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Residents urge support for treasurer, press board for transparency on school-closure plans
Summary
Public commenters praised the district treasurer’s fiscal work and pressed the board for clearer information about proposed school closures — including class-size effects, staffing changes and community input — while a former board member alleged improper removals of members without full board votes.
Several residents used the board’s public-comment period to urge support for the district treasurer and to demand clearer information about proposed school closures.
Beverly Bright Lloyd, a former district administrator, told the board she supported the treasurer known in the transcript as "Miss Whit," praising the official’s role in securing funding and keeping district projects moving forward. "I'm in support of Miss Whit because when I was here... she was the one with the money and she made it happen," Bright Lloyd said.
Former board member Vernon Robinson said he was "shocked" by recent board behavior and alleged that officials had removed board members and officers without a full board vote. "Another board member was removed by a board official. That was not a board decision," Robinson said; the transcript records his accusation but does not show a direct rebuttal on the public record.
Parent Shannon Hartnik asked detailed questions about proposed school closures and their operational impact: "How will the class sizes change in schools that receive displaced students... and how will the district ensure that the student academic performance does not decline?" She also asked how many teachers or staff would be reassigned or lose jobs, whether student–teacher ratios would increase, and what community input had been gathered. Superintendent Dr. Pedigrew offered to follow up directly by email and said she had answers but would take the parent’s contact information for a private response.
Board members acknowledged the public comments before adjourning to an executive session to discuss contract renewals for the superintendent and the treasurer. The transcript shows the board asked for legal guidance on a separate procedural matter (a split vote on approval of prior meeting minutes) and that the board’s attorney had arrived to assist with procedure.
The transcript contains inconsistent spellings and some incomplete roll-call details (for example, the minutes-approval vote was described in the record as "two yes, two no"), and the board indicated it would consult the attorney to confirm how to proceed on split votes and final approvals.
