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Spotsylvania County School Board certifies closed session, approves personnel packet; member discloses family employment
Summary
The Spotsylvania County School Board voted to certify that a recently held closed session complied with Virginia law, approved a personnel packet, and recorded a board member's disclosure that a family member is employed by the school division; the board also reported consensus on the superintendent's evaluation.
The Spotsylvania County School Board on Wednesday certified that a previously convened closed session complied with Virginia law, approved a personnel packet arising from that closed meeting and recorded a conflict-of-interest disclosure by board member Karen Medawar.
Doctor Martin read the board's certification resolving that the closed meeting was convened pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and applicable Code of Virginia sections governing personnel and superintendent-absence matters. After the certification language was read, the board moved to certify and took a roll-call vote; each member was recorded voting "aye" and the chair announced the motion passed 5 to 0.
The certification matters because Virginia law requires a public body to state on the record that no matters beyond those permitted for closed sessions were discussed. "Now therefore be it resolved that the Spotsylvania County School Board hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements . . . were heard, discussed, or considered in the meeting," Doctor Martin read during the certification.
During the open session, board member Karen Medawar made an oral disclosure related to a personal interest in a division transaction, saying, "I, Karen Medawar, declare that I have a personal interest in a transaction of the Spotsylvania County Public School Division due to the employment of a family member by the division, but I believe I may participate in the deliberation and voting on the transaction as permitted by section 2 2.2 dash 3 1 1 2 b 1 and 2.23115 h of the code of Virginia." Medawar asked that the statement be included in the meeting minutes.
Following certification, the board considered action items arising from the closed session. The board voted to approve the personnel packet; the chair announced that motion passed 5 to 0. The chair also told the public the board had reached consensus on the superintendent's evaluation and that a draft of the evaluation had been presented to the superintendent.
The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and routine procedural votes to adopt the agenda and approve the consent agenda; those motions were announced as passing earlier in the evening. The board adjourned after recording the actions described above.
No additional details about the personnel actions, the contents of the personnel packet, or any next steps on the superintendent's evaluation were announced in open session.
