Key votes up to new School Board

Teresa Hinds

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

As a sign of compromise, the School Board will let its new members take final action on two key issues.

The board on Tuesday adopted only two changes to the controversial proposal to alter the rules governing public speaking at board meetings and put in place a mechanism to explore the possibility of expanding the enrollment at Advanced Technologies Academy.

With a 6-1 vote, the School Board adopted two of board member Judy Witt's five proposed changes to the public speaking rules, opting to send the other three proposals back to the policy committee for fine tuning.

Outgoing member Howard Hollingsworth cast a no vote because he felt the issue was one the new School Board members, who will be seated in January, should vote on.

The accepted changes include:

* Requiring speakers to sign up either the day prior or by 2 p.m. the day of the meeting, in person or by telephone.

A move to require speakers to sign up in person was dropped from the proposal prior to the meeting because of public inconvenience.

* Not allowing individuals to sign up to speak for anyone else, or to transfer their time to another speaker. Although the change limits public speaking to not more than one hour, "every effort will be made to allow those who have signed up the opportunity to speak."

Witt's other three proposals -- referring those wanting to speak on nonagenda items either to an administrator or to a written complaint process, limiting public speaking to one hour prior to the start of the business portion of the meeting, and removing disorderly persons -- were sent back for changes because of public and board member concern.

Those opposing the proposal to hear public concerns prior to the start of the business meeting were concerned that denying the public the opportunity to speak on an item at the time the board is considering a vote would amount to shutting the public out.

"This change would not serve the public well," said parent Allan Lewis, who sits on the Bond Oversight Committee.

Lewis told the board it "owes it to the public" to allow speakers to address issues as board members are considering a vote.

"Instead of less public involvement we need more public involvement," Lewis said. "Passing this would be a giant step backward."

Witt countered that her intent "was not to limit the public's access to me. My intent was to get some work done."

She said holding public hearings prior to any votes would give her time to consider public input and mull things over before the item comes up for a vote.

Requiring those wishing to address the board on a nonagenda item to be referred either to an administrator or to fill out a public concern form drew criticism from both board members and the public.

Lois Tarkanian said the action "seems like we're almost shoving people out who don't go through the written process."

Kris Jensen, speaking on behalf of Nevada Concerned Citizens, told the board they "cannot continue to shoot people through another layer of bureaucracy," and suggested the amendment merely offer speakers the opportunity to speak to an administrator or fill out a form.

Compromise was also reached on the issue of expanding Advanced Technologies Academy.

Outgoing board member James McMillan passionately lobbied for a vote that would expand the enrollment at ATA, fighting for the opportunity for more black students living in the area to attend the school.

McMillan said he would like to see the enrollment expanded from its maximum 750 students to 1,750.

Following debate over where the money would come from to expand the school and how the school would be able to maintain its federally-mandated racial balance, a frustrated McMillan said:

"Can we at least put it on the drawing board to build that as a full magnet high school so we can educate more black kids? We need to increase the enrollment ... the board needs to take the initiative."

The board voted to explore the financial feasibility of expanding ATA's enrollment as a full magnet high school.