Board Meeting - Part Four

Erin Bennett is now speaking about DeBell and Smith-Blum and their service.  DeBell was president no less than three times during his eight years of service.  She reeled off the entire number of Board meetings that he has been at (a lot).

Pegi McEvoy is now speaking about Smith-Blum.  (Funny aside, some new people came in and when  I showed them where we were on the agenda, they were horrified.)  She said meetings with Smith-Blum were never "boring or routine" and called her "fun."  She talked about her commitment to capital projects and her district and talked of Smith-Blum's "green" focus.

Onward.  Motion to change the order of couple of items on agenda.  Move Intermediate to Growth Boundaries position.  (They switch places.) DeBell asked why and Smith-Blum thinks it makes more sense.  DeBell is pushing back on this switch.  (I note we are now 25 minutes behind.)

Director Carr agrees with DeBell and believes the Intermediate Plan follows GB plan (not the other way) especially with the number of amendments in the GB plan.  Smith-Blum says the plan for next year seems to be of key importance to parents so that's her reasoning.  Carr says the end point is the GB and there seems to be a bit of a standpoint.  DeBell says she would ask for Libros and Herndon to ask about this switch from their POV.

Tracy said there's a dilemma.  If you vote on specific amendments for boundary plan but "there's no content you are amending".  If you approve #4 for example about APP and middle school, there is no boundary that is part of that amendment.

Smith-Blum says that the amendment is tied to GB plan and thinks the amendments with Intermediate are more to the issue of next year.

Smith-Blum says she hears no large pitfall.  Libros says some amendments have to be attached to base proposal.  Other items in base proposal but she thinks they should consider the number of changes to elementary boundaries.

Director Peaslee says she is "struggling to connect the dots."  Many are concerned about what is happening in the next year or two.  GB work is further out and she believes from the thousands of e-mails, it is about changes farther out and they need to get to immediate future first.  Will provide context.

Director McLaren - got a tsunami of e-mails from families who wanted Intermediate plan ahead of GB but also "vote no on GB proposal."  We do have a responsibility to let it be understood - as Dr. Libros said - that the Growth Boundaries plan will "be revisited every year" based on new developments and new information.  The GB is not "set in stone" and will need adjustments.

Smith-Blum seems very determined.  She says that she told Teresa Hale (Board staff) that the order seemed wrong to her.   They realized, after the fact, that this may be the case.  Her response for the change is not due to e-mails but her own belief that this is out of order.

We are now 35 minutes behind schedule.

Director Peaslee is now weighing in again.  (Why don't they just go to a vote and move on?)
Director Martin-Morris (not speaking into the microphone so I have no real idea what he is saying).
Director Patu  - "Now I'm really confused."  She says she just noticed the Intermediate Plan "tonight" and she wants to move on.

No vote and Smith-Blum withdraws her motion.   BUT they are going to vote on all withdrawn amendments from both the Growth Boundaries and Intermediate Plan.  DeBell weighs in that the number of amendments are too great and Smith-Blum says "thank you for that."  And hence, the number of withdrawals of amendments.

Vote passes 7-0.