From the Morganton News-Herald (4/30/09): City and county government officials, including their chief law enforcers, had to strong-arm school board Chair Tracy Norman into moving Monday's board of education meeting to a larger site and allowing almost unlimited public comments.
Norman wanted to have the meeting at Central Office in a board room that accommodates fewer than 100 people.
Burke County and Morganton officials told Norman at a meeting Thursday morning that if the school board didn’t hold Monday’s meeting in a bigger space and follow their other guidelines, then the school board would have to make other security arrangements, “because we won’t be there,” according to Sheriff John McDevitt.
“We want to make sure that the citizens are protected, so we initiated the meeting” said County Manager Ron Lewis.
As for forcing Norman to allow public comments, Lewis said, “We had a lot of years of experience in the room with them this morning. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve needed to defuse something. Every time it’s best just to let people be heard, to say their piece, and move on.”
“It’s kind of unfortunate that we would have to force them to move to a larger venue and force them to allow public comment,” McDevitt added. “Let people have three minutes. When they get through, don’t argue with them. Say, ‘Thank you. Next.'”
Security has been a growing concern at the school board meetings since the board announced about one month ago that it was reviewing Burleson’s contract.
The board convened a special meeting April 6 at Patton High School’s media center and subsequently moved into the school auditorium when upwards of 400 people turned out. The board usually does not allow public comments at special meetings and did not do so there or when it reconvened the meeting two weeks later, on April 20, and terminated Burleson’s contract effective June 30.
Norman canceled the school board’s regular meeting that day at Ray Childers Elementary School because McDevitt refused to send deputies inside the Rhodhiss town limits and because Rhodhiss has only a single police officer who couldn’t provide adequate security by himself.
When the school board met Monday at Central Office, Morganton Public Safety officers and Chief Tolbert himself were on hand, but the meeting at one point almost soared out of control before Norman called a hasty recess.
In the wake of Monday’s tempestuous board meeting, McDevitt and Tolbert talked about their safety and security concerns. They convened a meeting Wednesday with Burke County Manager Ron Lewis, Burke County Attorney Redmond Dill, Morganton City Manager Sally Sandy and Morganton City Attorney Steve Settlemyer. They drew up guidelines to ensure the safety of both the board and the people who wish to attend the 5:15 p.m. meeting this Monday.
McDevitt said, “No. 1, we wanted them to meet in a larger venue. And No. 2, we wanted them to allow unlimited public comments.”
After putting their guidelines in writing, the same group invited Board Chair Tracy Norman, board attorney Jon Jones and Superintendent David Burleson to a meeting on Thursday, McDevitt said.
Norman initially opposed the guidelines, McDevitt said.
McDevitt said he thinks Norman believes Burleson only has 200 supporters “and this’ll go away.” About half that number can occupy the board room at Central Office.
“We told them we’re not making you abide by our suggestions, but if you don’t abide by our suggestions you’ll have to seek security somewhere else because we won’t be there,” McDevitt said.
Norman wanted law-enforcement officers to hold the crowd to a certain standard, McDevitt said.
“We’re going to hold the board to that same standard,” McDevitt said repeatedly. “The chief and I both expect the same behavior out of the board as out of the crowd.”
“The board can’t sit there and incite them with their facial expressions or throwing their arms up in the air or trying to spar back and forth with people that are trying to make public comments,” McDevitt said, “because we’ll hold them to the same standard we’re holding the crowd to.”
That standard includes refraining from “screaming and hollering and disrupting the meeting,” McDevitt said. “Use your opportunity to speak as your time to vent.”
In a joint press release and public notice from the various parties, the school district on Wednesday announced these guidelines:
- Public comments will occur at the beginning of the meeting after approval of the agenda and opening ceremonies.
- Participants should sign up prior to the beginning of the public-comment period.
- Comments are limited to three minutes per person.
- Comments should be issue-oriented concerning matters involving the school system. Speakers are to refrain from engaging in personal attacks.
- Board members should not respond to comments and questions during the public-comment period.
Morganton Public Safety officers and sheriff’s deputies as well as Tolbert and McDevitt will be in attendance. McDevitt said he and Tolbert probably will address the crowd before the meeting commences.
The guidelines suggested for Monday’s meeting are not necessarily permanent, Tolbert noted.
He and McDevitt chose Patton High’s auditorium for its large capacity, wide hallways for movement and space for parking. Patton Assistant Principal Rich Linens said the auditorium seats approximately 600 people.
Using the auditorium stage helps assure the safety of board members, who will sit further away from and above the audience, McDevitt said.
Morganton Public Safety invited the sheriff’s office to provide additional security inside the city and McDevitt said he’s happy to do so.
by Julie Chang and Steve Welker, News-Herald Staff Writers