The Galesburg School District hoped a new budget reduction committee would eliminate around $2 million to help balance its books. But now it will have to take a new approach.
The committee was formed during a special school board meeting on Monday. The 25-member group included teachers, union members, business leaders, and other stakeholders in the district. The goal was to offer recommendations in January.
But the Galesburg Register-Mail raised concerns about whether the committee's meetings would be open to the public and the media. As a result, Superintendent Ralph Grimm recommended the school board use a special board meeting on October 5 to disband the committee. Grimm said he would like to see a new ad-hoc committee formed by the October 13 regular meeting.
Grimm said he wants meetings closed to protect employees in the district who might be affected by the cuts.
“I did not want that person, or those affected individuals, to hear that news, coming across on the radio station or reading about it in the newspaper immediately after the meeting concludes that night, before we have an opportunity to talk to those people,” Grimm said.
Grimm said the new ad-hoc committee will need to determine its size, meeting dates, and other logistics. He said some aspects from the soon-to-be disbanded committee to remain.
“The board and I feel strongly that we need to have input from our community. We definitely want to keep the opportunity to provide that to our stakeholders, and do it in as efficient a manner as we can,” Grimm said.
