Andrea Evans. (Click to view her "Faculty Profile".)

The meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m. All members were present (Manul Goins being the third member.)

Chairperson Lewin then asked if there were any comments from the public. CAT President De De O'Shea went to the podium and stated the following: "We are going to pursue legal action about the filling of the Early Childhood Prevention Initiative 0-3 grant position on the advice of our UniServ Director. We have turned it over to our IEA attorney."

The FOP voted to enter closed session at 6:06 p.m. The FOP voted to exit closed session at 6:42 p.m.

(CAT Tracks Editor's Note: They had already begun before we got back to our seats...and I couldn't hear a thing. Have to say the "not hearing part" was evidently my fault, because the AC was not running. Interim Superintendent Swopes was doing most of the talking, but his back was to the audience. Those sitting at the table seemed to be able to hear and even Madam CAT President was able to take some notes. So much for my major investment in hearing aids!)

Anyway...

I evidently didn't miss much. The extensive discussion was about Item #6 on the agenda: "Consideration of Tabled Item from July 25, 2011 Regular Meeting: Action Item #4:...the installation of doors in the 'POD'". The reason I say that...when whatever was said was done, they tabled the matter again. Chairperson Lewin advised the Superintendent to come back with a plan of what would be the next steps/phases after the installation of the doors...to warrant spending $15,337 on doors in the first place.

The FOP then moved on to Item #7 on their agenda: "Consideration of the actions taken by the BOE at its September 15th meeting"...

Of the six items to be considered, only one item - the hiring of a person to fill the Early Childhood Prevention Initiative 0-3 grant "Parent Educator" position - met with resistance. There was no mention of the legal issues raised by CAT President O'Shea, but there was concern that the Cairo Board of Education had approved the hiring of an individual for the position without specifying a salary for the person. FOP Member Goins seemed rather aghast..."How could you do that?"

Much discussion ensued. Interim Superintendent Swopes cited an urgency to fill the position, a sentiment echoed by BOE Member Brenda Gooden...who raised the specter that the grant might be lost if not filled in a timely fashion. Interim Superintendent tried smoothing things over by stating that he had determined a salary range of $27,000 to $31,000 for the position (even though the grant lists a salary of $62,000 for the year-round position.) When questioned further about the discrepancy in what was awarded and what the District would pay and would the money be lost, Dr. Swopes stated that the grant would be amended so that the savings could be spent on the purchase of additional materials.

(CAT Tracks Editor's Note: Gotta say, something smells rotten in CSD #1. I mean...maybe Dr. Swopes is right, but I have to be skeptical. The grant already envisioned the materials needed and appropriate for the program. The "big bucks" were awarded based upon an expectation that the person hired was going to be a certified teacher...one of whom applied for the position. I find it unlikely that the State of Illinois is going to allow CSD #1 to hire a noncertified person for the position and let it spend "the savings" on extras. I may be wrong, but I believe Dr. Swopes was "winging it"...trying to snooker the FOP into approving the BOE's Thursday night hire. Well, at least for tonight, the FOP wasn't buying it. The FOP chose to put the item "on hold" for its October meeting...giving the BOE time to approve a definite salary for the position.)

The remainder of the meeting was uneventful. (Oh, the FOP also put Item #8 - "Status of District's plans to fill the Superintendent's position" - on hold, directing the BOE to come up with "a plan".)

The FOP did decide to change the time of its next meeting (and maybe all future meetings)...moving it back to mornings, 11 a.m. on October 24th.