School board approves first selectboard liaison to serve as ex-officio member

The Springfield School Board has approved, for the first time, a liaison from the town’s selectboard to sit in as an ex-officio board member at regular school board meetings.

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2016-05-05 / Front Page School board approves first selectboard liaison to serve as ex-officio member By Tory Jones Bonenfant toryb@eagletimes.com Springfield Selectboard member George McNaughton, right, takes his seat as the first-ever selectboard liaison and ex-officio member of the Springfield School Board on Monday, May 2. With him, from left, are school board members Laura Ryan, Chair Ed Caron, Steve Karaffa, Jeanice Garfield and Mike Griffin. The selectboard has named Karaffa as the liaison from the school board to the selectboard. — TORY JONES BONENFANT Springfield Selectboard member George McNaughton, right, takes his seat as the first-ever selectboard liaison and ex-officio member of the Springfield School Board on Monday, May 2. With him, from left, are school board members Laura Ryan, Chair Ed Caron, Steve Karaffa, Jeanice Garfield and Mike Griffin. The selectboard has named Karaffa as the liaison from the school board to the selectboard. — TORY JONES BONENFANT SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield School Board has approved, for the first time, a liaison from the town’s selectboard to sit in as an ex-officio board member at regular school board meetings. The school board voted unanimously on Monday, May 2 to approve the action, appointing Springfield Selectboard member George McNaughton as the ex-officio board member. McNaughton, whose term on the selectboard expires in 2017, sat in with the board for the remainder of that meeting. McNaughton said at the school board meeting on Monday that the community was a “little upset at both boards” because they were not communicating well. “So [the selectboard] went ahead and said yes,” agreeing to exchange ex-officio members with the school board, he said. “We thought the ball was in our court [to take action on appointing an ex-officio member],” he said to the school board. “It’s definitely in your court now.” McNaughton said this is the first time that either board has ever appointed an ex-officio member liaison from the other board. The ex-officio member will not be able to participate in executive sessions, make motions, vote, or otherwise take any legal actions with the elected board members, similar to the role of a student board member, according to McNaughton. “We’re basically there to improve communication,” McNaughton said in a phone interview on Wednesday. McNaughton called the liaison appointments a “good way to make communications flow better and know what the other board is doing,” regarding community matters that may affect either the residents or the school community. For example, he said, the school board has recently been talking about a wellness policy, while the selectboard has been discussing a health chapter in the town plan. “Some things coincide,” he said. He also said the selectboard was in “intense sessions of planning” that could directly affect school district programs, such as blighted property ordinances in school zones. Springfield School Superintendent Zachary McLaughlin expressed some concern Monday that while a liaison may not have a voting presence or be able to make motions, that person may be very expressive and that dialogue may influence how votes are taken. It could be problematic if a person not elected to the board could have some sway in board decisions, he said. School Board Chair Ed Caron said he has spoken with the school board about coming up with a memorandum of understanding and a review process, and how long the appointments will be. “I’m not against it, but I’m being a devil’s advocate,” he said. McNaughton said the school board could come up with a draft on that review process and present it to the selectboard. McNaughton also said that the liaisons can take ideas back to their respective boards. It is understood that the ex-officio member does not represent the board it is sitting in on, but those liaisons could be “very conversant” on what each board is doing that could affect the other. Karaffa said that he has heard another school department from “across the river” stating they wish they had thought of having a liaison with their municipality. The Springfield Selectboard voted on Monday, April 25 to approve an ex-officio board member, or liaison, from the school board to sit in at selectboard meetings. It has approved Stephen Karaffa as that liaison. Karaffa said that it would be clear the liaison’s views do not necessarily represent those of the board he or she serves on. McNaughton also mentioned that the selectboard has more regular meetings than the school board does, as the selectboard meets twice a month, so that is something to consider when planning. McLaughlin said in an email on Wednesday, May 4 that details still remain to be worked out about the makeup of the position and “how it fits with the legal framework of schools.” Once that occurs, he said, “this will be the first position like this since before my start in the district." Each liaison will receive a copy of the upcoming agenda for all public meetings. The Springfield Selectboard is also seeking a student representative, in similar fashion to the two that now sit on the school board. “We’ve tried desperately to get young people to run,” McNaughton said. “So this is one way to tap into the youth sector.” School board member Jeanice Garfield said she initiated this idea “years ago” of swapping liaisons from each board, and that having a student representative was also a good idea. “Giving young people that opportunity is excellent,” she said. At this time, the selectboard has no student representatives. It has voted to make contact with the school board to have the school district set up “a process to provide us with one,” McNaughton said.