Committee presses district for OPM data before designing models

A committee member urged a change in sequencing, saying the group should see evidence on what an optimal program looks like before being asked to design one: "We have to do the work before you do the outreach," the Committee member said, stressing the need for data and time to digest it.

Multiple participants recommended that the district provide OPM‑specific data and slides in advance of the Sept. 2 meeting so members can review materials. Bill McGuire said staff are compiling facility and capacity details and agreed to provide outstanding FAQs; he and others described a workflow in which the district presents data, the committee conducts workshops to draft OPM scenarios, and then those scenarios are shared publicly for feedback.

Several members asked for subcommittees focused on community engagement and OPM drafting to accelerate detailed work between meetings. One member told the group they wanted the final OPM data presentation on Sept. 2 and then separate sessions for committee workshop and community input, rather than presenting and designing in the same meeting.

The debate balanced two pressures: the committee's desire for thorough, participatory work and the district's interest in preserving a timeline that could deliver fiscal savings. "If we push this back to February," one member warned, it could delay decisions and force the district into a later implementation cycle.

Sources: Committee questioning and Bill McGuire's responses during the Aug. 4 SSA meeting.