Senator Richard F. Colburn - A Shore Senator

Elected school board backers push vote
Supporters see bid for more hearings as delaying tactic by Talbot council
By GREG MAKI
Staff Writer - Star Democrat
February 11, 2005

ANNAPOLIS — Advocates for an elected school board in Talbot County and the senator who sponsored the bill told a Senate committee Wednesday that further public meetings before a vote is taken are unnecessary.

The Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 573, sponsored by Sen. Richard Colburn, R-37B-Mid-Shore.

Hilary Spence, vice president of the Talbot County Council, asked the committee to delay a vote until the council has a chance to hold a public meeting. She said the citizens have not had an opportunity to be heard on the content of the bill. The straw poll on the ballot in the November 2004 election asked only if the public wanted to change the method of selecting members of the Talbot County Board of Education from gubernatorial appointment to election.

“The bill, as submitted, doesn’t adequately reflect public input,” Spence said.

Colburn and Dels. Jeannie Haddaway, R-37B-Talbot, and Addie Eckardt, R-37B-Dorchester, held a public meeting in Easton on Jan. 21, 2004. About 50 people attended and 80 percent voted in favor of an elected school board, Colburn said.

At that meeting, Colburn said, he was clear about the specifics of the bill he would introduce. He said he promised he would do all he could to ensure a minority district. “That’s a promise I intend to keep.”

Colburn said the county council has time to hold public meetings because a hearing on the House version of the bill, House Bill 119, has not been scheduled. The bill, introduced Jan. 19, has been assigned to the House Ways and Means committee.

Sen. Joan Carter Conway, D-43-Baltimore City, vice chairman of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee, said that if the public wants input on the bill, “the forum is here.”

Juanita Ward, president of the Easton High School alumni association and leader of a petition drive in favor of last year’s ballot question, said the county council has had more than two months to hold hearings. The council is raising its concerns “at the last minute,” she said. More public meetings are being perceived as a tactic by the county council “to keep elected school board candidates from being able to run in the 2006 election,” she said.

In the straw poll last November, more than 75 percent voted in favor of switching to an elected school board.

Colburn said his bill “ensures all people from all neighborhoods in Talbot County will have a voice in how we run our schools.”

According to a draft copy of the bill, the Talbot County Board of Education would have seven voting members elected from each election district. There also would be one non-voting student member from each high school.

Board members would have to live in the district they wish to represent. If a member moves out of the district, he or she may not continue on the school board.

Boundaries for the school board election districts would be established after each census. The first districts would be established by the bill, however.

Whenever the boundaries are due to be redrawn, the county council would have to appoint a redistricting commission that would include four people nominated by each political party that got at least 15 percent of the vote in the last general election and one additional person. Elected officials could not serve on the redistricting commission.

Spence said the redistricting commission should be nonpartisan, selected by an organization such as the League of Women Voters. But Colburn said the county has the authority to pass its own redistricting plan if it is not in favor of the one presented the commission.

The election districts would have to include at least one in which a majority of the voting age population consists of racial minorities. The districts also must be reasonably compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population.

Elected school board members would serve four years, beginning Jan. 1 after their election. Voting members could not serve more than three consecutive terms.

The terms of the elected members would be staggered, with members from districts 1, 3, 4 and 7 elected in the 2006 general election, and every four years thereafter, and members from districts 2, 5 and 6 elected at the 2008 general election, and every four years thereafter. The governor would appoint someone to fill any vacancy.

According to an amendment Colburn offered Wednesday, a gubernatorial appointee would serve until the next congressional election. No appointed member would serve more than two years.

Spence said the county council wants the authority to fill vacancies. Seventy percent of the school system’s operating budget is funded locally, she said.

Colburn observed that the council voted last year to maintain the gubernatorial appointment process (the council voted 3-to-2 to request the straw poll legislation but rescinded the request three weeks later when Councilwoman Hope Harrington changed her vote), but now wants to take all the power from the governor.

Copies of SB 573 and HB 119 are available on the Maryland General Assembly’s Web site. Go to http://mlis.state.md.us, click on the “Bill Information and Status” link, type the bill number (SB573 or HB119) in the box, and click “submit query.” When the bill information appears, scroll to the bottom and click on “First Reading” to view or download an unofficial copy of the bill.


