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Public commenters urge solar grants and rebuke board over charter denial and transparency
Summary
Public commenters urged the district to pursue Maryland Energy Administration decarbonizing grants for solar and energy work and criticized the board's handling of a recent charter school application, alleging lack of community outreach and inconsistent meeting rules.
Two public-comment threads drew sustained board attention on Oct. 1: a suggestion to pursue state grants for solar and a series of criticisms alleging the board mishandled a recent charter school application and has been insufficiently transparent.
Amanda Noffrey (public commenter) said she had contacted the Maryland Energy Administration and urged the board to consider the MEA Decarbonizing Public Schools grant program, noting the fiscal-year-2026 application window and a deadline she cited as Nov. 21, 2025 at 3 p.m. EST. She described grant focus areas—solar, energy-data management and electrification—and offered to share contact details for MEA staff.
Chris Blanton criticized the board’s prior denial of a charter school application, queried whether the vote was predetermined, and alleged inconsistent enforcement of public-comment rules. Blanton also raised facility concerns (trailers, mold), staffing reductions, and the board’s prioritization of a new administrative building over repairs. Board members acknowledged the comments but did not reopen the prior vote during the meeting.
Board chair and staff responded to the public commenters by inviting follow-up contact and noting that specific personnel concerns should be directed to the superintendent or the board president for staff-level responses. No formal board action on the charter application or the allegations was taken at the meeting.
