The general public was precluded from sitting in the room in seats reserved for staff members whose presentation was not until after President Vicki Smith’s contract was acted upon.
I have two attorneys tell me that a contract cannot be considered binding unless there is consideration.
Considering McHenry County College Board President Vicki Smith’s contract did not set her salary, some might argue the newly-constituted Board of Trustees might not be as restricted in their actions as some might suggest.
In any event, the next meeting is on Thursday at 6:30.
If you want to get a seat in the little Board room you better come really early.
Again overflow will be in the auditorium.
Folks who sat there tell me conditions were less than idea.
The audio could not be heard, perhaps, because the Board members did not use their microphones. (Maybe they need longer stems.)
One of the things that helps, whether it’s the MCC Board or the Woodstock City Council, is for speakers to speak into (or, at least, toward) their microphones.
When the stems are bent upwards and the microphones are pointed at the ceiling, voices are not amplified.
However, I suspect that Board Trustees and City Council members are aware of that.
The audience should make it known that voices cannot be heard.
If the new Board wants to be considerate of the public, they will certainly adjourn the meeting in order to move to a larger venue.
How pathetic.
Too many boards pull that stunt.
And they always have some lame excuse.
A college funded by taxpayers can’t hold a board meeting in a room large enough to accommodate the taxpaying audience?
Middle school children are smart and courteous enough to figure that one out.
Even most elementary school children.
Probably even some kindergartners and preschoolers.
Too small.
Too big.
Just right.
What do we need legislation for that?
“Public bodies must hold hold board meetings in rooms large enough to accommodate the expected audience.”
They would just ignore the law anyways because it probably wouldn’t have a consequence.
Well I shouldn’t say, “Too many boards pull that stunt.”
More accurately.
Sometimes it’s the Board’s stunt.
Sometimes it’s the Administration’s stunt.
Sometimes they are in cahoots to pull off the standing room only meeting stunt.
Sometimes they legitimately don’t have a clue the seating capacity could very well be exceeded.
But usually they have a pretty good idea.
The one thing public boards and administrations typically hate is negative publicity.
So a picture of a standing room only meeting and letter to the editor with the issue at hand is as good as tactic as any to call them out.
Use their little game to actually draw more attention to the issue at hand.
Hopefully they’ll make proper accommodations prior to the meeting.
Pull down some bleachers and adjourn to the gym, done deal!
“There are few cases that address what the phrase ‘places which are convenient and open to the public’ means. 5 ILCS 120/2.01. But in one Illinois case, Gerwin v. Livingston County Board, 345 Ill.App.3d 352, 802 N.E.2d 410, 418, 280 Ill.Dec. 485 (4th Dist. 2003), the court said that the
answer was “between . . . a broom closet and a football stadium.”
The county board held a controversial hearing on a landfill in its boardroom, which accommodated fewer than 20 spectators, and permitted landfill proponents early access to the few spaces, leaving about 150 people unable to attend, hear, or see the meeting.
While the trial court dismissed the plaintiffs’ complaint that the Open Meetings Act was violated, the appellate court reversed the dismissal, finding that plaintiffs had pleaded a violation of the Open Meetings Act.”
http://www.iicle.com/links/SchoolLawOFP10-Ch2-Faulkner.pdf
http://www.state.il.us/court/opinions/appellatecourt/2003/4thdistrict/december/html/4030158.htm