More on Why Armstrong Left the School Board Meeting
During an executive session Aug. 13, one of the Stow-Munroe Falls School Board members left early. He's claiming it was an "illegal meeting."
Stow-Munroe Falls Board of Education member Rod Armstrong left an executive session Aug. 13 before it was over because he said it was an "illegal meeting."
"On Monday night SMFCSD Board went in to an executive meeting of which I had no prior knowledge," Armstrong wrote in a statement, according to the Stow Sentry. "I soon realized that this was an illegal meeting which should have been under the guideline of [Ohio Revised Code] 121.22 (g) (1). At that time I left the meeting."
The board voted to go into an executive session for the "discipline of a public employee or official."
"Mrs. Wright's motion correctly cited a valid basis for the executive session from among the matters listed and set forth in the Sunshine Law executive session provision," board president Karen Powers wrote in an email to the Stow Sentry about the incident. "A Board member may move to enter into executive session at any time and there is no advance notice requirement found in the Sunshine Law."
The board meeting, as taped by a Stow resident and added to YouTube, is attached to this post.
Read more from the Stow Sentry story here.
SAM OSGOOD
8:03 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
I HAVE A VERY HARD TIME WITH ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL USING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THOSE SESSIONS ARE TO HIDE SOMETHING. I FEEL EVERYTHING DONE BY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL SHOULD BE IN THE OPEN TOALL TAX PAYERS.
Kent Benson
9:32 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
Sam-I don't think the board is concerned that you "are having a very hard time" with executive sessions. Every government entity uses them. The most obvious reason is that if there needs to be some discussion regarding an employee , and they did so in a public forum setting, they would open themselves to charges of defamation. That, of course, would result in litigation costs.
BULLDOG
9:16 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
SAM , this is how the school board operates everything is top secret and kept from the taxpayers.AT leased we have one board member thats working for the taxpayer and not for there own benefit(pay raises ,contracted renewals before there times up ).Spending money on things that won't benefit anybody. Pay for parking space that that parents pay for anyway through taxes.(WHY DOESN'T THE TEACHERS OR STAFF PAY FOR THERE SPOTS!!).thank you rod armstrong for looking out for the taxpayer! and the wasteful spending of the other board members.
joe ponikarovsky
4:41 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
c'mon! it's "least" not "leased." and "their" not "there."
i agree: vote no on the levy renewal. but please go brush up on the basics of grammar/spelling yourself.
Tom McFalls
5:38 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Gosh I hope this isn't another Bulldog Alum. I will be voting for the renewal. But I agree with Joe on one thing. no name should go take some basic grammar/spelling classes.
No Name, yea!!!!
10:18 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
Was it only me that notice Mrs, Wrights confusion on how to call the executive session for this particular meeting? If this meeting was to confront a board member(s), this is clearly stated in the bylaws, that an executive session can not be used for this reason. Did only one board member do the correct and legal thing, and leave? How many other members continued with the meeting? How many others are disgusted with the actions of this board? Are they setting a good example for our children? When are people going to say to the BOE and administration ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcosBD0vqW8
investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or student unless such employee, official, licensee, or student requests a public meeting; except that consideration of the discipline of a Board member for conduct related to the performance of his/her duties or his/her removal from office shall not be held in executive session
Melissa Bysura
2:24 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Vote No Levy Renewal,
I don't disagree with your point of view but the immense number of grammar and punctuation errors makes it hard to read your post.
Molly
12:59 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
About 30 seconds of research into Sunshine Law specifics revealed the following:
"Under the Ohio Open Meetings Act, a public body may hold a closed session when it is dealing with one of seven subject-area exemptions found in Ohio Rev. Code § 121.22(G): 1) the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion, or compensation of a public employee or official, or the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or regulated individual, unless the public employee, official, licensee, or regulated individual requests a public hearing (this exemption does not apply to the discipline of an elected official for conduct related to the performance of his or her duties); 2) the purchase or sale of real estate for public purposes; 3) pending or imminent litigation; 4) negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment; 5) matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or regulations or state statutes; 6) details relative to the security arrangements and emergency response protocols for a public body or a public office; 7) matters involving trade secrets (but only in connection with local hospitals). To close a session, a public body must identify the exemption justifying closure on the record during an open meeting, and a majority of members present must vote to hold a closed session."
No Name, yea!!!!
3:12 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or student unless such employee, official, licensee, or student requests a public meeting; except that consideration of the discipline of a Board member for conduct related to the performance of his/her duties or his/her removal from office shall not be held in executive session
Molly
3:32 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Was this meeting regarding discipline of a Board member?
No Name, yea!!!!
8:42 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
"I don't know Ms. Emery. Maybe another thirty seconds of research is in order"
Sue Durbin
6:40 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Get a life No Name, yea!!!! Molly Emery doesnt use the Name Molly when she did write on Patch it was always Molly Emery. She refuses to get on this site any more cuz you people all have no facts........Armstrong is a embarrassment to the city. Cowards hide behind fake names. Mrs. Emery laughs at you people
No Name, yea!!!!
7:18 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Armstrong is a embarrassment to the city, are very strong words, considering he received the second most votes in the last election. Amanda maybe you should take a poll on that phrase?
Molly
5:36 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Thanks, Sue. When are the mental midgets who write responses like the ones "No Name, yea" writes going to finally realize that I am not Molly Emery??? Duh???????
Molly
5:43 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Oh, and one more thing, "No name, yeah"--maybe you should do your research before you go quoting Ohio law in order to make a point, which you then refute by telling ME to do more research. You are truly a moron.
No Name, yea!!!!
7:13 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
My apology Molly, I do have egg on my face now. But you will see that The Stow Munroe Falls City Schools bylaws do state what I have said above. Section 0160: Meetings 0166 B states:
B.
investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee, or student unless such employee, official, licensee, or student requests a public meeting; except that consideration of the discipline of a Board member for conduct related to the performance of his/her duties or his/her removal from office shall not be held in executive session
Here is the link just to save you some time: http://www.neola.com/stow-oh/
First go to http://www.smfschools.org/site.cfm/Board-of-Education/Board-Policies.cfm
Then click on Bylaws 0000.
Then click on 0160
Scroll down to 0166 Executive session then go to the letter B.