Board members who objected to Hinckley’s authority (l-r) Norm Bailey, Robert Buggs, and James Piggee. (January 2017 photo)
Board members desert Gary school board meeting
Contributed By:The 411 News
Half depart with objections to emergency manager Hinckley, leaving three to deliberations
By the time the first agenda item after roll call was heard, half of the board members had deserted Thursday night’s meeting of the Gary Board of School Trustees. Only three remained to carry out their responsibilities during a meeting that was difficult to control.
The meeting was presided over by vice president Robert Buggs because of the December 2017 resignation of Rosie Washington, board president. Washington’s 4-year term expires in December 2018.
Instead of calling the first agenda item, the selection of new board officers for 2018, Buggs questioned the authority of emergency manager Peggy Hinckley. He objected to Dr. Hinckley’s setting the meeting’s agenda, participating in the reorganization of board officers, and overseeing the selection of the 6th District replacement for Washington.
Immediately after concluding his objections, Buggs declared the meeting adjourned and left the panel. Advised by board member Nellie Moore and board attorney Tracey Coleman that the board needed to vote for adjournment, it was left to the next officer board secretary Norman Bailey to preside over the meeting.
With five board members present and Carlos Tolliver’s decision not to participate in the selection process for new board officers, the roll call began for nominations for board president. Vice president Buggs returned to the panel and was nominated for president.
Buggs received three votes and Moore received two votes for board president. When Dr. Hinckley favored Moore, Buggs, Bailey and board member James Piggee showed their dissatisfaction by leaving the panel.
The three remaining members – Moore, Tolliver and Darling Pleasant – quickly dispatched the remaining agenda items. Buggs and Bailey were retained in their board offices. Supt. Cheryl Pruitt was absent, leaving vacant the superintendent’s report.
Dr. Hinckley’s emergency manager report showed that fixing plumbing problems at Wirt-Emerson have resulted in savings on water and sanitation bills.
Water bills of July-August were reduced from $6,487 to $971 for October-November. The school’s wastewater bill saw a huge decrease. “Sanitation costs, which is wastewater … there was a lot of running water,” Hinckley said, “went from $13,931 in July-August to $1,700 in October-November.”
Dr. Hinckley said new directives are being prepared for visitors to school buildings, “especially for those who want to visit teachers and act in an aggressive manner.” Following the advice of the Gary Police Dept., she said, posters in each school will outline behavior and procedures that are not allowed in schools. The district is working on limiting parental visits to teacher planning periods only.
The school district is accepting resumes and letters of interests from candidates to fill the board vacancy in the Sixth District. The notice can be found on the district’s website at https://www.garycsc.k12.in.us/press-release-board-member-vacancy/
A video of the school board meeting will be aired on Gary’s public access television channel.
School board members (l-r) Darling Pleasant, Nellie Moore, and Carlos Tolliver remained to carry out meeting's agenda
Board members who objected to Hinckley’s authority (l-r) Norm Bailey, Robert Buggs, and James Piggee. (January 2017 photo)
Story Posted:01/13/2018
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