The Coupeville School Board is redoing its last meeting in order to comply with the state’s Open Public Meetings Act, according to Superintendent Steve King.
During the May 4 meeting, the school board will again consider a resolution that would cut up to 10 full-time-equivalent certified teaching positions, up to 11 classified positions, up to one administrative position and up to one classified supervisor or non-represented staff.
Under law, the district has to notify teachers of any reductions by May 15.
King said earlier that cuts may be necessary because reserve funds have dwindled to less than 1 percent of the budget, while the policy is to have 6 percent reserves. In addition, a reduction in enrollment and a cut in state education funding are anticipated.
Like other local government boards, the school board has held meetings online in order to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The problem was that many people were unable to watch because of a technological problem. Google Stream unexpectedly didn’t allow outside domains to connect, according to a school official.
King said the board will re-do portions of the meeting this Monday in order to allow everyone an opportunity to participate.
“The board and I feel this is the right thing to do to be fully transparent and compliant with the public meetings act,” he said in an email.
Attorney Michele Earl-Hubbard, an expert in open government law, said the meeting was a violation of the law because of the lack of public access. In addition, she said, districts should also have a public space where people can watch the meeting — while practicing social distancing — since not everyone has a computer or internet access.
Gov. Jay Inslee’s proclamation states that such meetings must provide options for the public to attend through “at minimum, telephonic access, and may also include other electronic, internet or other means of remote access.”
Also, people who attend the meeting must be able to hear each other at the same time, the proclamations states.
