Today’s Nice BOE meeting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Less time for business. Less time to discuss billions.

Less public comment seats because business will double but public comment time will be the same.

Nope, it will be the same amount of time for public comments.

Wrong. All the action items will be in one meeting with public commented limited to the same time as previously set for one meeting. Twice the Action items, same number of openings for public comments. That’s less time for the public to speak to Action Items.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Less time for business. Less time to discuss billions.

Less public comment seats because business will double but public comment time will be the same.

Nope, it will be the same amount of time for public comments.

Wrong. All the action items will be in one meeting with public commented limited to the same time as previously set for one meeting. Twice the Action items, same number of openings for public comments. That’s less time for the public to speak to Action Items.

There are two hours of public comments each month. Same as before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Less time for business. Less time to discuss billions.

Less public comment seats because business will double but public comment time will be the same.

Nope, it will be the same amount of time for public comments.

Wrong. All the action items will be in one meeting with public commented limited to the same time as previously set for one meeting. Twice the Action items, same number of openings for public comments. That’s less time for the public to speak to Action Items.

There are two hours of public comments each month. Same as before.

You can’t comment on Action items you don’t know about.

[Anonymous]

Why does speaking at a board meeting matter, vs any other way of speaking up? What makes speaking at the board meeting more impactful?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

And the full material provided to the BOE, whether follow-up or other, to be posted directly with that agenda item on BoardDocs. In advance by 48 hours. And links both ways to/from the agenda item/meeting at which the follow-up was requested/promised.

None of this having to search around through menus when there is an agenda item right there, if something gets posted at all. None of the "We'll post it later" for agenda-item presentations or the "The video of the meeting is our system of record" excuse that keeps things from more effective access/review.

At least it seems that they moved away from posting PDFs that were page images instead of being searchable-text. That kind of extra step just to make things more difficult told you all you needed to know about their perception of their responsibility to the community. Hope such changes are a trend, but we are still so very, very far away from open data & candor from MCPS leadership.

[Anonymous]

Did you expect different? Taylor is a figure head. He’s not running the show.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did you expect different? Taylor is a figure head. He’s not running the show.

Who IS running the show if not him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

And the full material provided to the BOE, whether follow-up or other, to be posted directly with that agenda item on BoardDocs. In advance by 48 hours. And links both ways to/from the agenda item/meeting at which the follow-up was requested/promised.

None of this having to search around through menus when there is an agenda item right there, if something gets posted at all. None of the "We'll post it later" for agenda-item presentations or the "The video of the meeting is our system of record" excuse that keeps things from more effective access/review.

At least it seems that they moved away from posting PDFs that were page images instead of being searchable-text. That kind of extra step just to make things more difficult told you all you needed to know about their perception of their responsibility to the community. Hope such changes are a trend, but we are still so very, very far away from open data & candor from MCPS leadership.

Except for the recent Program Analysis presentation which they posted and then removed, I usually see that the agenda and accompanying docs (Pdf, or slides) are posted prior to the meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

Thanks Trump! Bigger budget/less transparency!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

And the full material provided to the BOE, whether follow-up or other, to be posted directly with that agenda item on BoardDocs. In advance by 48 hours. And links both ways to/from the agenda item/meeting at which the follow-up was requested/promised.

None of this having to search around through menus when there is an agenda item right there, if something gets posted at all. None of the "We'll post it later" for agenda-item presentations or the "The video of the meeting is our system of record" excuse that keeps things from more effective access/review.

At least it seems that they moved away from posting PDFs that were page images instead of being searchable-text. That kind of extra step just to make things more difficult told you all you needed to know about their perception of their responsibility to the community. Hope such changes are a trend, but we are still so very, very far away from open data & candor from MCPS leadership.

Except for the recent Program Analysis presentation which they posted and then removed, I usually see that the agenda and accompanying docs (Pdf, or slides) are posted prior to the meeting.

I will say the PP is right. I have been following the board for years and they're a bit sloppy with adhering to ensuring the meeting information and materials are posted in accordance to their guidelines.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

Where is it they post followups?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

The old guard will never be transparent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Today was just a work session, not a board meeting, right?

No difference.

Yang explained at the beginning of the meeting that when they have two meetings a month, one of them will be designated as a business meeting focused on action items and the other as a work session for the board to receive presentations and information. Public comments will still be included in each meeting.

It has definitely NOT been the case that they designate one of the meetings as a work session and the other as a business meeting. What prompted this change and why does Yang and the BOE feel it's needed?

She just said it was new for this fiscal year.

The change wasn't for no reason....I wish Yang was transparent about the reason for the change....

I'm not upset about the change because too many questions are asked at the board meetings that seem to never get follow-up publicly and worse they seem to drag on. Hopefully this will create some prioritization and force folks to focus and move things along more promptly. Additionally, I would like to see them enforce the website for the follow-ups to be updated more frequently. And one can only pray at this point that it will get people working in CO to be better prepared.

And quite frankly given that its not a full-time job and they certainly aren't getting full-time pay, its worth making some of the meeting time more work session.

Board members don't get paid, they get a stipend. They know this when accepting the position.