ThisWeek CW 02/12/2015

http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/news/2015/02/10/2014-meetings-review-groveport-board-met-more-in-private-than-in-public.html

The Groveport Madison Schools Board of Education spent more time behind closed doors than in open session during 2014, according to the official minutes of the meetings.

The approved minutes indicate members spent about 44 hours in closed session — referred to in Ohio law as “executive session” — and 29 hours in open session during the 2014 calendar year. Executive sessions were held during 25 of the 27 meetings for the year.

District officials said the closed meetings were necessary to deal with several sensitive issues, as allowed by law.

“Our district has dealt with unique issues over the past few years that neighboring districts have not,” 2014 board President Bryan Shoemaker told ThisWeek in an email. “We’ve had significant budget cuts and layoffs and numerous personnel issues that, by law, must be handled in executive session.

“While discussions surrounding personnel matters happen in executive session, all actions and decisions are voted on publicly during regular sessions. We will continue to work as a team while following the law in an effort to serve the best interests of our students and the community.”

Public bodies in Ohio are authorized by state law to go behind closed doors for specific reasons, including certain personnel matters; the purchase or sale of property; pending or imminent court action; collective bargaining matters; matters required to be kept confidential; security matters; hospital trade secrets; confidential business information of an applicant for economic development assistance; and veterans service commission applications.

State law also requires that if a public body needs to discuss personnel issues, it must be even more specific in stating why an executive session is requested. According to the 2014 Ohio Sunshine Laws publication issued by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, “It is not sufficient to simply state ‘personnel’ as a reason for executive session. The motion does not need to specify by name the person whom the public body intends to discuss. Similarly, ‘reiterating the laundry list of (acceptable closed-door meeting reasons) without specifying which of those purposes (will) be discussed in executive session is improper.”

During the majority of meetings in which an executive session was held in 2014, Superintendent Bruce Hoover asked the board to go behind closed doors, citing the overall list of reasons — “for the purpose of discussing the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of an employee or official in accordance with ORC (Ohio Revised Code) 121.22” — but not being more specific.

ThisWeek asked Hoover and board members in November 2014 about their use of executive sessions throughout the year. Board members would not comment individually but did issue a joint response through district public relations officer Mary Guiher.

“Groveport Madison Board of Education members take their elected positions seriously,” Guiher said in a Nov. 26 email. “They are very involved in the decision-making process and spend countless hours doing their due diligence regarding issues and recommendations concerning the district.

“Unlike some districts that give administration a wide window of decision-making authority, our board members are actively involved and thorough in questioning decisions involving personnel issues and hiring practices.

“In addition, the board spends many hours involved in matters concerning both the treasurer and superintendent regarding contract renewals, evaluations and goal setting,” Guiher wrote. “All of these issues are discussed in accordance with executive session rules and regulations set forth by the state.”

Nathan Slonaker, who was elected president of the school board in January this year, reiterated that the board “has followed, and is committed to following, Ohio’s transparency laws that prohibit the board from discussing specific personnel issues in public.

“Nonetheless,” he added, “the board can be more efficient in its use of executive sessions.”