Kelly Marlow, Petruzielo Clash Over Cherokee School Board Policy
School board member Kelly Marlow faced off with Superintendent Dr. Frank Petruzielo on her proposed changes to policy governing when to list financial impact of agenda items.
A proposal to modify a policy regarding school board meeting agendas led to testy exchanges between School Board Member Kelly Marlow and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo during the school board's meeting on Thursday.
At the heart of the disagreement was whether the school district should list the financial impact on an agenda request form to be considered by the school board.
Marlow, who is in her first term, proposed changing School Board Policy BCBD to read, "When an agenda request form is included, the financial impact section must include a dollar amount. In cases where there is no cost to the District, the dollar amount should be listed as 0. In all other cases, a dollar amount must be listed on the form. It shall be the policy of the Board that the project or action shall not exceed that amount without prior approval of the Board."
Petruzielo proposed an alternative to Marlow's change, which read, "When an agenda item requests a specific expenditure of board of education funds, that cost will be noted; otherwise, including circumstances in which associated costs are not borne by the board of education, financial impact will be noted as N/A."
The superintendent's recommendation goes on to say that the board's expenditures will be governed by board policy DC, which is the district's annual operating budget.
While the board approved Petruzielo's recommendation with a 4-3 vote, with Marlow, Michael Geist and Rob Usher dissenting, it followed a nearly 40 minute discussion primarily Marlow, Petruzielo, Geist and Board Chair Janet Read on the policy.
Marlow said her reasoning for proposing the change stems from the previous board meeting in which she questioned whether the school district's dues to the Georgia School Boards Association were approved as part of the current fiscal year 2013.
She said she felt the district should include on the agenda item the cost of the district maintaining its membership. Barbara Jacoby, public information officer for the district, reminded Marlow that the GBSA agenda item last month calling for the board to continue its membership wasn't an expenditure of funds and that it was the district continuing its membership with the organization.
Petruzielo said the dues were included as part of the current fiscal year budget and it would be a "waste of time" for the staff to indicate the fiscal impact of an agenda item if no impact will occur and if the item has already been set aside for funding in the district's budget.
"We have never had a problem with this in the 15 years I’ve been superintendent," he added.
He also said there are instances in which the school board enters into partnership agreements in which the financial impact would fall upon the shoulders of other entities in those said agreements.
Marlow shot back at the superintendent, and asked if it would be "appropriate" to list the expenditures before the board approves them so we know "what exactly those funds were."
Board Chair Janet Read jumped in and told Marlow she thought that would be "redundant" as the board has already approved the expenditures in the operating budget.
Taking a different route, the superintendent chimed in and said the district has held public hearings each year before the school board approve its fiscal year budget and over the last 15 years, no more than one person has attended those meetings.
“So the assumption that there’s people out there who just can't wait to consume this information and figure out what exactly we pay for dues to GSBA is a bad assumption," he said.
While the public may have many questions about some aspects of the district's budget, Petruzielo noted Marlow is "possibly overestimating" how much the public would like to know about individual line items in the budget, adding the district's four-inch thick complete budget available at its offices in downtown Canton is so filled with details that it would "put most people in a coma."
Marlow didn't let Petruzielo's comment slide by without acknowledgement.
“With all due respect Mr. Superintendent, every dollar matters in this day and age," she said, adding not every taxpayer has access to the district's online executive summary of the fiscal year budget.
"If it’s such a simple request and such an easy piece of information to find, I’m sure Mr. Howell and the staff would be more than happy to include it on an agenda item," she said, referring to Assistant Superintendent of Financial Management Candler Howell.
Board member Michael Geist added that while it "wouldn't be practical" to list every expenditure on agenda items, he was inclined to support Marlow's request.
"I don’t know if what Mrs. Marlow is asking is terribly unreasonable," he said, adding a compromise would be to only list the cost of items that would have a financial impact.
However, Petruzielo said Marlow's proposal amounts to the district fixing something that's not broken. He noted he could not live with the language in Marlow's proposal.
Marlow then switched the subject slightly and asked Read who makes school board policies. Read noted the school board makes policies based upon the superintendent's recommendation.
Marlow asked when the deadline was for changes to the school board's agenda can be made and Read told her it was one week in advance of when it's posted.
Marlow then pointed out that Petruzielo had just submitted his recommendations during the meeting and requested to table the superintendent's request.
Petruzielo reminded Marlow that he didn't recommend her policy, to which Marlow noted the superintendent was out of order and asked if he'd like to make a motion for the board to vote on the item.
