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REFORM COMMITMENTS
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Issue
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Comments
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Closed Sessions
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Closed sessions
deprive the public of the opportunity to observe
and participate in their government
and should be used only when absolutely necessary.
I will oppose taking any action in closed session
that is not required to be taken in closed session.
I will inform the voting public of any inappropriate action
taken in closed session.
I will introduce a policy to require the minutes record
individual member votes
for any motions made in closed session.
I will introduce a policy to require the minutes of any closed session
record all attendees of the closed session.
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Public Participation
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I will oppose board practices that reduce or prevent public
participation. I will oppose the use of committees
unless the public is
properly informed of the committee's activities, preferably by
board discussion and authorization at the
regularly scheduled public board meeting.
Each committee recommendation for board action should be listed on the
board meeting agenda.
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Accountability
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There is a lack of accountability of the board and administration.
This is partly due to the lack of a record of what
happened in board and committee meetings.
I will introduce a policy requiring the district to
record and preserve the audio of all board and committee
meetings, open and closed.
The audio of the open portion of all
board and committee meetings should be
promptly available to the public via the district web site.
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Open Meetings
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I will oppose open meetings of the full board that are not televised.
Except in unavoidable emergency situations,
I will oppose meetings of the full board scheduled
without adequate advance public notice,
or scheduled at times likely to reduce public participation.
All meeting notices must
include a reasonable description of specific topics
of discussion or action. All board and committee meeting notices
must be promptly issued to the media
and posted on the district web site.
The district will also promptly send meeting notices to all persons
who register with the district for meeting notification via email.
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Meaningful Minutes
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I will support posting draft minutes of the open portion of all
board and committee meetings on the district's
web site as soon as reasonably possible.
I will not vote to approve the minutes of any meeting,
open or closed, that do not reasonably describe
the content of the meeting.
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Discussion During Public Input
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I will uphold the intent of Wisconsin's open meetings
law by responding, when appropriate, during public
input. If I am prevented from responding
during public input, I will make other arrangements to
provide a response and encourage dialog with constituents.
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Board Meetings
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I will work to establish a suitable, permanent location
for board meetings that encourages public
attendance and participation.
When appropriate, materials for the board prepared by
the district, or submitted to the board in electronic form,
should be posted on the district web site
for access by the public in advance of and during the meeting.
The board should not discuss or act on
agenda items when the general public
does not have a reasonable opportunity to understand the nature
of the item being considered.
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