Youngstown school board gets rid of committees

Staff report

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The city school board will no longer have committees, opting instead to have all resolutions come directly to the full board.

“We’ll discuss everything as a committee as a whole or in caucus,” said Lock P. Beachum Sr., school board president.

The announcement came at this week’s regular board meeting where Beachum also apologized on the board’s behalf to the public.

At a meeting earlier this month, some board members argued among themselves and with Superintendent Connie Hathorn about which committees certain resolutions should go through such as finance, personnel, business and curriculum.

Beachum said the change is to improve efficiency and communication, which he said some board members believe was lacking.

“Communication will be a priority,” he said. “Every board member will be able to learn every detail of everything as much as possible.”

The board also changes next month to its summer meeting schedule. Caucus will begin at 4:30 p.m. followed by the regular meeting at 5 p.m. for July and August. Meetings will continue the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Irene Ward Building on Wood Street.