The answer to my "wonder" was YES!

Two attorneys from Collinsville office of Robbins et al (Belinda Becker, who co-represented CSD #1 in the IELRB hearing Re: James Gibson in October 2009 and Gene Hanses, who co-represented the District in the arbitration hearing Re: James gibson in June 2007) were in attendance. (They drove separate vehicles, so, once again..."double dipping".)

Mildly surprising was the presence of, not the usual one, but two of the District's three Financial Advisors (Jim Bales and Tom Oates, the consultants hired by the FOP to do the financial "crunching".)

But, the BIG surprise was the attendance of two of the three members of the CSD Financial Oversight Panel (Chairman Glenn Webb and Member Elizabeth Lewin.)

And, on the telephone, a representative of the Illinois State Board of Education, Debbie Vespa.

In short...movers and shakers...BIG DOINGS!!!

As for the minutes...

I. Call To Order - 6:04 p.m.

II. Roll Call - Mary Coleman, Charlene Vaughn, Artie McBride, Vernon Stubblefield, Brenda Gooden, and Arnold Burris. Absent - Danny Brown.

III. Recognition and Comments from Employees and Public - None.

IV. Approval of Agenda - Special Meeting - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

V. Closed Session

• The BOE voted to enter closed session at 6:05 p.m.

• The attorneys left the meeting/building at 6:56 p.m. (and caucused on the sidewalk in front of the building.)

• A couple of minutes later, the Financial Advisors left the meeting and moved across the hall to their offices.

• A couple of minutes later, the two FOP members left the meeting/building.

• A couple of minutes later, the Financial Advisors left the building.

• The BOE voted to exit closed session at 7:10 p.m.

Without further action or comment on Agenda Items VI. or VII., the BOE skipped to...

VIII. Adjourn...A motion was made, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 7:10 p.m.

In conclusion...

WOW!

Instead of CATs on some hot, stone steps, what Madam President and I wouldn't have given to have been flies on the walls of the Board of Education room.

I mean...

• Were the BOE and FOP reviewing the status of current cases and planning future strategy?

• Were the BOE and FOP pulling the plug on current cases...finally cutting their losses?

• Were the BOE and FOP selecting new targets for new litigation?

Time will tell...