Spring Cove debates meeting policy

School board considers revising attendance rules for members

ROARING SPRING -- A policy revision on board members electronically attending board meetings and its limits sparked heated debate at Monday evening's Spring Cove School District board meeting.

The policy, titled "006.1 Attendance at Meetings Via Electronic Communications," is available for public viewing on the school district's board docs website. It states that a member could attend and participate in a board meeting "through electronic communications, but only under extraordinary circumstances" such as "illness, travel, schedule conflicts, weather conditions and other emergency situations."

The policy also states that the board member attending electronically will only be considered present if they can hear everything being said, if everyone can hear them, a majority of members are physically present, participates in the entire meeting, submits a request to participate remotely to the board president at least three days prior to the meeting and ensure their location is quiet and free from background noise.

Board member Kevin Smith said he had a problem with the policy.

"I would like to know why it's being revised and words added in," Smith said. "I would like to ask the board if any of them had any problems hearing (board member Misti Fisher) or communicating with Misti via telephone as described in the policy?"

Fisher has not attended a school board meeting in person since she was sworn in for her first term on Dec. 4, 2023.

"I don't think anyone's indicating anyone's violated the policy," Superintendent Betsy Baker said.

Board President Troy Wright expressed his concern at being able to adequately address the public's concerns if board members always attended meetings electronically. He said the question brought to them by district residents is if someone can run for school board seat, "then call in electronically and how long can you do that?"

"Part of being an elected official is coming here and facing the people," Wright said. "Also, after the meeting, they can come up and ask each one of us questions, concerns. The media can come up and ask you why you voted a certain way."

Wright then asked Smith if he thought a board member should be able to serve their entire four-year term and "never step foot" into the boardroom, to which Smith said "no, I don't agree with that." Baker cut in to add that, based on the current policy, it would not be allowed, regardless.

Wright again asked if there should be any limitations or structure and Smith said he looked at the same policy in seven other school districts, which all follow the same policy.

Board members continued to argue about the policy and were unable to come to a consensus after more than a half-hour of back-and-forth. Smith repeatedly alluded to Fisher being targeted despite members saying no one had been named. He also said there was a lack of transparency because members of the public didn't express their concerns to all board members, that it was "kind of funny" the policy was "revised 39 days after (former board member Brian Gahagan) spoke" to the board on June 10 and assured Board Vice President Amy Acker-Knisely that he was still going to sue her.

Member Andrea Moses got the meeting back on track by asking Dambeck what the consequences would be for the board member if the policy was implemented with a time frame. Dambeck said that, as elected officials, board members can't be disciplined and that removals vary based on statutes.

"We want to be compassionate because I do believe there is a compassionate side to this," Acker-Knisely said. "But how long do you go? Is it six months? Is it the entire time you're seated as a board member?"

Board members then reiterated how facing the public was a part of the job, to which Fisher said "it's not about that."

"If somebody wants to confront me on something, go right ahead," Fisher said. "I'm not opposed to that, that's not what any of this has to do with. If somebody wants to talk to me about it, I'll be glad to talk to them about it."

The policy's first reading was then voted on and passed 5-4. Members Amy Acker-Knisely, John Biddle, Charles Gojmerac, Linda Smith and Troy Wright voted "yes" while members Gretchen Bettwy, Misti Fisher, Andrea Moses and Kevin Smith voted "no."

Before the meeting had a chance to progress, however, Fisher asked "so medical documentation does not matter?"

"If you're not well enough to attend board meetings then the consideration is, 'Are you healthy enough to serve,'" Dambeck said.

Fisher then interrupted Dambeck, speaking loudly to tell her "that's your opinion."

"That's an opinion," Fisher said. "That is not a fact, that is an opinion."

Dambeck said there are "clear restrictions" that the "law provides relative to non-attendance at board meetings" since COVID-19 disaster declarations were eliminated.

"You still need to have the bodies physically here so they can have forums to hold the meeting again," Dambeck said.

Fisher did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The attendance policy will be on the school board's agenda for its Sept. 16 meeting.