BARBARA DOMER: Valparaiso City Council District 3

Rep. E. Soliday has authored a bill for consideration which “Provides for the election and appointment of members of certain school corporations in which members of the governing body are appointed. Specifies that: (1) three members of the governing body are appointed from a city within the school corporation; and (2) two members are elected from the unincorporated area within the school corporation. Establishes a commission to nominate the candidates for the governing body.”

The current process allows the City Council to appoint four members and the Center Township Advisory Board appoints one member.

What this bill will do is shift the appointment process from the City Council and Advisory Board  to a commission who decide the persons who can be considered for board appointment AND who can become a candidate for the elected positions.  This commission would be comprised of one mayoral appointment, two city council appointments, one from the trustee and one from the local parent teacher organization.

Why now?  Could it be that Rep. Soliday just decided to author this bill, weeks after the City Council majority flipped to a Democrat majority and the Center Township Advisory Board is also a Democrat majority?

The Valparaiso Community school system proudly boasts educational excellence and graduation rates continue to rise! So again I ask, why restructure the board appointment process now?

This proposal did not emanate from the community.  Don’t we have a say if we even want to consider a change at this time?

Rep. Soliday did not hold a public forum.  That is the first step, to gauge the public’s interest in entertaining any changes to the school board appointment process.

Mayor Costas was quoted that this bill “is a starting point for discussion to determine the best school board format for the community”.  I take the position a public forum is the best starting point for discussion.

Rep. Soliday admitted the bill needs amending.  This bill needs to be pulled.  I am opposed to the bill as written and believe our voices should be guiding this legislators actions, not what appears to be a politically motivated action. 

With that said, I want to hear what you have to say about this proposed legislation.  If you can take a few minutes to complete this survey, it will help me in gauging residents’ interest in considering changes to the school board appointment process.