The evening of 2024-07-09 was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education (BoE).
That time again, for the BoE to reorganize itself. Each time this happens I think about how the process could be done more efficiently. This time, I asked if there was a legal reason they don’t consolidate motions. No answer (yet). If there is, not much we can do about it. But if there isn’t…
It seems to me that Agenda items 10-14 could be done as one motion each. Instead of the 40ish it took. Read off the boiler plate with appropriate wording: ‘Motion to approve recommendation, as outlined in the agenda, that the following be appointed to the named positions for the upcoming school year’. Then list them out: Christina for District Clerk, Carol for Deputy Clerk, Sarah for District Treasurer, and so on.
All the same information is presented for the public to see. But without the motion, second, vote loop for each and every one. Should mean more speaking at one time for the President, but less said overall.
Not suggesting any changes to the first 9 Agenda items, those both feel like legal requirements and an appropriate end/new year transition process. And once we get to 15Q the options for consolidation get pretty limited. But the phrase ‘as outlined in the agenda’ was used enough times that some streamlining seems possible. Agenda items 15B-N practically scream they be moved as one.
Feedback on the process aside, Caralyn Ross is the Board President for another year, with Joel Robinson supporting her as the new Vice-President. There was a pleasant interruption of Caralyn receiving flowers directly after she was voted in. I didn’t recognize who gave them to her, but it had the feel of her husband and son. Either way, it was a nice moment.
Once again, membership in New York State School Boards Association was discussed. Having been observing for a while, this Board seems to consider NYSSBA not worth the cost of membership. Yet they join, in the hopes that ‘this year’ will be different. Mind you, this year it was at the request of Gene (Superintendent) and Colin (Business), which is different. Either way, I expect this will be discussed again, next year.
Salvatore’s received the annual Pizza Bid and the Superintendent’s salary was increased. Mostly non-issues, that I only mention as they both seemed to leave out useful relevant information. Namely what was the total pizza bid and Superintendent’s salary after the raise. Now the District makes enough information readily available so that reasonable estimates for both those numbers can be made. (Last years Pizza bid implies this years total will be in the ~$36k ballpark, and budget information implies Superintendent’s salary will be in the ~$250k ballpark) But it would have been nice if those numbers were included directly. Does that make this a complaint about not providing enough information in this meetings documentation? Or a compliment for providing so much information overall that I could find the answers I wanted so quickly?
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the July 09, 2024 meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education.
Agenda’s and similar information can be found at HFL’s BoardDocs page. While a recording is also available.