Update: At the public meeting, Board member John Knox, who represents district 8, introduced a motion to discuss the West Broad School issue in the public meeting rather than in executive session. Knox's motion passed. Video from Thursday's meeting is available on the district's YouTube page, and all three proposals for the West Broad site can be found at https://www.clarke.k12.ga.us/
Oringinal Story:
The Clarke County Board of Education meets this evening at 6 p.m. for continued discussions about the West Broad School and the future of a community garden and farmer’s market located on the site, but tonight, those discussions may not be open to the public.
School Board member John Knox says the potential closed door meeting has caused some members of the community concern.
“The people I’ve heard from personally have contacted me and other board members to say that they would like the West Broad situation be discussed openly in the public part of the meeting tonight.”
Knox says that the board has received proposals from the Athens Land Trust, the Northeast Georgia Business Alliance, and from the Clarke County School District. Two of the proposals focus on community-centered facilities and would preserve the garden and market, while the CCSD proposal makes no mention of the garden. The district plan would utilize the building primarily for auxiliary functions such as a parent information center and an early learning center that would be relocated from the HD Edwards building, as well as administrative offices.
In contrast to last week’s meeting, discussion about the West Broad site is most likely to be held in executive session, meaning that members of the public will not be allowed in the room.
ACC Commissioner Mike Hamby says he finds the executive session troubling.
“It does raises some concerns, I mean you certainly in any government, you know I’m on the commission and we always want to err on the side of being transparent.”
In a public meeting beforehand, the board will discuss other issues unrelated to the West Broad site.