Now R2 Board wants in the Cookie Jar

Not to be outdone by the superintendent's reach into the cookie jar, it appears that the Board doesn't want to lose out on its share. 

Do you ever read the agenda for upcoming board meetings? Do you know where to find it?

On the agenda for the Regular Meeting on September 28 (at least Holmes isn't calling a Special Meeting for this) is Item 2.4 Receipt of Legal Advice on Board Policy BID. That item and the legal advice sought by the Board will be hidden from public view by the executive session. That's where they line up the ducks before they march them out and over the public.

What is Board Policy BID?

Policy BID is Board Member Compensation and Expenses

Scared yet?

Is it by design and plan that the text of Board Policies cannot be copied (and then pasted into another document, such as right here?

If you want to read it, follow this path:

www.Richland2.org

Upper right corner, click on EXPLORE

Click on School Board

Click on BOARD POLICIES

On the left side, click on B - SCHOOL BOARD GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONS

Then click on Policy BID Board Member Compensation and Expenses

What is it that the gang wants to know about how to increase their monthly stipend, per diem, mileage, number of meetings paid for, how much each board member can spend? Who decides what "reasonable and necessary" expenses are?

Is "reasonable and necessary" one amount if a person is spending her own money? Is it a higher amount when that person is spending OPM (Other Peoples' Money)? District money? Your money?

Do some board members live "high off the hog" when traveling on your dollar? Do they stay in the conference hotel at a negotiated group rate or do they skip off to a luxury hotel? Who checks closely on how much they have really put on their credit cards? Do Board Members have District credit cards, or do they use their own credit cards, submit expense accounts and then get reimbursed only at pre-approved amounts? 

Will the chair try to slip in a vote at Item 8.3 on a revision to Board Policy BID? Or will the issue come back at a future meeting for a decision? Or is a decision even necessary if the trustees want to bump up their spending? Will it just be buried out-of-sight in the Budget?

Grab your wallets and purses!!!