APS School Board "considers" Open Meetings Act Resolution

The APS School Board met this morning.  The agenda, link, begins with;

Consideration for Approval of the APS Open Meetings Act Resolution and Board of Education Regular and Committee Meeting Schedule for 2014-2015 (Discussion/Action)

The board is required to meet yearly and pass a resolution detailing their intentions to comply with the Act's requirements.

For example, the Act requires agendas to be posted 72 hours before meetings.  Public bodies have to resolve then, to meet that standard; they have to actually come right out and say;

"we intend to give 72 hours notice before we begin a public meeting"

in the form of a resolution passed by the board.

As is their want and practice, the Board did not provide a link to their 2014 - 2015 Resolution; the one I am assuming they passed this morning.  They effectively eliminated any possibility that an interest holder might find out about and then object to any ill-considered provision they might want to approve.

In the absence of a document to the contrary, it is fair to assume that the resolution they considered this morning, requires 72 hours notice to interest holders before a public meeting.  72 hours is a selfish position. 

72 hours suits their needs, not the needs of community members.  It is the minimum required by the law.  The minimum requirement of the lowest standards of conduct acceptable to civilized human beings.  The minimum requirement of the very standards that every "higher standard" is higher than.

Had they published a link to the resolution 72 hours in advance of their intention to approve the resolution, it is at least possible that an interest holder(s) might have gone to that meeting to insist that they publish their agendas "as built".

As built is the resolve of the kind of politicians and public servants whose interest in honestly involving interest holders in decision making that affects their interests, is sincere.

In truth, it wouldn't have made any difference if they had posted a link to the resolution, because the meeting agenda did not include a public forum where the objection could have been delivered.  As is their want and practice, there was no intention to listen to anyone's objections anyway.

Blame Marty Esquivel.

As an "open government
expert", he knows that
the school board had the
option to do better.

Esquivel knew that they could have, and should have, resolved to publish agendas as built.

His failure to encourage the board to do just that, fairly
illustrates the difference between an open government 
advocate and an open government expert.

The one; good for the people and their interests, the other,
not so much.
 
Their 2013 - 2014 Open Meetings Act Resolution, link, should you have an interest.




photo Mark Bralley