Arrogance of board members

I would like to offer my perspective as someone that was there on Wednesday and also someone who emailed and called asking for a change of venue over a week prior. The board was notified multiple times by many people for over a week prior to the meeting that there was going to be a large audience. I also sent them a copy of the petition as it was growing to show them the numbers.

People arrived an hour early and people begin to be jammed in the room, squeezed into the hallway and then pushed out the door with people just crushed against each other. The meeting should have been moved prior, but then when this was evident the meeting was not moved and the solicitor began to say they couldn't because of the sunshine act. This added to an already upset citizens that couldn't get in. Then to have people on the board talking quietly and not using the microphones so people in the back of room could hear them let alone people that where in the hallways and the parking lot.

The night started out with arrogance and a total disrespect for public safety in my opinion, fire and police officials had to be there to help protect the citizens in an unsafe environment that was being created by the board.

Then, members wanted to cancel the meeting and push it a week instead of moving the location. Well, this makes people upset and I know I was insulted with how this meeting begin. Add to that the facts of the position that that was created and appointed with no time for public review of a job description. I would hope the description would be posted at this point, is it?

Throughout the night, members of the board showed a total lack of respect and arrogance towards the public that is just beyond approach.

Considering the circumstances I stand by my statement that the audience conducted themselves with respect. Video # 8 clearly shows how a member of the board feels about the public, he was lecturing people and pointing fingers at the superintendent who had nothing to do with anything that night.

What I saw on that night was proof of what so many people have emailed to me about a board that bullies members, staff and the public.

The numbers for this meeting are expected to be even larger than before, the people don't trust the board and need to monitor everything that is handled by the board. I hear that they will be providing a way to view the meeting via streaming video. Why can we stream the video now, we couldn't video the meeting prior I thought. I also think the idea of streaming a meeting that needs to have public comment just shows how the members want to separate themselves from the public.

I hope the meeting will be moved to a more appropriate place so the board and public can be in a room and yes have a dialog. That is what is needed, a dialog.