On Monday, June 26, at their regular meeting, the Mahomet-Seymour board of education discussed and acted on twelve agenda items under “New Business”. A version of the board packet is posted 3 days prior to each board meeting, but no supporting documentation outlining specific details of the action items are provided. Among the agenda items voted on and unanimously approved with no discussion, a few involved the expenditure of funds. Information regarding the amount of money being spent on these contracts, or in the case of supplies and services, the companies supplying bids, was never released in the online board packet or supplied verbally or in print during the meeting, so as a community member I am unaware as to how much money is being spent on these items. At the board candidate forum in March, one candidate stated that the community elects board members to make decisions on their behalf. I did not vote for a number of our current board members; some were appointed mid-term. According to the Mahomet-Seymour board policy manual, section 2:20, “Powers and Duties of the School Board”, the nineteenth point states, “The major powers and duties of the School Board include, but are not limited to…Communicating the school’s activities and operations to the community and representing the needs and desires of the community in educational matters.”. It is our duty as community members to educate ourselves, ask questions, and make sure the board honors that duty. That can only be done if community members receive information and are given a chance to comment on action items before the board votes their approval.
Amy Webb
