School Board better, newbies say

Sandy Cullen:

"It is a new direction," said Mathiak, who echoed Kobza's call for changes in the board's decision-making and budget processes in unseating 12-year board veteran Juan Jose Lopez.

Mathiak had recommended many of the areas in which administrative cuts were made. "It's a start toward taking ownership and leadership for the types of things that have to happen," she said.

Mathiak joins Kobza, who unseated incumbent Bill Clingan, and Ruth Robarts, now in her ninth year on the board, as advocates for changing what some critics negatively describe as the status quo. On several successful budget amendments, they were joined by Shwaw Vang, who is in his sixth year on the board, for a 4-3 majority.

Ruth Robarts raised a powerful point in her comments "she is concerned committees might be restricted from taking up issues not supported by a majority of board members.". I hope this is not the case. The Board majority has been criticized for not addressing some of the more challenging issues over the past few years, like health care, the Superintendent's review (something not done from 2002 to 2005!), the effectiveness of the District's curriculum strategy and a variety of budget topics, among others. Improved communication includes actually discussing substantive topics.

It will be interesting to see what topics are addressed by the Madison School board over the next 9 months (I posted some ideas on goals here). Voters will be watching as they consider the fall referendum and April, 2007 election for 3 seats (Robarts, Vang and Winston's seats).

Posted by Jim Zellmer at June 18, 2006 6:20 AM
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