By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan-Darien School Board approved a revision to the district’s strategic plan Monday based on legal advice it received at a workshop in July. The revision is to the board’s policy of holding an open forum once a month in an effort to increase communication and transparency with the community.
When the board began having two meetings a month instead of one several months ago, board members added a 30-minute open forum period from 6:30 to 7 p.m. for members of the community to address the board on whatever topic they wished to discuss.
Attorney Shana Lewis met with the board at its workshop in July and advised board members that practice is not consistent with the state’s open meetings law because the topics discussed during the open forum are not specifically listed on the agenda for the meeting.
“If it’s not on the agenda, how can people know if they should come?” President Jeff Scherer said in explaining Lewis’ rationale.
Scherer said the 30-minute question and answer sessions can still be held, but those wishing to attend must now submit the topics they wish to discuss ahead of time in order for them to be included on the agenda. Board member Ron Deschner clarified that the board has discretion about whether or not to add submitted items to the agenda.
Read more from the Aug. 12 meeting in the Aug. 15 Delavan Enterprise.
