Clifton ISD trustees discuss updates to board's operating procedures

The Clifton Independent School District's Board of Trustees reviewed and considered updates to their board operating procedures during its meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2024.

The discussion, led by CISD Board President Julie New, centered on the importance of transparency, effective communication, and procedural adjustments to better serve the community and ensure efficient governance.

The review of the board operating procedures is typically scheduled for April; however, this year it was deferred to May to align with the on-boarding of new board members recently elected.

One key topic discussed was a proposal to enhance transparency by adopting a two-step review process for new policies. A process New suggested involved a first reading to present the policy and provide the public with the opportunity to request records and review related documents. A second reading would then be scheduled in a subsequent meeting for further discussion and final approval.

'Transparency builds trust,' New noted.

New acknowledged that while it is not legally required to provide all meeting documents in advance, offering more information ahead of time could foster better public understanding and engagement.

Several board members expressed support for this approach. Board Vice President Josh Ritzman highlighted the benefit of allowing time for community feedback, while Trustee Jan Zuehlke shared personal experiences of being blindsided and feeling rushed by short notice on significant policy changes.

Zuehlke pointed out that the process of wording agenda items also needed review.

“If I'm just member the community, and I looked at the agenda, I would have no idea what [agenda item number] 17 was about. The way it's worded it doesn't mention the pronoun policy,” she said.

The board agreed that implementing a first and second reading policy could mitigate such issues in the future.

In addition to discussing the reading policy, the board also considered the inclusion of policy attachments in meeting agendas. This idea stemmed from requests by community members for greater access to detailed information prior to meetings. However, New recognized the practical challenges, as some documents may not be available until shortly before meetings.

“It's not law that we attach anything to the agenda because it can be hot off the press,” she said. “We may have it and we can put it out there. But there's times that we don't.”

The conversation also touched on the potential formation of a new committee comprised of a few trustees to review proposed policies before they are presented to the full board. Suggested by Zuehlke, a policy review committee would ensure thorough examination and avoid situations where board members feel unprepared or blindsided by new proposals.

As the meeting concluded, the board members agreed on the importance of continually reviewing and updating their operating procedures. They planned to revisit the discussed changes during the upcoming June meeting.

For more information on the Clifton ISD’s Board of Trustees and their operating procedures, visit the district's website.