Lancaster ISD board meeting ruled illegal, canceled

by Bill Conrad of Lancaster TODAY

LANCASTER — The Sept. 8 regular meeting of the Lancaster Independent School District Board of Trustees was canceled just over an hour and half in, when trustees declared the agenda had not been posted online by the Sept. 5, 7 p.m. deadline.

The meeting began as planned, with citizen's comments and reports from the superintendent and board president taking up the first hour.

During citizen's comments, Richard Griesman told the board that the meeting was illegal due to the agenda not being posted in accordance with state law. Board attorney Cynthia Hill said she believed the meeting was legal, and the board carried on with the meeting.

After approving the consent agenda, the board entered into executive session. When the board returned, Board President Carolyn Morris announced the meeting was adjourned due to the agenda not being posted online by the deadline.

Hill then gave a more detailed explanation to those in attendance.

“It is my understanding that we have been able to check and that the agenda was not posted on the district website on Friday as required,” Hill said. “Accordingly, as the district's website did not include the agenda as required, all of the actions taken by the board could be voidable so it is my advice that the board discontinue with any business and call a meeting in accordance with the open meetings act that is properly posted not only outside the (administration) building, but also on the website.”

The agenda for Sept. 8 included approving Superintendent Larry Lewis' 2008-09 goals, as well as approving the Texas Instruments Math Forward Program. The board was also going to ratify a change to the contract with Cambridge Strategic Planning.

Morris announced that there would be a called meeting Sept. 16 to address the agenda items from the canceled meeting, but as of press time, no meeting had been posted on the district website.