District 200 shouldn't cut off board comments

Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 10:00 PM

I am writing in regard to District 200's recent decision to no longer include board members' comments as an item on the agenda at their meetings [D200 may ditch board comments at meetings, News, Nov. 21].

I assume this decision relates to an internal issue, but I think the board's resolution of that problem reaches too far. I am currently a member of the River Forest Park District, and in that role, I consider one of my paramount responsibilities to be seeking out input from River Forest residents on how we are operating and learning what concerns the residents have.

Normally, I use the board comment section of our meeting to bring those concerns to the board's attention. This serves two purposes: First, it informs everyone on the board about the issue, but more importantly, it provides a formal record of that concern in our board minutes.

I assume that members of the D200 school board have used the comments section of their meeting in a similar fashion. Thus, board member comments at meetings provide an important avenue of communication to the taxpayers that should not be cut off.

Tom Cargie

River Forest

Reader Comments

4 Comments - Add Your Comment

Comment Policy

Voter

Posted: December 2nd, 2012 11:54 PM

Such intolerance by District 200 board members is shameful. Do they expect Ms. Layman to sit there and nod her head in sequence with them? I voted for Ms. Layman to represent me and she is MY voice.

Tim from OP

Posted: December 2nd, 2012 8:21 AM

I have been at board meetings, & this stuff about preventing comments is not right. I have no dog in this fight, but I will say most of what is said by Ms. Layman says is narrow and small minded to make eyes jump and press pens write. Not much else

Parent

Posted: December 1st, 2012 10:12 PM

It's true, SL's comments do sometimes cause a distraction from the single minded group think advocated by some board members. Thank you SL! Now if we can just get a few more board members to think and speak up.

OPRF Achievement GAP

Posted: November 30th, 2012 2:41 PM

@Cargie, clearly you do not know SL. Your comments look self serving to call attention to you? Look, it is the job of the pres of the board to keep the order - and SL is a distraction. She was a distraction at d97, with no Leadership. Just hot ai

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