Sunday, July 13, 2008
Editorial: Hold school retreats locally
The school board needn't travel to Roanoke for a relaxed environment.
From the RoundTable blog
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The Montgomery County School Board wanted a summer getaway this weekend, like the one it takes every year. Board members call it a retreat, a chance to leave the phones behind, knuckle down and do some work. In the past, they have headed to Mountain Lake, more recently to the Hotel Roanoke.
If all went as planned, they were down in the Star City Friday night and Saturday. We hope they enjoyed themselves, because this should be the last year they leave the county.
It is hard to begrudge public servants one night and one day of relaxed conversations. Sometimes people need to get out of the office to develop fresh ideas and recharge the mental batteries.
Nevertheless, public servants must balance those needs against responsible stewardship and public accountability.
The school board holds official discussions on its retreats. That makes them public meetings, open to anyone who cares about the county's schools. This weekend's agenda featured year-end reviews, the comprehensive plan and a facilities update.
Yet the school board hardly accommodates the public. It did not head off to a resort in West Virginia, as the Salem City Council did last year, but it still drove about 45 minutes away.
That was not as big a deal in the past, before gas were at a record high. Attending both days of a public meeting in Roanoke costs citizens real money now.
Schools that chronically seek more taxpayer dollars might even save a few bucks if leaders did not travel so far. This weekend's retreat was to cost about $6,300. Nearly half of that was for a Blacksburg-based facilitator. Some more goes for meals. A couple of thousand, though, paid for travel and hotel rooms.
There is no compelling reason to go all the way to Roanoke or any other distant locale just to get out of the office. Places like the Inn at Virginia Tech are local and can comfortably accommodate seven board members, some staff and any public attendees.
Next year, the school board should choose a site with the public in mind and spend taxpayer money locally. Take a retreat in beautiful Montgomery County.
