Eastpointe school board brings back trustee comments, second hearing of the public

EASTPOINTE — Members of the Eastpointe Community Schools Board of Education are opening up the lines of communication with the public.

At the Feb. 10 board meeting, the school board voted 7-0 to reinstate the trustee comments at each board meeting. The trustee comments are designed to give the school board a chance to speak individually on various matters and share important information from the board table.

“I really think this is important that we have an opportunity to talk to the people of Eastpointe, or say things that we need to discuss openly so that the people will understand or know what’s going on,” Trustee Addie Richardson said. “We need to make sure that we’re covering things that we’re hearing so that the people know that everything is up and up.”

Trustee Ian McCain feels the trustee comments will be another way to communicate with the public.

“Each of us are involved in different ways and different things within the community. So whether it’s nonprofit organizations or things going on in the city, I think it’s another opportunity for us to be able to share information with the public,” he said.

The board also voted 6-1 to reestablish the second hearing of the public. Board President Chineva Early voted against the measure. Currently, the board just has one hearing of the public in which people can speak about any topic, including agenda items.

Generally, the district’s hearing of the public is held after the consent agenda is voted on and the superintendent’s report is shared, but before the discussion/action items. Now that the second hearing of the public will be reinstated, Early explained the process of having two public hearings.

“Public hearings, by law, we have to have at least one,” she said. “So, it is not required that we have two. If we vote yes to bring that back, the first hearing of the public must be agenda items only, not just free will to talk. And then that second one would be anything else. Open comments.”

Therefore, moving forward, the first hearing of the public will be about agenda items only and held during the meeting. The second hearing of the public will cover all subject matters and will be held at the end of the meeting.

“The reason why this was originally removed was because we didn’t have people coming in and we didn’t have people talking about agenda items. It was more or less just telling your opinions and that type of thing,” Early said. “So, I would be good with moving that to after our agenda items instead of adding a second one. Because for people who is going to come, they’re going to come and voice their opinions. They want to be heard. I totally agree with that. But some people don’t come and talk about just agenda items. For them to come and speak, I think it would be good to just move that one hearing of the public down.”

“I still think we should offer two. I don’t think a lot of people will speak at the first one, but I think we should at least give them the opportunity,” Trustee Shelly Cioppa said. “I think it will go pretty fast. And then let them talk about whatever at the end.”

The board will confirm instructions for the two hearings.

“For the second hearing of the public, we’ll have a little something written out to let everybody know that the first hearing of the public must be agenda items only,” Early said. “And the second hearing of the public will be when open speech is.”

The Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 24 at Eastpointe City Hall, 23200 Gratiot Ave.