The Board and Superintendent Invite the Community to Public Hearing
The Aurora Board of Education and Superintendent invite the community to share its feedback and concerns regarding the levy failure, recent cuts, and the district’s plans to move forward. The Community Meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 5 at Aurora High School in the auditorium. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
The Board scheduled the meeting Saturday at its special Board Meeting. “There is a sense of urgency to have this meeting as soon as possible to hear the voice of the community. The Board does not have much time to consider feedback on this issue as the Ohio Department of Education requires us to decide on the particulars of filing to go on the ballot by December 15,†said Board President Jerry Kohanski. The meeting date was also chosen to be December 5, because all other days early this month had holiday concerts or other school events scheduled.
The Superintendent, Russ Bennett, and Board Members will also make themselves available following holiday concerts this month in room 100 at the high school.
I attended the special school board meeting and hope all the citizens’ information will truly be considered. I was happy to see over 100 concerned residents who joined me. Many residents and a student made very good points and suggestions. I did feel however the board spent more time explaining why they needed the full 6 mil and why they made their current cuts, instead of just listening and gathering information. People suggested splitting or a “cafeteria†type election with operating and new construction listed separately. The one comment that truly rang clear was there didn’t seem to be any discussion of “compromiseâ€. I hope the school board does compromise and offer a different approach the second time around, or based on what I’m hearing from residents I’m afraid it will actually go down with bigger numbers. I am and will be a supporter of the levy, but I am hearing people are angry that the school board may disregard what the voters said in November.
As discussed at this special meeting, I do not accept the notion that they cannot televise board meetings because it would cost $15,000 to purchase equipment and although the city has offered their council chambers to record, the city meets on the same night as the school board and the chambers would not be available. No big deal, move our school board meetings to a night the city council doesn’t meet and we can use their equipment and not have to spend dollars to purchase equipment. That would give the citizens complete and more importantly “accurate†information.