"I don’t make motions and I don’t vote," he responded.
School Board Attorney Tom Roach then jumped in and told Marlow her motion was out of order because Roberts Rules of Order does not allow elected officials to make a motion to table items if a motion to approve or deny had not been previously made.
Growing frustrated, Marlow asked if it was the board's responsibility to compile the agenda, to which Read replied that per school board policy, it was the superintendent's agenda.
"I’m not even sure what my role is anymore," Marlow said in frustration.
The debate on the agenda item was preceded by a work session in which the board was briefed on matters that could impact employees and whether or not the district would have to implement more furlough days in the next school year.
"I can’t imagine that we are spending really this much time on something so inconsequential, particularly with the kinds of issues that we just talked about in the work session that are so consequential to the future of this system," Petruzielo stated, referring to the what the board discussed during the work session.
Don't miss any news from Woodstock-Towne Lake Patch! Subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here. Also, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
Leo Smith
6:18 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Thanks Kelly Marlow for this valued leadership. I pray the board will heed with wisdom that citizens are growing weary of the lack of transparency and spending without critical thinking and thorough vetting. All spending and budget planning is consequential to the future of the system. Cherokee, Cobb and others would be wise to pay attention to the woes of Fulton, Dekalb, Clayton and so many others,. Better to implement preventive measures now than to lose control of your systems later. Please join the effort to reform local financing of education needs. Fund the Educators 1st! Together we can create better legislation for local education funding. Fund the Educators 1st. LIKE the developing FACEBOOK effort at https://www.facebook.com/EducationFundingPetition
-Decrease Teacher Furloughs
-Fund Learning Objectives over Buildings
-Engage Citizens with a November Ballot on SPLOST Votes
-Prioritize Projects Based on Community Needs
-Hold the System Accountable for Wasteful Spending and Mis-managed Project Timelines
Terry T
12:10 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Leo you are mistaken, our school district goes out of their way to be transparent to taxpayers. What Ms. Marlow is suggesting would increase the work load of an already burdened administrative staff and it would be redundant as the information is already available to the public. What I would like to know is why Ms. Marlow does not hold CCA to the same standards as CCSD especially when it comes to transparency with financial information with our tax dollars. After all Ms. Marlow's children attend CCA not CCSD!
Concerned citizen
10:14 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Dr. P is correct - Ms. Marlow is trying to fix problems that don't exist. The disdain she has shown towards the schools employees is disheartening. I get she dislikes Dr. P but instead of fighting him on silly stuff how about get over it and start battling the real problem our state gov't and the cuts they keep imposing on our kids.
Harry A
10:58 am on Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The reality is that they (state government) aren't imposing cuts due to anything other than the GREAT RECESSION that we are still in. I am more concerned about a fiefdom created and extolling the virtues of one person, shades of APS! Don't you realize it is the teachers and staff that create increases in standards and scores imposed on them? At no time has Dr. P even noted that the ECONOMY is the reason for underfunding on both the state and county level.
Holly J
12:03 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2013
The "austerity cuts" began WELL before the recession. Sonny Perdue started them 10 years ago. Yes, the economy is hurting the state budget- and Dr. P has noted that time and again- but the cuts came before the crunch and have continued while tax credits have been given for SSOs and money is always found for charter schools.
Kathleen A.
10:22 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Concerned citizen ~ I have to agree with you completely. Instead of wasting money in repetitiveness it would be better if she spent her time getting acquainted with what is already included in the budget.
Clark
10:41 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I think the key statement is "I’m not even sure what my role is anymore." When you are elected with a mindset like Marlow's and a grudge to grind, no issue is going to be too petty. Get used to another two years of confronting the administration on everything from the color of tiles in the girls bathroom to whether crossing guards should wear orange.
Terry T
12:10 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Unfortunately we are facing four more years of Marlow's grudge that is unless we are able to have her recalled!
Susan L.
11:10 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Mr. Smith, there was no "valued leadership" exhibited by Ms. Marlow at the Board meeting on Thursday evening. Instead, she appeared to wish to divert the Board's attention away from the real issues -- student achievement, funding woes, etc. -- to spend valuable time on "important" issues like making sure the Board's policy states that the "newly revised" Roberts Rules of Order must be used. In reference to Ms. Marlow's comment, "I'm not even sure what my role is," it appeared to those in attendance that her sole purpose was to disrupt the meeting and waste time on trivial matters when the school system is dealing with some of the biggest challenges is recent history.
