[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Got Your Agenda Right Here
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Sat Jul 19 18:52:43 EDT 2008
Posted by Speed Gibson:
Got Your Agenda Right Here
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1216507958.shtml
It seems like forever, but it's finally time for another District 281
School Board Meeting, on Monday July 21st. As usual, the published
agenda is lengthy, 24 pages this time. A true agenda would be 3 pages,
which follows.
I continue to press the point because such a lengthy document is
unwieldy in trying to run an effective meeting. It's not that all
those details aren't important; some may even be legally required. But
a quick search of other districts shows others are doing it my way.
One I found appends the additional material after the agenda itself.
You can either print just the agenda itself (3 pages) or the full
tree-killing 24 pages. Another district publishes the collapsed agenda
but inserts the detail in the Minutes, as part of the adopted Consent
Agenda.
This meeting, we have another couple of points to illustrate, again
toward running a more effective meeting. As I've posted previously, I
believe a significant part of the criticism leveled at the Robbinsdale
Area Schools is just frustration with the flow of Board meetings. So
let's see if I can run this one a little better. Compare with [1]the
published Agenda if you like.
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
2. Approval of Agenda and Consent Agenda
The following are considered routine by the Administration and
will be enacted by one motion without discussion. Any Board member
or the Superintendent may remove an item from this Consent Agenda,
the Chair moving it to an appropriate location in the Regular
Agenda for separate consideration.
a. Approval of the June 16, 2008 Board Meeting Minutes
(Attachment C-1)
b. Acceptance, and where required, approval of Personnel Changes
(Attachment C-2)
c. Approval of 39 Contracts for Services totaling $175,915
(Attachment C-3)
d. Receipt of Gifts and Deposits totaling $ 432,954.98
(Attachment C-4)
First, note the referenced attachments. The detail is not being
eliminated. It will be given to the Board and made available to the
public like the other attachments for this meeting.
Second, note that I moved the Consent Agenda up to be the first item
after convening and taking attendance, which is accepted practice. The
published agenda, however, defers this until after some awards and
presentations. Why? Because otherwise all that nice award language
would get buried at about page 14. This way (and my way), it's on page
one.
3. Presentations
a. CenterPoint Energy names District its 2007 Conservation
Customer of the Year (Attachment P-1)
At its Energy 2008 Technology Conference in May, CenterPoint
Energy noted that Director of Buildings and Grounds Jim
Gerber and the Robbinsdale Area Schools should be looked to
by other schools districts as a model for saving money and
energy for their taxpayers.
b. Superintendent Stan Mack named Golden Valley Citizen of the
Year by the Golden Valley Rotary Club (Attachment P-2)
Bob Junghans of the Golden Valley Rotary Club will make the
presentation.
c. City of Plymouth tops Money Magazineâs list of Americaâs best
small cities (Attachment P-3)
Money Magazine cited plentiful jobs, affordable housing, and
excellent schools among its criteria in placing Plymouth as
the best place to live on its list of the top 100 small
cities in America. A resolution of congratulations from the
District to the City of Plymouth has been prepared for
approval.
d. District wins seventh consecutive Certificate of Excellence
in Financial Reporting Award (Attachment P-4)
The Association of School Business Officials (ASBO)
International has awarded Robbinsdale Area Schools its
Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the
seventh year in a row. This reflects the outstanding work of
the Finance Department under the leadership of its Director,
Gary Hauan.
We had a good month in 281; yes, let's talk it up! Trouble is, the
first item includes four long paragraphs that push the other three on
to page 2. It really wasn't by design, but all four entries happen to
fit on my agenda's page 1, each with one paragraph. The published
agenda has 4, 1, 0, and 7 paragraphs respectively.
You sales professionals out there know you should avoid giving the
audience your script in advance. Their heads stay down, reading along
with you, not looking up at you the speaker or, in these cases, the
honoree. Again, the full detail is available as attachments.
I'd also suggest that I gave Jim Berger, Stan Mack, and Gary Hauan a
little better press than did the published agenda, and in a couple of
cases, a little more information. I know, these agendas don't have
much circulation, but they do guide the follow-up coverage of the
meetings.
Finally, let me again note the importance of adopting the Agenda and
Consent Agenda first, which I believe starts the meeting in earnest.
