After heated procedure debate, Southmoreland board directs staff to draft two-meetings-per-month calendar and schedules Jan. 20 discussion
Summary
Following procedural disputes over whether the 2026 calendar was properly before the board, members voted to table the calendar 5–4, then moved to add a Jan. 20, 2026 meeting and directed administration to prepare a two-meetings-per-month calendar beginning in February; public commenters urged restoring two meetings for transparency.
At the Dec. 2 reorganization meeting, the Southmoreland School District board engaged in extended procedural debate over approval of its proposed 2026 meeting calendar and ultimately directed administration to prepare a two-meetings-per-month calendar for consideration.
The agenda item proposed a schedule of 2026 board meetings beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Southmoreland Middle School. A board member moved to table the calendar until fuller board discussion; after members debated parliamentary procedure and whether the motion had been properly presented, the roll-call vote to table passed 5–4. "So to table, Mister Alexander," the roll call proceeded, and the secretary recorded "5 to 4 to table." (transcript)
Board members then discussed scheduling a planning/discussion meeting before the voting meeting and whether public comment should occur at the start or end of meetings. Several members argued for two meetings a month (a planning/committee-of-the-whole meeting followed by a separate voting meeting) to increase transparency and give the full board the opportunity to hear community concerns.
During public comment, Rhonda Hamrock identified herself and urged a return to two meetings, telling the board, "Please consider 2 meetings. Get rid of your committee meetings." Her comments were echoed by other members who said planning meetings would allow the public to raise items for a later voting agenda.
To ensure the calendar was revisited promptly, members moved to add a Jan. 20, 2026 discussion/voting meeting and to direct administration to draft a calendar implementing two meetings per month beginning in February. The board set Jan. 20 as a discussion/voting meeting with a 7:00 p.m. start (executive session at 6:00 p.m.) and instructed administration to prepare and advertise the revised calendar.
Board members noted costs of additional meetings (advertising and solicitor attendance) and legal constraints under Act 65 limiting adding some items to the agenda within 24 hours. The solicitor (unnamed in the transcript) advised how the board could solicit public input and direct administration without violating those constraints.
Next steps: administration will prepare a draft calendar for presentation on Jan. 20, and the board will use that meeting to finalize dates, starting times and any structural changes to committee vs. committee-of-the-whole arrangements.
