2021-11-22 - MPS Board Meeting - Renita Bonadies Public Comments

Here is a link to the whole MPS Board Meeting and documents:
https://midlandps.communitybydiligent.com/Portal/MeetingInformation.aspx?Org=Cal&Id=78

Here is a rough transcript of my talk:

As I mentioned at the last meeting, the Bylaws state: Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to five (5) minutes duration. Again you have violated the Bylaws by reducing the time for speaking at this meeting. Instead you have doubled down by putting new things on the agenda, like redefining the ‘Requests to Address the Board’ item, with no public discussion or vote by board. That is not how the rules you are governed by work.

I left a message about any of the four Study Committee meetings being open to the general public. Megan called back and said that they are ‘for information gathering only and no voting or decision making takes place. So therefore they do not fall under the OMA.’ As noted earlier by my husband, there are obviously decisions, under the definition of the OMA, taking place. The public has vested interest in understanding and seeing this process of decision making by this board, as it is not carried out on all topics at the monthly meetings. The board also went from twice a month meetings to once a month in January 2014, after Mr Sharrow was hired. The further lack of transparency of doing board business in public was not the intent of the OMA.

At the October 25th meeting, Mr Sharrow stated, and I quote, “the law does say I need to keep kids protected ... It says I must as the Superintendent. And so I signed an Oath to that.” This is actually a lie by Mr Sharrow and has been verified by email with Cindy. I asked for a copy of the Superintendent's Oath of office. Her response: Mr. Sharrow is not an elected official so he does not hold an office and, therefore, does not take an oath of office. Only you as elected board members take an Oath. Is this how Mr Sharrow tries to imply more authority and commitment to these children than he really has?

We also learned from Lynn that you have been given special board member training from MASB. You are trained on how to be sure your employee, Mr Sharrow, isn't made to look bad at a public meeting. You have to spoon feed him questions ahead of time, so he is never put on the spot at these meetings. I would remind you as elected officials, hired by we the people, that you took an oath to the Constitution and answer to us. Mr Sharrow is your employee, not your boss. You can show respect, but are to hold him accountable to what he proposes and the decisions he is making for this district. You are not to be just yes men and women.

If you find your task too difficult or are afraid to ask the tough questions, including holding Mr Sharrow accountable, then you need to resign now. There are others ready and able to serve this community in your place.