Central Bucks Board Members May Dial In Remotely

The Central Bucks School Board members will be allowed to participate - and vote - in meetings electronically, even if they aren't physically at the meeting

But one member of the public asked the board to use that same technology to make the school board meetings available to more people.

The school board voted Tuesday night to approve a new policy that would allow board members who cannot attend a meeting to participate electronically. Members would be allowed to listen in on a teleconferencing call, or perhaps listen and watch through Skype or videoconferencing.

The policy limits a board member to participating remotely in only two meetings each year, to prevent them from abusing the opportunity. However, the other board members could approve additional sessions, if they agree circumstances justify it.

Board member Geri McMullin questioned whether electronic participation was legal. Years ago, the board's solicitor told them it wasn't allowed, she said.

But solicitor Douglas Maloney, of law firm Begley, Carlin & Mandio, told the board Tuesday that a recent court decision allowed the practice for regular business meetings. The member participating remotely must be able to hear everything every board member is hearing and everything the public says, Maloney said.

School board president Paul Faulkner said the new policy was prompted because board member Kelly Unger wants to use it to participate in committee meetings this summer.

With Maloney's legal blessing, McMullin said she had no problem with the policy.

"With the electronic age the way it is, to be able to go away and be part of an important vote" is a positive move, she said. "My other concern is going to be that we have a quorum. We certainly don’t want seven board members Skyping in. But I think (the policy) addresses everyone’s concerns."

Faulkner agreed.

"Many of us travel for business, so it will be handy to have," he said of the new policy.

One observer said the new policy "certainly makes sense," given board members' busy work and family lives.

But he said the parents and taxpayers of the district also are busy and would like the access to the decision-making process that technology can offer.

"I’m asking that you give the same level of access to the community," said Doug Keith during a public comment period. "The district has the technology to stream meetings, do podcasts."

Keith is a member of the community group Central Bucks Engage, which formed to fight the board's changes to the middle school schedule. He pointed out that the board stopped audio recording its meetings several weeks ago, and that meeting minutes can't capture the full breadth of a public meeting.

"The minutes are very limited," Keith said. The minutes of Tuesday's meeting "will say that I spoke about this policy, but it won’t say what I said or why I said it."

"We’re living in an electronic age," he added. "This is the way the business world works."

Some other area governmental bodies do record their meetings, including the Bucks County Commissioners, who post recordings on the county's website, and Doylestown Township supervisors, who stream their meetings live on the township website.