School board rejects Skype policy
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on January 6, 2016 1:46 PM
The Wayne County Board of Education on Monday night rejected a new policy allowing board members "remote participation" in board meetings, similar to the Skyping policy it enacted in the fall, and approved a plan to relieve traffic congestion at Northwest Elementary School.
In September, the board approved a policy that did away with a board member's ability to Skype in at a meeting, a move prompted in part by one board member's increasing reliance on the practice.
District 2 representative Dwight Cannon, who has a pastorate in New Jersey, had missed committee meetings and opted to attend some of the regular meetings and work sessions, including interviews of candidates for the superintendent's job, through telephonic means.
A local policy was crafted for the board by Allison Pridgen, executive director of administrative services, who said she received assistance from the state Department of Public Instruction and the state School Boards Association. She told the board at the time that there was not currently a state policy addressing the issue.
But at last month's meeting, one popped up on the agenda for a first reading. Policy 2302 outlined a list of authorized circumstances for remote participation, including personal illness, out-of-town travel, unexpected lack of child care, weather conditions, employment obligations or a scheduling conflict.
It was discussed at the policy committee and appeared on Monday night's agenda with a list of second reading policies subject to approval by the board.
"If my memory serves me correctly, a couple months ago, we voted to do away with any remote participation," Board Chairman Chris West said.
"This is a policy that came to us from the School Boards Association after our board voted down that one that was suggested previously," Mrs. Pridgen replied.
"Now, was this a mandate or a recommendation?" West asked.
"It was just simply yet another policy recommendation," Mrs. Pridgen said.
The board had the option to pass it, modify it or not approve it, board member Rick Pridgen said.
Board member Jennifer Strickland asked that the policy be pulled out from the list and voted on separately. She made the motion to reject Policy 2302.
Board member Arnold Flowers seconded the motion, which passed by a vote of 5-2. Cannon and Patricia Burden were the opposing votes, with no discussion afterward.
The board also approved a contract for $17,548, from capital outlay funds, for asphalt work to change the traffic pattern on school grounds at Northwest Elementary School.
"We were asked by the superintendent and several board members to investigate relieving the traffic congestion at Northwest," Dean Sauls, assistant superintendent for support services/athletics, said. "Barnhill Contracting was the bid that we were able to get on short notice.
"There is a problem at Northwest with cars on Pikeville-Princeton and Nor-Am Road in the afternoon and mornings."
He explained that the reconfiguration will have drivers picking up and dropping off students by traveling behind the back of the school.
"We want to pave in front of (the mobile units) and make a big loop (behind the school) and come back and get these parents off those roads," he said.
School Superintendent Michael Dunsmore said the proposal stemmed from a transportation study of the school system a year or so ago, as the best way to alleviate traffic.
Cannon took issue with the way the bid was handled, apologizing in advance to Sauls, saying it was not a personal attack.
"You said something that really pricked my nerve a little," he said, questioning use of the phrase "short notice" and receiving only one bid on an issue that had been discovered over a year ago.
Sauls said no other bids had come in, and Cannon said he did not think that set a good precedent.
"I get nervous when things like this are done, and that other people don't have the right to bid on it who might could do the job, including minorities. It's not just a minority thing right now, but I'm saying we want to be fair and not have issues come up that are so urgent that we don't do due diligence to allow other bids to come in," Cannon said.
Dunsmore took responsibility for part of the process because of its urgency.
"This only came to light about two months ago," he said. "We got involved in this. The studies were done prior. I brought them in on short notice. I did prioritize this, and Mr. Sauls did send things out.
"I think we were running into the winter weather, which was a lot of the issue. I know he did reach out, but I do agree, we need to do a better job."
The motion to proceed with the project passed 6-1, with Cannon being the only dissenting vote.