Post by capncrunch on Jul 27, 2015 20:10:10 GMT -6
iolation of open meetings law? No notice given on Streator High contracts
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Steve Biroschik
STHS Superintendent Matt Seaton
Board agenda clarity
'We talk about who we're going to buy our soda pop from, so we may as well put the superintendent's contract on the agenda.'
— Steve Biroschik, STHS Board president
Posted: Monday, July 27, 2015 8:43 pm | Updated: 8:49 pm, Mon Jul 27, 2015.
David Giuliani, davidg@mywebtimes.com, 815-431-4041 | 0 comments
The Streator Township High School board appeared to have violated the state Open Meetings Act last week when it approved employment contracts for the superintendent and three other officials without public notice.
At its monthly meeting, the board voted for the contracts, even though they were not specifically listed on the agenda. The votes took place under the "personnel items" section of the agenda.
"We may have screwed up on that," Board President Steve Biroschik said this week. "How would I know as Joe Citizen what 'personnel items' means? We talk about who we're going to buy our soda pop from, so we may as well put the superintendent's contract on the agenda."
He said the mistake was "my bad" because he goes through agendas with the superintendent before they are released. He suggested the board may have to redo the votes on the contracts.
At last week's meeting, Superintendent Matt Seaton, who started in his position last year, received a five-year contract, with a salary of $132,000 in his first year. At that rate, the contract would be worth more than $600,000 after five years.
Seaton said it has been the district's practice to take votes on contracts under "personnel items."
"We have to make adjustments. We need to be within the scope of the Open Meetings Act," he said. "We didn't have any intention to be vague."
As for redoing the vote, Seaton said, the district would have to get a further interpretation of the open meetings law.
Last week, the state attorney general's office found that the College of DuPage board violated the Open Meetings Act in 2011 when it approved an extension of its president's contract, the Chicago Tribune reported. The action was taken under the "personnel actions" category without any detail. During the meeting, according to the newspaper, the board never mentioned it was taking action on the president's contract.
In Streator High's case, the board outlined the terms of the contracts, including salary, before taking votes.
Don Craven, an attorney who specializes in open government law, said school boards should include employment contracts on their agendas.
"The purpose of the agenda is to let people know what you're going to do," said Craven, who represents the Illinois Press Association. "If you know what you're going to do, say so."
Other than a newspaper reporter, no one from the public attended last week's board meeting.
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Steve Biroschik
STHS Superintendent Matt Seaton
Board agenda clarity
'We talk about who we're going to buy our soda pop from, so we may as well put the superintendent's contract on the agenda.'
— Steve Biroschik, STHS Board president
Posted: Monday, July 27, 2015 8:43 pm | Updated: 8:49 pm, Mon Jul 27, 2015.
David Giuliani, davidg@mywebtimes.com, 815-431-4041 | 0 comments
The Streator Township High School board appeared to have violated the state Open Meetings Act last week when it approved employment contracts for the superintendent and three other officials without public notice.
At its monthly meeting, the board voted for the contracts, even though they were not specifically listed on the agenda. The votes took place under the "personnel items" section of the agenda.
"We may have screwed up on that," Board President Steve Biroschik said this week. "How would I know as Joe Citizen what 'personnel items' means? We talk about who we're going to buy our soda pop from, so we may as well put the superintendent's contract on the agenda."
He said the mistake was "my bad" because he goes through agendas with the superintendent before they are released. He suggested the board may have to redo the votes on the contracts.
At last week's meeting, Superintendent Matt Seaton, who started in his position last year, received a five-year contract, with a salary of $132,000 in his first year. At that rate, the contract would be worth more than $600,000 after five years.
Seaton said it has been the district's practice to take votes on contracts under "personnel items."
"We have to make adjustments. We need to be within the scope of the Open Meetings Act," he said. "We didn't have any intention to be vague."
As for redoing the vote, Seaton said, the district would have to get a further interpretation of the open meetings law.
Last week, the state attorney general's office found that the College of DuPage board violated the Open Meetings Act in 2011 when it approved an extension of its president's contract, the Chicago Tribune reported. The action was taken under the "personnel actions" category without any detail. During the meeting, according to the newspaper, the board never mentioned it was taking action on the president's contract.
In Streator High's case, the board outlined the terms of the contracts, including salary, before taking votes.
Don Craven, an attorney who specializes in open government law, said school boards should include employment contracts on their agendas.
"The purpose of the agenda is to let people know what you're going to do," said Craven, who represents the Illinois Press Association. "If you know what you're going to do, say so."
Other than a newspaper reporter, no one from the public attended last week's board meeting.
