This morning, the Idaho Freedom Foundation filed a complaint with the Bannock County prosecutor alleging that the Pocatello/Chubbuck School Board met illegally to discuss budget cuts. While the cuts in question -- reducing administrator pay -- may be appropriate, the law requires certain discussions to take place in public so that taxpayers can understand and weigh what's going on.
Here's where you come in: We need EVERYONE watching to make sure school boards comply with the state's Open Meeting and Public Records Laws. Budget discussions need to take place in broad daylight. There are some, limited reasons for closed meetings, but most discussions can and should take place in public. We're happy to be a resource to you to explain the law, help you object when your local school board votes to close a meeting and help to file your own complaint in the event of a conflict.
Comments
Open MeetingsSubmitted by Gary Ingram (not verified) on Tue, 05/11/2010 - 17:43.
» - reply
It is a good thing that IFF is filing a complaint on an Open Meeting Law violating. Governing bodies across Idaho need to know that this law is not to be ignored. They should be held up for ridicule and public condemnation. Such was the case almost 35 years ago, shortly after I had authored and got passed into law our Open Meeting Law. The CDA school board was forced to go back and repeat an illegal budgeting session.
Post new comment