Special Bd of Ed meeting Sunday! Purchasing property?

[Betsy Voinovich]

This is from School Treasurer James Estle:


A special meeting of the Lakewood Board of Education has been scheduled for Sunday, November 17, 2013, at 4:00 p.m., in the Main Office Conference Room at Garfield Middle School, 13114 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, Ohio 44107, for the purpose of considering the purchase of property at competitive bidding, if premature disclosure or information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest and any other business that may come before the Board. The meeting will move immediately to Executive Session. The agenda is attached.

James E. Estle,

Treasurer

Lakewood City Schools

I don't really get how this is a public meeting if it immediately moves to Executive Session. I understand that a buyer-- the Board of Ed, using tax dollars-- would not want to be disadvantaged by "premature disclosure of information" but I wonder whether the non-premature disclosure happens after everything is over, effectively barring the public from any knowledge whatsoever of what's happening when there would be any chance to have any response to it.

I would like to know what property is being looked at by our Board-- I imagine it might have to do with the rebuilding of our schools and the lots that they are on. That this will have to be done is already public information.

Maybe I'm missing something. Maybe the public is supposed to be left out, or maybe they are let in at a later time that I'm missing. But it seems that that time is at a regular school board meeting where you are presented with something that already happened, that is being voted upon.

If Board member Favre or former Board member Markling would address this, I would probably feel a lot more comfortable with this "Public" meeting going immediately to Executive session. Why announce a public meeting when there isn't one?

Thank you in advance for anyone who can provide clarity here. Just trying to be an informed citizen.

Betsy Voinovich






SPECIAL BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING
Mr. Edward Favre, President
4:00 p.m., Sunday, November 17, 2013
Garfield Middle School, Main Office Conference Room
13114 Detroit Avenue, Lakewood, Ohio 44107
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Roll Call
III. Adoption of the Agenda (ROLL CALL VOTE)
IV. Recess for Executive Session (ROLL CALL VOTE)
A. For consideration of the purchase of property at competitive bidding, if premature disclosure or information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest
V. Other
VI. Adjournment