WJCC Board Failed To Announce Two Closed Meetings

WJCC Board Failed To Announce Two Closed Meetings

By Amber Lester Kennedy Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The Williamsburg-James City County School Board conducted two closed meetings that were not announced in advance, as required by state law.

The two meetings, held on Dec. 3 and 14, were held in conjunction with the superintendent search. During the meetings, specific candidates were discussed, but no candidates were interviewed, according to a press release from the school division. At the board’s Nov. 16 work session, Board Chair James Nickols announced the board would conduct closed sessions to interview candidates between Nov. 30 and Dec. 15, but the specific dates were never announced.

According to Va. Code 2.2-3712 Paragraph B, “The notice provisions of this chapter shall not apply to closed meetings of any public body held solely for the purpose of interviewing candidates for the position of chief administrative officer. Prior to any such closed meeting for the purpose of interviewing candidates, the public body shall announce in an open meeting that such closed meeting shall be held at a disclosed or undisclosed location within 15 days thereafter.”

“All meetings regarding the superintendent search have been held following the guidance of the Virginia School Board Association,” Nickols said in a release. “Not notifying the public of the two closed meetings where no candidate interviews took place was an unintentional omission, for which the board apologizes.”

The board will choose its next superintendent by the end of the month, in accordance to Virginia code, which requires a vacant superintendent position be filled within six months of the vacancy.

Comments

+4 #20 Guest 2010-12-17 10:23

r u kidding points out a very interesting opinion that they are not "maliciously disregarding the law". It's actually worse. They disregard the law out of sheer incompetence!

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-7 #19 Guest 2010-12-16 16:16

Serving on the school board is a part time job. Not surprising that the members didn't think to give the notice. However, shame on the School Board Association. It is their full-time job. They came up with the procedures for the selection. I think they should be backcharged for not advising the school board to give notice. Or did they?

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-5 #18 Guest 2010-12-16 15:05

This is utter nonsense to be making a big deal of this slight omission on the part of the school board. Puh-leeze find something to worry about. Or screw up your courage and run for school board yourself. Our reps are not perfect, but they are not maliciously disregarding the law.

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+5 #17 Guest 2010-12-16 13:56

It is now undeniably clear: Williamsburg City is in dire, emergency need to be able to vote for their school board reps. The city's taxpaying public currently has NO RECOURSE to hold appointed reps responsible for something like this most recent debacle (or their unending laundry-list of recent failures for that matter!)

Citizens of Williamsburg City: It takes a petition of signatures to begin the process of changing your charter to allow you to have the direct public vote of school board reps. Take up this cause today! Don't allow others to push you out of your American right to vote for your reps and discard those who continue to fail you!

Begin the petition today!

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+8 #16 Guest 2010-12-16 13:48

I love it. Have you ever tried speaking at a board meeting, and there is the Parliamentarian who is such a stickler for the rules that he will cut you off the moment you go one second over your allotted time.

And now, when the board has violated a state law, not once but twice, all we get is an "aw shucks" apology.

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0 #15 Guest 2010-12-16 12:29

Quoting Molehill to Mountain:

Traddles: please explain how you were harmed by not receiving notice (until shortly after the meetings were held) of closed meetings you would not have been able to attend even if you had receieved advance notice.

Can anyone explain why such a trifling oversight should be the cause of such an uproar? Vote em out? Really? Because of an oversight likely attributable to a staff member simply forgetting to get the notice out after the dates were finalized?

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

It's not about the specific act, but more about not being trustworthy.

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+5 #14 Guest 2010-12-16 12:27

Quoting SocraticThinker!:

Well, now, what can "we all" do, now? Who can and will proceed with 'actions' in our court system? I really want to know, please.
And, can "we all", collectively, change the ages-old system of selections of School Boards in the coming years in OUR Virginia? Anyone share?

I personally would rather this stay out of the courts. This can be settled in the next election and our voice can be heard. I'd like to see a formal apology from each and every Board Member and an in-depth explanation of why they don't think it's their responsibility to know the law.

Furthermore, the City needs to abandon the appointment process and opt for elections.

I think we need some fresh faces and new ideas. It's exhausting to see lack of real leadership. We need a School Board that will promote dialog with the community. We need a different meeting style similar to Town Hall Meetings where constituents can actually create a dialog with Board Members.

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+5 #13 Guest 2010-12-16 12:27

Unbelievable! "Unintentional omission" - One meeting? Maybe but not likely. Two meetings? Time to move on b/c either incompetence or deceit is involved, both of which are unacceptable. No one on the board was knowledgeable of the Va. law?

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+2 #12 Guest 2010-12-16 12:16

Quoting Mrs Williamson:

Quoting Tim:
Do you really think the Virginia School Board Association wasn't aware of the notice provision. Furthermore, it's James Nickols and the rest of the School Board's responsibility to know the law. It's always easy to claim ignorance and ask for forgiveness.

The whole process would yield better results if there was more transparency and openness. I think anyone applying for a public job such as the Superintendent of Schools should and must present themselves in public and be prepared to answer questions from the public.

I'm very disappointed.

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TO RESPOND TO TIM COMMENT:
I AGREE, IT IS SOMEWHAT DISAPPOINTING. THE PUBLIC IS FED UP WITH THIS BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE VSBA (VIRGINIA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION) IS UNAWARE OF THE ON-POURING COMPLAINTS THAT THE PUBLIC IS DEMANDING. SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE THEM ON.

Quoting CitiZen:

Bifurcation of the schools looks better and better for the city, and maybe the county too, with each passing week.

The City appointed Board Members don't have to worry about what the public thinks.

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-5 #11 Guest 2010-12-16 10:31

Traddles: please explain how you were harmed by not receiving notice (until shortly after the meetings were held) of closed meetings you would not have been able to attend even if you had receieved advance notice.

Can anyone explain why such a trifling oversight should be the cause of such an uproar? Vote em out? Really? Because of an oversight likely attributable to a staff member simply forgetting to get the notice out after the dates were finalized?

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

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