Board hires Michael Porter for objective review of draft policy IIA

The Grants Pass School District 7 board voted to hire attorney Michael Porter to provide an objective analysis of draft policy IIA.

The motion — to hire Michael Porter to review the IIA draft and provide an objective analysis — was moved and seconded during the meeting. Board members cited three prior legal responses included in the meeting packet (an OSBA/Spencer Lewis analysis, an OEA/union submission and the district attorney Rebecca’s comments) and said they wanted a neutral, additional review focused on the policy text as written.

Discussion preceding the vote covered whether the board intended to replace its current counsel or simply obtain an independent review of the draft policy. Multiple members said the intent was not to terminate the district’s counsel but to secure another opinion focused on the IIA draft. One board member asked that the new reviewer be given only the draft policy (not all earlier attorney correspondence) to avoid biasing the assessment.

Board members also discussed likely cost and time: Porter’s rate was mentioned in the discussion as approximately $475 per hour, and staff estimated the review would take two to three hours. Members said they expected an objective memo rather than a broad advocacy opinion.

The motion passed on a roll call; members voting in favor included Member Dittel, Member Sable, Member Smith, Member Amber Schmidt, Chair Wilkins, Member Brownell and others present. A minority of members voted no. The board instructed staff to engage Porter for the stated scope of work and to return any substantive findings to the board for further consideration.

Board members said the objective analysis will inform subsequent discussion and possible redrafting of the draft IIA policy, and that the policy discussion would be suspended pending Porter's analysis.