It's like a typical church service these days, where announcements are
light-heartedly presented prior to getting serious with the liturgy. I
think awards like this are indeed District business, part of what it
is trying to accomplish, and should be in the mainstream of the
agenda.
4. Education
a. Restoration of Student Activities Report (Attachment E-1)
The board will hear a report from the Restoration of Student
Activities Committee.
b. Strategic Plan Report (Attachment E-2)
After a presentation, the Board will be asked to approve the
completed Strategic Plan for the Robbinsdale Area Schools.
These two items are also ahead of the Consent Agenda for some reason,
which seems out of place to me, even in the existing format. I think
they should have been under existing Teaching and Learning section,
which corresponds to my Education section above. The second item
requests Board approval, not the stuff of Presentations and Special
Reports.
5. Business
The Administration seeks Board approval of the following submitted
items.
a. Award of bid to Corporate Express for office supplies for
2008-2009 and 2009-2010, 70% discount and 10% Margin Floor
discount. (Attachment B-1)
b. Solicitation of bids for Plymouth Middle School Renovation,
LENEL Security Wiring, Devices and Programming. (Attachment
B-2)
c. Approval to revise School Board policy B-18 to align with the
new competitive quote/bid limits set by the State of
Minnesota. (Attachment B-3)
6. Administration
The Administration seeks Board approval of the following submitted
items.
a. Sick Leave Pool Bylaws (Attachment A-1)
The Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers Executive Council has
approved the new language in the sick leave pool bylaws at
their April general membership meeting. The Board is asked to
approve the new language.
b. Truth in Taxation Hearing Dates
The Administration recommends setting Tuesday, December 2,
2008 as the date for the Truth in Taxation Hearing. If
necessary, the Continuation Hearing will be held Monday,
December 15, 2008 at 7 pm, with Board action on levy adoption
at the December 15, 2008 regular Board meeting.
c. Approval of Collective Bargaining Agreement - Principals
Association (Attachment A-2)
The Board is asked to approve a two-year collective
bargaining agreement with the Robbinsdale Area Schools
Principals Association. The agreement includes a 2% increase
in wages and performance incentive in year one and an
additional 2.5% in year two.
d. Approval of Cabinet Level Administrators Terms and Conditions
of Employment (Attachment A-3)
The board is asked to approve a two-year terms and conditions
of employment for Cabinet administrators. The agreement
includes a 2% increase in wages and performance incentive in
year one and an additional 2.5% in year two
The Administration seeks Board action on the following:
e. Intermediate District 287 Board Transition
As part of changes to the structure of the Intermediate
District 287 Board, the Robbinsdale Area School District 281
Board has been asked to extend Helen Bassett's expired term
through December 31, 2008. The District 281 Board will
address subsequent board member representation to District
287 at a future work session.
f. Appointment of Members to the Robbinsdale Area Schools
Financial Advisory Council
7. Board Reports
a. System Accountability Committee Report - Barb Van Heel
b. Construction Update - Superintendent Mack
c. July 14 Board Work Session Report - Patsy Green
d. Board Rapport
8. Adjournment
The rest of the meeting flows about the same. I rearranged the
Administrative items slightly to separate the items for approval vs
action. Otherwise, this meeting is over. Roll the announcements!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
All meetings held in ESC Boardroom except as noted.
Association of
Metropolitan School Districts Friday, August 8,
7 am 1667 Snelling Avenue, St. Paul
School Board Work Session Monday, August 11, 5:30 pm
School Board Meeting Monday, August 18, 7 pm
System Accountability Committee Thursday, August 21, 7 pm
Labor Day Holiday Monday, September 1 â Offices Closed
First Day of School Tuesday, September 2
School Board Meeting Monday, September 8, 7 pm,
Preceded by Listening Time 6-7 pm
Government Advisory Council Tuesday, September 9, 7:30 pm
Interschool Council Wednesday, September 10, 9:30 am
School Board Work Session Monday, September 15, 5:30 pm
School Board Meeting Monday, September 21, 7 pm
References
1. http://www.rdale.k12.mn.us/dist/district/board/public.aspx?meetingDate=7/21/2008&expandAll=false¬es=false&meetingTime=7:00%20PM
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