Georgia Johnson's termination gets vote at June 4 special meeting

The La Conner School District’s Board of Directors will have Food Services Director Georgia Johnson’s termination on their agenda for the third time in two weeks when it convenes for a special meeting June 4 at 5:30 p.m. The Board did not comply with the state’s Open Public Meetings Act when it “considered Resolution 18-08 regarding” Johnson’s employment at its May 20 meeting, Superintendent Whitney Meissner wrote in a letter dated May 24.

The letter states “the Board and I did not fully comply with the Open Public Meetings Act, and thus we consider the action taken on the matter at that meeting to be null and void.” Meisner cites preserving Johnson’s confidentiality as the reason the Board did not discuss the item in public.

Johnson received notice Sunday. The letter, dated May 24, was apparently placed on the District’s website Sunday, also.

Meissner notified Johnson of her termination before the May 20 meeting. Resolution 18-08 was not on that meeting’s public agenda.

Meissner “sincerely apologize[d] for the error and the confusion and frustration it has caused” in the May 24 letter.

Director Lynette Cram asked for an item, apparently Resolution 18-08, to be removed from the consent agenda May 20. It seemed the board took a vote, defeating her motion. If this was the case, that was in violation of District policy 1420, which defines the consent agenda as “those items considered to be routine in nature.” It is used to reduce time at meetings.

Policy 1420 states “Any item which appears on the consent agenda may be removed on request by a member of the board and placed on the regular agenda.” If Cram’s request was turned down, the Board violated its own policy.

Meissner is secretary to the board and frequently consults with the board president, this year Janie Beasley, on governance.

The Board’s second meeting was held entirely in executive session May 23, except for calling the roll and adjourning. The District’s lawyer, Bill Coats, attended.

Some 10 area residents attended in support of Johnson, led by her sister, Maggie Wilder. The Board went to a second floor meeting room, leaving the district board room to the public.

Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 RCW, requires public agencies to adopt resolutions at public meetings by public votes of their members. Board members who meet knowing they are in violation are personally liable. The civil penalty is $500 for a first violation.

The June 4 meeting will be in the District Board Room in the administration building on North Sixth Street. The agenda will be on the District website via Board Docs and will include the entire text of Resolution 18-0.8.

The BoardDocs website has been https://www.boarddocs.com/wa/laconner/Board.nsf/Public. On Monday the url changed slightly and there were problems accessing materials.