Board to Hold Only One April Meeting

It started with two and then there was one.

Citing several weeks of consecutive Board of Education meetings, the board agreed to cancel its April 4 meeting, instead holding a single meeting in April and adding a second meeting if it’s deemed necessary.

As a result, the board will meet at 7:30 on April 11, rather than on April 4 and 11.  If a second meeting is necessary, the board would likely meet on April 26, the Tuesday before school elections.

Board President Steven Paget suggested moving the meetings initially, after noting the number of consecutive weeks where the board had meetings.  Though he initially suggested holding the meetings on the 11th and the 26th, several board members were hesitant to commit to a meeting on the 26th.

“The night before the elections, I don’t know that we’re going to change anyone’s mind,”  Board member Judy Haas, who is running for re election, said.

However, at least one board member was not certain whether the board could have a single meeting during a given month.

“I think we need to have one near the end of the month since one of the last activities of the month is approval of the monthly bills,” Finance Committee Chairman Greg Gillette said.  “I don’t think we can have a meeting on just the 11th.”

Paget said approving the bills could be done at the next meeting, a practice similar to what it does in July and August—when it also only has a single meeting.

The suggestion of meeting on only the 11th came from board member Thomas Kinst, who suggested meeting a single time during April.  As a result, the board will have a combined action and work meeting, meaning the committee reports that normally take place at a work meeting will occur as well as the voting that takes place during an action meeting.

Hillsborough schools are on spring break from April 18 through 25, making the board reluctant to meet then.