Schools and Education Carpenter and Aranibar Raise Sunshine Issue on Executive Sessions

BRADENTON – This week, local education activist Dave Watchdog Miner authored a guest op/ed that raised some very good questions about the Manatee School District's policy on executive sessions. Long criticized for its opacity, many activists like Miner have argued that the district is skirting the intent of Florida's Government in the Sunshine Laws. Two school board members, Karen Carpenter and Julie Aranibar, raised the issue in letters to Superintendent Tim McGonegal this week which appear below.

Mr. Superintendent,

I am out of town until Monday but this evening I read online in the Bradenton Herald Attorney David Miner's Commentary about Executive Sessions.  I request that tomorrow you  respond to it and to this email by notifying all school  board members and the media as to the names of all persons asked to attend Monday's executive session as well as the person who will be recording the proceedings, as suggested in the Commentary.
    
Because you and John Bowen  are not board members,  you are not subject to the Sunshine laws.  But I am, and I take very seriously the idea of my being put in a position where my compliance with the Sunshine laws is questionable and not verifiable.  And I am being put in that awkward position whenever I and the public do not know reasonably ahead of time who is invited to the Executive Session and no record is made of the proceedings.  

This must end.  This must end starting with Monday's executive session on collective bargaining. And the beginning of the end starts with your notifying the public tomorrow about who's invited and who's recording.

Karen Carpenter, Manatee County School Board, District 5


Mr. Superintendent,

The issue of meetings has been the focus of several  news and editorial print lately. David Miner brings valid points and explanations and offers a suggested policy and procedure that would clarify issues for Board policy.

The lack of a clear policy on Executive Session Meetings has caused issues to become public and questions asked by the public and Board members which indicates a need for policy and procedure implementation.

I have been notified that there will be an exec session this Monday night. What is the topic? Who is going to be in this meeting? Was public notice given of this meeting? Will we record this meeting?

By Statute we are only allowed to take action when the Board is in meeting in official public session and a quorum is present. This was not the case for the decision to reduce pay which was a discussion in a workshop not followed on any agenda item for official Board work and action and has not been placed on the agenda to date. A separate issue of action taken for other employees as a result of discussion from the last executive session concerning bargaining with MEA became the next round of articles and issues for the district and discussions, editorials and printed news stories have all centered around the lack of clarity from Board Action which requires a meeting on the record and from Executive Sessions in which discussion but no action can be taken.

In reviewing the Board Policies, it would seem we have some work that can be done in these areas to remedy these types of situations and clarify Board Actions along with how items are placed on the agenda for consideration.

Thank You for the recent comments, questions and calls concerning these issues. I respectfully request that we address these policy reviews issues and update and clarify our Policy and Procedure Manual to include meeting types, protocol and if recordings can be kept on file for all meetings to verify statements and actions following our meetings in response to public query, editorial reviews and related press stories.

Julie Aranibar, Manatee County School Board, District 3