Psss..t, let's meet in the Alley....

[Lone Gunman]

I you were to call another meeting and ivite the same reporter to listen and you did not talk about USD stuff, wouldn't you just be adding fuel to the fire. All the reporter would have to say is of course they didn't talk about USD stuff because I was there and they wanted to cover their butts.

When you have a school board like ours and they try to sneek new schools by the citizens and voters and raise our taxes I consider them more then spokes.

[TexKan]

Well tell ya what......... my taxes go with yours......... I have to admit makin a big deal out of an impromtu "possible" meeting of board members just doesn't hold my attention when there are so many other things about DC that could use attention.

You have an advantage over me........ I pay taxes and don't get to vote......
If the school board passes things without going to the voters and it's that big of a deal........ then go to the meetings..... become an active member - at least LOOK for the whole story BEFORE letting some reporter...(lookin for his "big scoop") fill your paper and head with things that YOU yourself are not sure of...........

It's alwasy easier to critique than it is to actually DO the job. I still don't think school board members are that big of deal. The have to answer to voters..... that's how it works....... go to the meetings if that's your interest and see what the hell is goin on with YOUR tax $$ and mine. I can't complain all I can do is let ya know that you pay less cause I pay. So I help make yur tax base smaller and don't use any of your services....... that makes me entitlted to my opinion - just not entitiled to vote..... now personally I think that's kinda crappy....... but I don't think the paper would do much about that cause it's not very news worthy.........

Go figger..........

[lurker]

Whenever a 'certain' number of board members meet the press must be invited. That's a law. The number depends on what number constitutes a quorum.

As an example; our FLOP had a private meeting with Commissioner candidates. They couldn't invite incumbents without having to invite the press. Their meeting was a secret so don't tell anyone about it .

[TexKan]

Ther ya go - hurtin my eyes with that "invisiable" blue ink again!!!!

I'm guessin 3 is not a quorum.......... there for this is about as important and newsworthy as me payin taxes and not havin a voice.........ho hummmm......

[Bubba]

3 is the magic number that is not allowed in a board this size. That is why this story is considered newsworthy.

[Bubba]

Here......maybe if you re-read the article it might help.

Official investigating open records complaint against board members

By Tim Vandenack

The Hutchinson News

tvandenack@hutchnews.com

DODGE CITY - An impromptu meeting of three Dodge City school board members last month is drawing attention from the county prosecutor here, though participants say they did not discuss official business.

Dan Reichenborn, the USD 443 board president, and two board members, Brian Winter and Kelly Henrichs, met Jan. 6 at The Alley, a youth center managed by Reichenborn.

Reichenborn said he was parked outside the center talking on his mobile phone when Winter and then Henrichs happened to drive by. Both men stopped, and the trio moved from The Alley parking lot into the youth center, according to Reichenborn.

Nonetheless, both Reichenborn and Winter emphasize that the encounter was unplanned and that school business was not discussed, though the board president gave Henrichs a workbook of USD 443 material.

"It was just happenstance," Winter said. Reichenborn said the three engaged in small talk.

Robert Heinz, however, who witnessed the gathering from afar, expressed skepticism that school affairs were not broached. He submitted an affidavit attesting to what he saw to Ford County Attorney John Sauer, asking that he investigate.

"It sure looked awfully suspicious to me," said Heinz, a former school board member and Dodge City firefighter who works at a fire station only a block or so from The Alley. In his affidavit, he said the three school board members were inside The Alley for at least 45 minutes, adding that "I can only assume" they were discussing school affairs.

Sauer couldn't immediately be reached for comment, though his office said the prosecutor is looking into the matter.

The Kansas Open Meetings Act prohibits unannounced gatherings of elected leaders for discussion of official business when the meeting represents the majority of a quorum. A quorum of the seven-member USD 443 board is four, which means private gatherings of two are permissible, but such meetings of three or more are off limits.

The act aims to prevent deliberation of official business outside the public eye, and Heinz's concerns notwithstanding, Reichenborn said he is well-aware of the limitations imposed by the law.

"We did not discuss school business at all, and we would not discuss school business anywhere but a (formal meeting)," he said.

The open meetings act doesn't prohibit gatherings of elected leaders when official business is not discussed. Still, Mike Merriam, an attorney for the Kansas Press Association, noted that legitimate claims of innocence notwithstanding, meetings by elected leaders outside the public sphere can raise eyebrows.

"It can raise appearance issues," he said.

Violators of the open meetings act can be subject to civil fines of up to $500.

[TexKan]

I still don't think you can prove that business was discussed. Other than him giving a USD file of papers to one of them - I don't see how anyone can prove anything. It may look suspicious - granted - but I bet the most they get is $500 fine - If that................ I would gladly pay $500 just to be able to vote regarding where and how my taxes are doled out. It's a slap on the hand and the problem is ya can't even prove it was anything more than 2 board members going into a place of business owned / operated by another board member. No law against that -

So the worse thing that can happen is the fine......... and no votes next election. Isn't it funny how the person that saw all this........ and the DA is unavailable for comment? If he believed strongly enough to go to the DA - he shouldn't be shy about speaking now. Kinda makes me think there was a reason he was so interested. Since he is a "former" school board member maybe he has an axe to grind. Sounds like it was a good thing there was no fire call during that 45 min that he was being paid by the city to protect property. Truth is he wasn't doing wnat the city pays him to do either................

Again - just another person with too much time on his hands. I just think if you didn't actually hear business being discussed then all you saw was 2 members in another members place of business. If they were really breaking the law........ it's probably a close enough shave that it won't happen again. Roaches hide even more when the light is turned on......................

[lurker]

With the exception of school matters the only other common gathering place these people could meet ought to be near the Confessional box.

[TexKan]

Yeah well that never made any politician honest........... they still get more holy water than the rest of us...........

[HeddaLettuce]

If you have more than two board members meeting you must publish the date/time of the meeting for the public. This isn't just a matter of the "press" knowing about it. It is also known as the "open meeting law".

That's the rules. If you have more than two members together - somebody has to leave - it doesn't matter what type of gathering it is and it doesn't matter if they are NOT discussing school business.

They knew the rules - they were in violation.