Paid for by Citizens for Colburn Committee. Authority John W. Phillips, Jr., Treasurer		Elected school board backers push vote Supporters see bid for more hearings as delaying tactic by Talbot council By GREG MAKI Staff Writer - Star Democrat February 11, 2005 ANNAPOLIS — Advocates for an elected school board in Talbot County and the senator who sponsored the bill told a Senate committee Wednesday that further public meetings before a vote is taken are unnecessary. The Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 573, sponsored by Sen. Richard Colburn, R-37B-Mid-Shore. Hilary Spence, vice president of the Talbot County Council, asked the committee to delay a vote until the council has a chance to hold a public meeting. She said the citizens have not had an opportunity to be heard on the content of the bill. The straw poll on the ballot in the November 2004 election asked only if the public wanted to change the method of selecting members of the Talbot County Board of Education from gubernatorial appointment to election. “The bill, as submitted, doesn’t adequately reflect public input,” Spence said. Colburn and Dels. Jeannie Haddaway, R-37B-Talbot, and Addie Eckardt, R-37B-Dorchester, held a public meeting in Easton on Jan. 21, 2004. About 50 people attended and 80 percent voted in favor of an elected school board, Colburn said. At that meeting, Colburn said, he was clear about the specifics of the bill he would introduce. He said he promised he would do all he could to ensure a minority district. “That’s a promise I intend to keep.” Colburn said the county council has time to hold public meetings because a hearing on the House version of the bill, House Bill 119, has not been scheduled. The bill, introduced Jan. 19, has been assigned to the House Ways and Means committee. Sen. Joan Carter Conway, D-43-Baltimore City, vice chairman of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs committee, said that if the public wants input on the bill, “the forum is here.” Juanita Ward, president of the Easton High School alumni association and leader of a petition drive in favor of last year’s ballot question, said the county council has had more than two months to hold hearings. The council is raising its concerns “at the last minute,” she said. More public meetings are being perceived as a tactic by the county council “to keep elected school board candidates from being able to run in the 2006 election,” she said. In the straw poll last November, more than 75 percent voted in favor of switching to an elected school board. Colburn said his bill “ensures all people from all neighborhoods in Talbot County will have a voice in how we run our schools.” According to a draft copy of the bill, the Talbot County Board of Education would have seven voting members elected from each election district. There also would be one non-voting student member from each high school. Board members would have to live in the district they wish to represent. If a member moves out of the district, he or she may not continue on the school board. Boundaries for the school board election districts would be established after each census. The first districts would be established by the bill, however. Whenever the boundaries are due to be redrawn, the county council would have to appoint a redistricting commission that would include four people nominated by each political party that got at least 15 percent of the vote in the last general election and one additional person. Elected officials could not serve on the redistricting commission. Spence said the redistricting commission should be nonpartisan, selected by an organization such as the League of Women Voters. But Colburn said the county has the authority to pass its own redistricting plan if it is not in favor of the one presented the commission. The election districts would have to include at least one in which a majority of the voting age population consists of racial minorities. The districts also must be reasonably compact, contiguous, and substantially equal in population. Elected school board members would serve four years, beginning Jan. 1 after their election. Voting members could not serve more than three consecutive terms. The terms of the elected members would be staggered, with members from districts 1, 3, 4 and 7 elected in the 2006 general election, and every four years thereafter, and members from districts 2, 5 and 6 elected at the 2008 general election, and every four years thereafter. The governor would appoint someone to fill any vacancy. According to an amendment Colburn offered Wednesday, a gubernatorial appointee would serve until the next congressional election. No appointed member would serve more than two years. Spence said the county council wants the authority to fill vacancies. Seventy percent of the school system’s operating budget is funded locally, she said. Colburn observed that the council voted last year to maintain the gubernatorial appointment process (the council voted 3-to-2 to request the straw poll legislation but rescinded the request three weeks later when Councilwoman Hope Harrington changed her vote), but now wants to take all the power from the governor. Copies of SB 573 and HB 119 are available on the Maryland General Assembly’s Web site. Go to http://mlis.state.md.us, click on the “Bill Information and Status” link, type the bill number (SB573 or HB119) in the box, and click “submit query.” When the bill information appears, scroll to the bottom and click on “First Reading” to view or download an unofficial copy of the bill.