Please share your comments and opinions on the Task Force.
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Friday, May 05, 2006
Makeup of district task force debated
By BRANDON COUTRE
PRAIRIE GROVE – A community task force created to study and make recommendations about the future needs of Prairie School District
46 spent its inaugural meeting Thursday wrangling with the makeup of its own group.
For about 2 1/2 hours, the 50-member task force debated whether it was appropriate to have a group that included about 15 school staff members, several of whom live out of district.
"I'm concerned that this whole thing is not balanced," said Charlotte Kremer, a task force and school board member. "The solutions or any plan we would make would look different if this group wasn't stacked like it is."
Some members also questioned whether it was appropriate for the district to limit who could join the task force.
Kremer's husband, Chris Kremer, was one of about three others who applied to join the task force but was denied.
Superintendent Mary Fasbender said that only one member from each household was allowed. To settle the matter, the group voted not to allow additional members.
"The goal was to have a broad representation of the school community," Fasbender said. "I've tried to go from pillar to post to have a balanced group."
The task force is working with the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University to make a recommendation to the school board that could include another referendum question.
A March referendum that widely failed would have allowed the district to issue $18 million in bonds to fund a new junior high school.
Though little of what was on the agenda was accomplished Thursday, Robert Gleeson, associate director of the NIU consulting group, said it was not a waste of time.
"The bottom line is this group needs to congeal," he said. "You folks need to be comfortable with the composition to be successful."
Prairie Grove teacher and task force member Mary Martin said that in her 20-plus years of teaching, "I've never seen a split like this, and I've voted for and against referendums."
Task Force member Frank Sedlacek said any previous positions on the referendum should be left behind.
"Whether you're a 'yes' or 'no' we're all on the same team," Sedlacek said. "There should be no animosity in the room."
The group next will meet May 17.
By BRANDON COUTRE
PRAIRIE GROVE – A community task force created to study and make recommendations about the future needs of Prairie School District
46 spent its inaugural meeting Thursday wrangling with the makeup of its own group.
For about 2 1/2 hours, the 50-member task force debated whether it was appropriate to have a group that included about 15 school staff members, several of whom live out of district.
"I'm concerned that this whole thing is not balanced," said Charlotte Kremer, a task force and school board member. "The solutions or any plan we would make would look different if this group wasn't stacked like it is."
Some members also questioned whether it was appropriate for the district to limit who could join the task force.
Kremer's husband, Chris Kremer, was one of about three others who applied to join the task force but was denied.
Superintendent Mary Fasbender said that only one member from each household was allowed. To settle the matter, the group voted not to allow additional members.
"The goal was to have a broad representation of the school community," Fasbender said. "I've tried to go from pillar to post to have a balanced group."
The task force is working with the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University to make a recommendation to the school board that could include another referendum question.
A March referendum that widely failed would have allowed the district to issue $18 million in bonds to fund a new junior high school.
Though little of what was on the agenda was accomplished Thursday, Robert Gleeson, associate director of the NIU consulting group, said it was not a waste of time.
"The bottom line is this group needs to congeal," he said. "You folks need to be comfortable with the composition to be successful."
Prairie Grove teacher and task force member Mary Martin said that in her 20-plus years of teaching, "I've never seen a split like this, and I've voted for and against referendums."
Task Force member Frank Sedlacek said any previous positions on the referendum should be left behind.
"Whether you're a 'yes' or 'no' we're all on the same team," Sedlacek said. "There should be no animosity in the room."
The group next will meet May 17.
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