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Gresham-Barlow board elects two OSBA directors, approves dues increase; local votes reject new caucus and bylaw changes
Summary
The Gresham-Barlow School District voted to elect two regional representatives to the Oregon School Boards Association and approved a resolution to raise OSBA dues; the board rejected adding a new Pride caucus and did not approve proposed bylaw amendments locally.
The Gresham-Barlow School District Board of Education voted Dec. 4 to elect Katrina Dowdy to OSBA Board position 17 and Jose Gomero (listed in packet as Jose Gomero/Jorgensen) to position 19, and adopted Resolution 1 to increase the Oregon School Boards Association dues schedule.
The board discussed Resolution 1 at length, which adjusts the OSBA dues after roughly 20 years without change. Chair Chris Hallett explained the first-year increase would be about 15% with smaller step-ups in subsequent years; the board approved the resolution by voice vote, and the chair recorded the vote as unanimous.
A separate proposal, Resolution 2, would have created an OSBA Pride caucus and designated an additional board seat for that caucus. Several board members voiced concerns that expanding caucus seats risks fracturing representation and creates an additional unelected seat outside typical regional elections. The districts vote on Resolution 2 failed 4 to 1.
Board members then debated Resolution 3, a packet of OSBA bylaw amendments (crosswalk references under section 3.5 that clarify how caucus directors are added while a caucus president serves). After discussion the chair reported the boards vote on the bylaw amendments also failed locally, 4 to 1.
Board members asked that, regardless of the votes, the decisions and discussion be communicated back to OSBA for the associations membership-wide consideration. Several trustees recommended the district adopt a recurring review of OSBA services and membership value on a two-year cycle so future boards routinely evaluate benefits relative to rising dues.
What happens next: the OSBA resolutions and bylaw amendments are subject to votes by the full OSBA membership of school boards across the state; Gresham-Barlows votes will be included in that membership tally.
Quotes: "The OSBA dues have not changed for approximately 20 years, and were in need of updating," Chair Chris Hallett said during discussion of Resolution 1.
"I'm very unlikely to be supportive of this because the whole caucus idea is a really strange way to govern," Director Blake Peterson said during the caucus debate.
Ending: The board recorded the local outcomes for each OSBA item and asked staff to follow up with OSBA about next steps and timing for membership-wide votes.
