By Aliya Hall
The Creswell Chronicle
The Nov. 14 school board meeting was full of new business for the Board of Directors to address and vote on. The quorum, which was made by Board Chair Tim Rogers, Director Natalie Smathers, Director Lacey Risdal and Director Paul Randall addressed last month’s unfinished business of adopting the revision of lice policies, which was covered by The Creswell Chronicle on Oct. 18.
The board then discussed their votes for the 2018 Oregon School Boards Association Election. There was no election for the Board of Directors Position 6 that year, but there were two resolutions to vote on.
Resolution one would “adopt the proposed 2019-20 OSBA Legislative Priorities and Policies,” which Risdal moved to approve and Smathers seconded. Their decision to cast a “for” vote passed unanimously.
Resolution two would “amend OSBA bylaws relating to composition of the Board of Directors by adding a voting seat for a representative of the Oregon School Boards Members of Color Caucus.”
Rogers said the resolution was “a great step,” but wanted to clarify that while the vote would add another voice to the board, it would change the regional base that OSBA is currently made up of. Risdal said that the board needs to start elevating voices that are underrepresented and asked, “Why can’t they have an extra chance of being heard?”
Risdal moved to amend the bylaws, and Randall seconded. Their decision to cast a “for” vote passed unanimously.
Afterwards, the board approved the Memorandum of Agreement with Oregon School Employees Association, which removed Article 3 in their terms of agreement about collective bargaining, to remain compliant with the federal law change made during the Janus V. AFSCME decision.
The struck language was: “agree to deduct from the monthly wages of each new employee added to the bargaining unit, who chooses not to be a member of the Association, and amount equal to the Oregon School Employees Association monthly dues for each month that the employee works for the District.”
Risdal moved to approve the language change to comply with the law, and Smathers seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
The board also approved the memorandum of understanding between the Creswell School District and the Creswell Education Association, which nullified Article 5 Section L, paragraphs one through four from the collective bargaining agreement. Risdal moved to approve the nullification and Smathers seconded the motions. The motion passed unanimously.
The next school board meeting will be held Dec. 12; the public is encouraged to attend.
