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Board approves $3,000 retreat facilitator despite member objections over timing and cost
Summary
The Cuyahoga Falls Board voted to contract a facilitator for a board retreat at a cost of about $3,000 after discussion and dissent from at least one member who said the facilitator had not delivered expected results previously and cited budget constraints.
The board voted on May 14 to approve a facilitator contract for a board retreat; the motion passed by roll call but attracted public dissent from at least one member who said she would not attend.
Board President Coco said the facilitator (a consultant with prior work for the board) was known to members and that the retreat was scheduled ahead of an important work session. A board member, Mister Gomez, said he would vote against the contract and would not attend the retreat, calling the consultant’s past work unsatisfactory and the expenditure inconsistent with the district’s cost‑cutting efforts.
Other board members said they supported keeping the facilitator because she is familiar with the board and because they wanted to meet before upcoming, difficult decisions. The motion passed on a roll call: Missus Schaefer, Miss White, Miss Coco and Mister Harris voted yes; Mister Gomez voted no.
The board did not change the facilitator or the date at the meeting. Members discussed retreat topics including strategic plan alignment, decision‑making processes and board norms; several members questioned whether revisiting norms was necessary but some supported a refresher.
