Is The School Board Awake?
Dear Editor,
In a recent school board meeting, the consent agenda included an item D, 2020-2021 Budget Amendments / Transfers Report. This report, along with the supporting documents, equaled 18 printed pages of detail of amounts moved from one budgetary account to another, with many of the items involving millions of dollars per line item. The total movement of dollars was in the hundreds of millions.
Linda Welborn, board representative from District 4, requested this Budget Amendments / Transfers Report be pulled from the consent agenda, which was granted.
When the meeting progressed to discussion of this report, Linda Welborn asked a series of questions that took about four minutes. School board member Anita Sharpe then asked a series of questions that took about three minutes. The board then voted to pass the report as written.
I am amazed that the majority of the board had no questions at all on 18 pages of figures that moved hundreds of millions of dollars around within the budget. Most of the board members would have allowed that report to go without any question at all if Ms. Welborn had not requested it be pulled from the “consent agenda.”
The definition of a consent agenda follows: A consent agenda groups the routine, procedural, informational and self-explanatory non-controversial items typically found in an agenda.
Hmmm, the majority of the existing school board members consider a report that moves hundreds of million of dollars around the budgetary system a routine non-controversial item. I find that disconcerting.
Lynn Andrew
Good comments Lynn Andrew. Betting you did not expect nor were shocked at the lack of attention or ignorance from this school board. Ya wonder why our schools are failing? Believe you were a witness as to why. Been that way for YEARS.
It’s called RUBBER STAMP politics
It’s not their money being thrown around.
Why they don’t give it a second thought.
But always claiming they just need a bit more…..
Thank you, Lynn Andrew. This is one of many reasons I will never vote “Yes” on any bond issue the school board brings to voters. Their deception, misuse, and mishandling of funds are historically inept if not criminal. Until the entire school board, County Board, and Administration of GCS is replaced I’ll never vote to give them more moneyl.