7 Resolutions Walker County Schools Should Pass NOW!
Implementing These Measures Will Represent The Dawn of a Transparent Era
Instead of just floating along, it’s time for the Walker County School Board to start making waves. For too long, the district’s operations have been cloaked in secrecy, leaving the community in the dark. But I come bearing 7 beacons to change all that—seven resolutions that, if adopted, will signal a new era of transparency, accountability, and trust.
Resolution 1: Governance in the Sunshine
For too long, school district and board policies and procedures have been buried in hard-to-access places or required an open records request to obtain. It’s time to make this information readily available to anyone who needs it.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent to ensure that all board policies, procedures, organizational charts, and job descriptions are available on the district’s website. Additionally, guidance documents will be created to clarify these policies and make them easier to understand.
Key Details:
Online Access: All policies, procedures, organizational charts, and job descriptions will be posted on the district’s official website.
Guidance Documents: The Superintendent will create documents to help clarify complex policies, ensuring they are easy to understand for all stakeholders.
Empowered Stakeholders: Equips parents, teachers, and community members with the knowledge to understand and navigate school governance.
Enhanced Accountability: Ensures that board members and administrators are held accountable to clearly defined and accessible policies.
Operational Transparency: Clarifies organizational structures and job roles, reducing confusion and increasing efficiency.
Informed Decision-Making: Facilitates better decision-making by providing all stakeholders with access to the same information.
Teachers, parents, and community members will no longer be in the dark about the rules and structures that govern their schools.
Resolution 2: Publishing and Distributing Agendas and Minutes Promptly
Delayed access to meeting documents undermines the public’s ability to stay informed and engaged.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent to ensure that agendas and all preparatory materials such as contracts, reports, presentations are part of an agenda packet posted online and shared on social media at least five days before meetings. Minutes will be promptly published after each meeting, ensuring that the public has timely access to all relevant information.
Key Details:
Pre-Meeting Materials: Agendas, contracts, and reports will be made available online five days prior to meetings.
Post-Meeting Minutes: Minutes will be posted promptly after meetings, ensuring timely access to decisions and discussions.
Improved Preparedness: Allows stakeholders to review materials in advance, leading to more productive and informed discussions during meetings.
Enhanced Accountability: Ensures that all decisions and discussions are documented and easily accessible for future reference.
Historical Record: Maintains a comprehensive record of board activities that can be referenced for transparency and accountability.
Community Engagement: Encourages broader community participation by making it easier to understand and follow board activities.
Transparency is not just about seeing; it's about understanding. By providing comprehensive documentation, we make our processes more transparent and parents, citizens and staff more informed. Remember the Federalist Papers? They were essentially the preparatory materials for the ratification of the Constitution, providing the public with the information they needed to understand and engage in the process.
Resolution 3: Live Streaming Meetings
Live streaming on platforms like Facebook and YouTube will allow our community to engage with the proceedings in real-time, fostering a sense of inclusivity and participation. If the U.S. Supreme Court can adapt to the digital age, so can we. By incorporating live audio and on-screen graphics, we can ensure that our community is not just spectators but informed participants in the decision-making process.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent to live stream all school board meetings, planning sessions, and work sessions on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. This includes live audio and on-screen graphics to enhance understanding.
Key Details:
Live Streaming Platforms: Meetings will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
On-Screen Graphics: These will provide identifying and supplementary information to help viewers understand the proceedings.
Wider Reach: Allows for greater community engagement by enabling access to meetings from any location.
Real-Time Interaction: Offers the potential for live Q&A sessions, increasing immediate community participation.
Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for physical attendance, saving time and resources for both the board and the community.
Transparency and Trust: Builds trust within the community by making board operations more visible and accessible.
Resolution 4: Spotlight on Unfunded Liabilities
Significant financial liabilities need to be transparent to the public. The district’s unfunded pension and OPEB liabilities should be clearly communicated.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent to create a dedicated webpage that displays the district’s net OPEB and pension liabilities, updated regularly with clear explanations. This information will be prominently featured on the district’s homepage to ensure public awareness.
Key Details:
Unfunded Liabilities: As of June 30, 2022, Walker County Schools has a Net Pension Liability of -$127,184,768 and a Net OPEB Liability of -$58,836,586, totaling -$186,021,354.
Dedicated Webpage and Homepage Banner: This page will list the most current net OPEB and pension liabilities.
Clear Explanations: Financial terms and their implications will be explained in accessible language.
Advocacy Tool: Enables the school board to use the information to advocate for better financial policies and support at the state level.
Our financial obligations, particularly in terms of pensions and post-employment benefits, are significant. Yet, they remain shrouded in complexity and confusion. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about securing a stable financial future for the district.
Resolution 5: Whistleblower Reporting & Protections
Creating a culture of integrity requires safe channels for reporting unethical behavior. Providing a secure and confidential channel for reporting misconduct is essential for maintaining integrity within our schools. An external third-party whistleblower system ensures impartiality and builds trust among employees, students, and parents.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent to develop an external, third-party whistleblower system offering both confidential and anonymous reporting options. This system will ensure that all reports of unethical behavior are handled impartially and confidentially.
Key Details:
Third-Party System: An external entity will handle all whistleblower reports to ensure impartiality.
Confidential and Anonymous Reporting: Both options will be available to protect the identity of the reporter.
Impartial Reporting: Ensures that reports of misconduct are handled impartially, without internal bias.
Protection and Support: Provides protection for whistleblowers, encouraging them to report issues without fear of retaliation.
Annual Reporting: Requires annual reports from the external third-party, keeping the board informed about the number and nature of reports.
Resolution 6: Upgrading Video and Audio Systems
This is addresses the increasingly glaring issue of inaudible and visually subpar board meetings. Complaints about not being able to hear or see what's happening during meetings are common, and it's about time we addressed this.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent to install high-definition video cameras and upgrade the audio system to ensure that every meeting is recorded and live-streamed with clear visuals and sound. This will ensure that everyone, whether attending in person or online, can follow along without straining to hear or see.
Key Details:
HD Video Cameras: These will be installed in the meeting room to capture the proceedings in high definition.
Enhanced Audio System: The current audio system will be upgraded to ensure that every speaker is heard clearly, both in person and on recordings.
Live Streaming: Meetings will be live-streamed on the district’s website and social media platforms, allowing real-time access to proceedings.
Enhanced Accessibility: Ensures all community members, including those with hearing impairments, can access clear audio.
No more missed discussions or unclear statements.
Resolution 7: Complying with GASB Requirements
For seven years, Walker County Schools has neglected to include the Management’s Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) section in its financial reports. This omission is not just a bureaucratic oversight; it’s a breach of trust. That's unacceptable. Transparency in financial matters is non-negotiable.
Resolution Overview: The board directs the Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer to comply with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) requirements, including a full MD&A section in its annual financial report. This will provide context to the financial statements, helping stakeholders understand the financial health and operations of the district.
Key Details:
MD&A Section: This will be included in all future comprehensive annual financial reports.
Contextual Information: The MD&A section will place the financial statements in an operational, economic, or historical context.
Compliance Assurance: Aligning with national standards to ensure accuracy and reliability in financial reporting.
Enhanced Clarity: Providing a clear and detailed analysis of the district’s financial position, performance, and outlook.
Stakeholders will have a clear, comprehensive view of the district’s finances, allowing for better oversight and informed decision-making.