Near North School board Chair Jay Aspin says an upcoming vote on the decision to close Widdifield Secondary will be open and public.
See: School board to hold second vote on closing Widdifield
"What we've committed to doing is re-vote on the decision by the former board," Aspin told BayToday. "There was quite a controversy and a lot of reasons for it with transparency concerns."
The first step says Aspin is to let the public know what went on.
"The ombudsman has given us specific direction after an investigation. Now we've got to let the public know about the first step Monday night (Aug. 19). We're going to be very candid about what went on and outline the missteps of the former board.
A new final staff report and attached documentation will be presented to the Board of Trustees at that meeting and published on their website.
Having done that we are going revisit the decision in a debate on September 10 in an open, transparent session of the committee of the whole," says Aspin.
Any online comments will be compiled and presented at that meeting beginning at 6 p.m.
A new recommendation and motion will be voted on secondary school consolidation will take place at the September 24, regular board meeting beginning at 6 p.m.
"We want to move this ahead. We've been patiently waiting for the Ombudsman's decision which had some very valuable recommendations on the former board's process which we should implement. So we're moving on as soon as we can. We want to get this behind us."
