Call Goes Out for Citizens to Serve on Advisory Committee

By Amy Edel

After much debate at the Jan. 8,1998 Work Session of the Board of Education, the Board has agreed upon the number of members to comprise the Citizens Advisory Committee to review the failed bond issue and work towards the development of a new bond.

The committee will consist of ten people representing each of the four POAs, the PTA, SEPTA, the Garden City Teachers' Association, and the District's Administrators. Each organization is now asked to submit the names of two to three nominees. The Board of Education will then make the final selection of citizens for the committee from the list of candidates submitted by the individual organizations. Also, if the Board feels that there is an area of expertise that is needed but not represented, it will then draw from its own list of submissions.

Anyone interested in serving on the committee should immediately contact the organizations and POAs listed above. Names of nominees will be submitted to the Board of Education by Jan. 26 and no submissions of names via these groups or direct submission will be accepted after Jan. 26. The POAs will be sending letters outlining the qualifications of the nominees, but residents can send their own letters directly to the Board.

A formal charge which will explain in greater detail what the responsibilities will be defined by resolution by the Board of Education at the next work session on Jan. 21, with a formal adoption on Jan. 26.

The Board members expressed at the meeting a desire to see the Citizens Advisory Committee present a new bond proposal for a vote in the late fall of 1998, however, all agreed that they did not want the committee members' "hands to be tied" by a specific time-line, rather it is to serve as a target, allowing for more time for review, analysis, and discussion.

Dr. Wilson expressed his concerns about the condition of the district's facilities and the need to impress upon the voters of Garden City the need to "infuse significant capital into these buildings." He stated that he agreed with the Central Property Owners' Association's comments to the Board on the subject when they expressed the hope of seeing the committee use the expertise of the residents of the Village, to understand the education needs of the students, and to revisit the Capital Improvements Plan and examine what motivated these proposals and determine what needs to be done.

Trustee Bryan recommended a committee of eight to ten people (which was the final decision of the board) and asked that the board try to create a committee that had experts from different fields such as architecture, construction management, education, engineering, etc., and leave spaces on the committee in case the board felt that to balance out the committee additional members were needed with the candidates from the various organizations and POAs. He urged the board to include representatives each from the Teacher's Association and the Administrators on the committee (also a suggestion which was then agreed upon). On the issue of whether or not to present a time-line to the committee he stated, "time is of the essence" and suggested no more than 3-4 months to develop a new bond issue.

Trustee Leone expressed her desire to see a "streamlined" committee of only 5-7 members without a representative from the Teacher's Association or the Administrators and stated that while she was "open" on the issue she felt that it would not be necessary to create a position on the committee for these groups, rather the committee could confer with these groups at large when they needed to do so. She suggested general solicitation of names via local newspapers to ensure that all members of the community were reached, including those not necessarily already involved in any group or association in the Village such as POAs or the PTA. She stated that she hoped to see the committee have a "flexible relationship with the Board" and stated her belief that the Board would be "open and receptive to consulting with the committee." She also stated that while she hoped to see a referendum in the fall of 1998, it was important to remain open on the issue, and be receptive to the committee's need for time.

Trustee Ryan expressed a desire to see "at large" positions open on the committee to maintain a variety of expertise on the committee. He wanted to see the PTA, SEPTA, building administrators, and each POA represented, and so he was in favor of the 8-10 figure. He also stated that it was important to remember that while experts are sought, parents and other citizens are needed to represent the community and the opinions of the voters of Garden City to help develop a plan that will meet the needs of the children in the best possible way.

Trustee Klupka expressed his belief that the first task that will face the committee is to provide closure on the issue of why the bond failed. He commented, "objectivity is number one" and that the committee would need to truly analyze the issue with a clear and open mind. He also stated that "a time-line is very important" and added, "we have to have answers." He recognized that to "sell" a bond to "the public at large" is a "big-goal" and that it will certainly take time, but the facilities need swift action.

Board President Morano stated that drawing on the resources of the community in terms of seeking those with expertise to serve on the committee was "in the spirit of the way things are done" in Garden City. She expressed her belief that since the issue is education that there should be teachers and administrators sought for a position for each. She asked that the board request 2-3 names in support of each of the organizations and then the Board should decide on "about 8 total" for the whole committee. She also expressed a desire to see a fall 1998 vote, but agreed that she wouldn't want to see the hands of members tied by a specific date. She also recommended that the board seek a stenographer now for the committee to expedite matters. She also stated that she did not feel that a specific liaison from the board was necessary and that she agreed with Trustee Leone that the entire board would make itself available upon request of the committee.

The official composition of the committee was then decided upon and all POAs, the PTA, SEPTA, the Teacher's Association, and the administrators were then charged to begin compiling their lists of candidates. Again, all residents are welcome to submit letters to the Board of Education or contact their POAs and the aforementioned organizations to submit their names for consideration. The Board is specifically seeking residents with expertise that will aid in the development of a new bond for the district, such as architects, construction management experts, engineers, educators, planning specialists, and of course parents. Again there are "at large" positions available for anyone interested, but letters must be received by Jan. 26.