Brook
11:55 am on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Mrs. Marlow is doing EXACTLY what we elected her to do. I do not see any problem with any board member questioning the budget or Superintendent P. Just because it 'isn't broke" or has always been done is no reason to continue to do it. Keep questioning what doesn't seem right Kelly - you are doing great!!! Rock the boat - change is good!!!
Lisa H.
12:10 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Someone has dared to question Dr. P! Oh my, what is the world coming to when we actually question what the government officials are doing with our money? Perhaps it wasn't the best choice of a problem to jump on but I would love to see some real looks at what Cherokee County Schools spends their - Our money! - on each year.
Terry T
12:30 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
Brook you may have elected Marlow to be a disruptive uninformed force but the general public does not appreciate behavior like this that is likely to put our district at risk with SACS should this continue. Maybe that is what you and Ms. Marlow would like to achieve!
Nancy Z.
12:52 pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013
I am all for fighting battles that are worth being fought. I am against personal vendetta's and wars that are lodged between those that were put in power by the taxpayers to represent the good of the children of Cherokee County. These are the children that are part of the CCSD school system. The comment "I’m not even sure what my role is anymore," Marlow said in frustration shows a degree of immaturity in her vocabulary which I would hope as a CCSD parent isn't presented itself. Bite your tongue Kelly, think before you speak, and take the time to see what is important and stop trying to pounce on Dr. P., and do what you you were elected to do, work to make this district one of the best. I have been CCSD parent for the past 15 years,proudly seen 2 graduate and one that will next year and I have to say congratulations CCSD Board and TEACHERS for all you have done and are doing to make our system one to be proud of.
Flock of Schoolgirls
9:23 am on Sunday, March 24, 2013
If the petulant Ms. Marlow! doesn't know what her role is anymore, could she please resign and let someone be elected who does?
Mike payne
12:49 pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Yes, we need more parrots like Janet Reed to follow orders from Dr. P. With double digit furlough days scheduled for next year why worry about costs now. Even better lets insult those who are concerned with the status quo. Fifteen years he has been in charge as he arrogantly stated, so who is this new woman to question his authority? Maybe he should get over getting smoked in the past election or better yet realize we do not need another FDR, time for him to move on.
Terry T
2:31 pm on Friday, March 29, 2013
@Mike Payne I have to ask if you were at the meeting, if not did you at least watch the video of the meeting? I watched the video and what I saw was an incredible level of patience demonstrated by Dr. P and Ms. Read toward Ms. Marlow’s incredible lack of knowledge of our schools and of her role as a school board member. Knowledge is a powerful tool and I would suggest that you take some time to become informed before you make such nasty incorrect comments about people you know nothing about. Had you attended the debates this past summer you would have heard Janet Read explain that she often disagrees with Dr. P, but she meets with him privately to discuss their disagreements. That is how a professional handles these matters, they don’t duke it out in a public forum and subject us all to a hot mess like Ms. Marlow has demonstrated at each of three school board meetings. In my opinion, Ms. Marlow is grandstanding for attention and unfortunately for us she has little to no knowledge of her role as a board member which she even admitted to at the last meeting. What really troubles me is that she has little to no knowledge of our public school system for which she now serves on the board for. Maybe if she sent her children to our public school district she would be aware that field trips are paid for by the students and their parents and not the taxpayers.
Becky B
2:56 pm on Friday, March 29, 2013
@Mike Payne Many of us here in Cherokee feel that we are blessed to have Dr. P as our superintendent. He would be in high demand at many schools districts from around the country should he decide to move from Cherokee. I don’t believe he is concerned with winning a popularity contest as he is more focused on making sure that our school district provides every child in our district with the best educational experience possible. You don’t have to like the man but you should at least show respect to him for his accomplishments. He came to Cherokee at a time when our school district was on the brink of losing accreditation from SACS and he turned our schools around to the award winning schools we have today. Under Dr. P’s leadership our schools continue to improve their test scores and expand the choices for educational opportunities for the children of our district, and he along with the administrators and teachers have accomplished this while working with a budget that has been cut to the bone. I say KUDOS to Dr. P and the entire team at CCSD, thanks for all you do!
Donna Broadus
10:06 am on Thursday, April 4, 2013
I agree with Becky and Terry. I've been in the county 20 years and all my children have attended Cherokee Schools. I remember when we almost lost accreditation, we were thinking about moving to Cobb County. Dr. P came in and now Cherokee is tops in the state! I'm in real estate and have people moving here for the school system alone.