE September 11 Meeting
- Kathie Schwartz
- Sep 9, 2023
- 2 min read
The next meeting of the RIH BOE is on Monday Sept 11, 8pm at Indian Hills. It is a short agenda (as we have learned, a short agenda does not necessarily mean a short meeting). Here are the interesting things on the agenda:
Superintendent Hiring: At the last meeting, the Board reached a unanimous decision to initiate a search for an Interim Superintendent. Further, a majority voted to table the motions concerning an internal search for an Acting Superintendent and the solicitation of proposals from Superintendent Search Firms. Despite these decisions, these tabled motions are now BACK ON THE AGENDA.
To clarify Board Policy, which adheres to Robert's Rules of Order, a motion tabled in one meeting does not automatically find its way onto the agenda for the next meeting. Instead, it remains set aside until someone specifically moves to "take it from the table."
The decision to reintroduce these motions on the agenda, without following proper procedure, seems to be a unilateral decision by President Sullivan, who is responsible for setting the agenda and is yet another instance of President Sullivan weaponizing her role to subvert the majority's decision, especially when it doesn't align with her views.
To ensure everyone is clear on proper procedure:
1. During the Meeting: Any member who has the floor during a time when no other business is pending can move to "take from the table" the previously tabled motion. The motion to "take from the table" is not debatable and requires a simple majority vote to pass.
2. Regarding Agenda Placement: It's generally not appropriate to place a tabled motion on a subsequent meeting's agenda as a routine item, because the motion hasn't been taken from the table yet. RIH Bylaws do not provide for tabled motions to be handled otherwise.
3. Reintroduction: If the motion isn't taken from the table by the end of the next meeting after it was tabled, it "dies" in the sense that it's no longer pending. If members wish to discuss the issue again, the motion will need to be reintroduced as a new main motion. This reintroduction can be done in any future meeting, and it would be appropriate to list this new main motion on the agenda for that meeting.
Considering Ms. Sullivan's history of frequently consulting with the Board's Attorney, it is surprising to think that Kerri Wright from Porzio would have advised this approach when Robert's Rules are unambiguous.
Other:
Motions to approve minutes of July 24 and Aug 1 only include the regular meeting minutes. Why are they not approving the private executive session minutes?
The agenda published by the BOE lists motion numbers OP1 - OP3 and E3, E5-E15 but does not detail the motions.It appears there are more resolutions to be disclosed at the meeting.
There are also many routine personnel/staffing motions on the agenda.
