HOPEWELL: School board committee system revival is planned

Adoption is expected Nov. 17

By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
   The Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education introduced a revision to its policy on its method of governance Monday — namely a move that would, if adopted Nov. 17, put the board back on a committee system.
   Under the proposed revision, the board would discontinue making all its decisions as a committee-of- the-whole and establish four standing committees. Under the proposed policy, each standing committee would make recommendations to the full board, which would act on those recommendations as members saw fit.
   On Dec. 10, 2007, the school board — citing a “lack of trust among board members” — voted to suspend its policy relating to standing committees, meaning that it changed its method of operation, from the traditional standing committee form to the committee-of-the-whole form of governance.
   It was decided then that the committee-of-the-whole system would be in place until at least April 21, 2008, the meeting following April 15 the school board election. In April, the board decided to continue to conduct all its business as a “committee-of-the-whole,” rather than going back to the committee system.
   Prior to Dec. 10, 2007, there were five standing committees: finance, facilities, personnel, curriculum and policy — groups that had been in existence for decades.
   UNDER the new proposal, there are four standing committees: finance/facilities, educational program, communications, and alternative resources.
   Reports from those committees, obviously already in use, were listed on the program for Monday’s agenda meeting. Also on the printed agenda were the names of board members on each of the new standing committees, and the identity of the person who is chairing each of the standing committees. They are as follows:
   • Finance/facilities: chairman, Jim Wulf. The other board members on this committee, according to the agenda, are Ray Dollard and Daniel O’Connor.
   This group would oversee all financial affairs, including fiscal controls, fiscal reporting to the board, annual budgeting, procurement procedures, capital funding and appropriations, bill payments, and tax impact projections. It would receive reports from and review the activities of the board secretary and report thereon to the board. It would review policies, programs, and legislation in its area of responsibility. The committee would also oversee all matters affecting buildings and grounds, including maintenance and upkeep, capital project specifications, planning board reviews, construction, use of buildings and grounds, and safety. This committee would also have responsibility for transportation matters. The district’s business administrator, Robert Colavita, would serve as the superintendent’s liaison.
   • Educational program: chairman, Jeffrey Bartolino. The other board members on this committee are Armelle Daniels and Judy Lindenberger.
   This group would oversee the educational programs, including curriculum, techniques of instruction, professional development, student assessment and achievement, and co-curricular activities in the district. It would review policies, programs, and legislation in its area of responsibility. The director of curriculum and instruction, Pat Coats, would serve as the superintendent’s liaison.
   • Communications: chairwoman, Judy Lindenberger. The other board members on this committee are Mr. Bartolino, Leigh Ann Petersen and Aaron Tellier.
   This group would oversee the fostering and strengthening of relationships between the school district and the community by creating an atmosphere of open communication and understanding. The committee would review policies and programs in its area of responsibility and make recommendations to the full board. It would review and develop policy that governs the relationship between the community and the school system. It would oversee dissemination of community relations policy throughout the district and community. It would review and recommend necessary resources in terms of finances and personnel. The director of communications and development, JoAnn Meyer, would serve as the superintendent’s liaison.
   • Alternative Resources: chairwoman, Armelle Daniels. The other board members are Mr. O’Connor, Mr. Tellier and Mr. Wulf.
   This group would oversee all fundraising for the district by all methods excluding taxation. This would include sustainable fundraising (alumni contributions, community classes, credit cards) as well as one-time opportunities (goals-specific fundraising events, grants). The monies raised through the committee on Alternate Resources would be applied to specific, predetermined areas of spending as well as to the district’s general funds. The committee would review policies, programs and legislation in its area of responsibility, and make recommendations to the full board. The assistant superintendent of schools, Richard Lang, would serve as the superintendent’s liaison.
   Standing committee meetings would normally be closed meetings unless a quorum of the board would be present. Meetings of standing committees would be announced to the full board and, if a quorum of the board wishes to attend, the meeting would be noticed to the public as an open meeting. No committee may take official action on behalf of the board. Meetings of standing committees would normally be held in school facilities.