Board President Resigns

News Comes After Vote To Change Meeting Times

— School Board President Travis Riggs has resigned. His last meeting will be in February.

Riggs resigned Thursday night following a vote by the board to move all of its committee meetings from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The additional night meetings on top of what he already attends will take too much time away from his family, Riggs said. He has served on the board for 12 years.

“That is not a sacrifice that I am willing to make,” Riggs said. “I am already away with a lot of night activities.”

At A Glance

Meetings

The Bentonville School Board approved moving committee meetings to 5:30 p.m. beginning in March. The board will discuss the structure and what days the meetings will be held during a policy committee meeting Feb. 26.

Source: Staff Report

The board has four committee meetings and its regular board meeting. It has been board practice to add an additional committee meeting to the lineup when the district is planning a construction project. The board holds four night board retreats a year. It also is common for the board to hold special meetings such the one held Thursday night.

Typically, two or three board members attend committee meetings. The committees don’t take action on items, but make recommendations to the full board.

Marshall Ney, the school district’s legal counsel, said it recently was discovered all regular meetings involving board members have to be held after 5 p.m. per state law.

“The interesting aspect of that is that the board has been doing it for at least a decade, to my knowledge,” Ney said of committee meetings held before 5 p.m. “No one really raised the question. There became a discussion whether the lunchtime meetings were convenient for the current board, and during that, they stumbled upon the law.”

Ney served with Riggs on the school board for more than eight years.

“He worked on two successful millage campaigns, he managed more than $200 million worth of construction on facilities,” Ney said of Riggs. “He oversaw a transition of leadership from our former superintendent to our current. He has been a strong voice and a strong leader over a period of time that saw the district perform at a high academic level.”

Superintendent Michael Poore was hired during Riggs’ term on the board.

“He is the person who came to Colorado Springs to interview me,” Poore said of Riggs. “It is a special relationship for me. He has been an excellent person to work with and has provided guidance as a board president.”

Riggs has been a voice for district staff and faculty, Poore said.

“Travis is the kind of person that our staff really had a connection to,” Poore said. “He always asked tough questions. He wasn’t always going to agree, but he always honored their work. There is a sense of loss in the district today.”

Riggs said he is going to miss working on the board but feels it is the right time to move on.

“I think we have done a lot as a board and as a school district,” Riggs said. “I’m going to miss it, I know that. I think change sometimes is good. Maybe this will leave that opportunity.”

Mary Ley, school district communications director, said an announcement about the open board position will be posted on the district’s website once Riggs delivers an official letter of resignation.

People who live in the school district’s Zone 5 can print off an application or receive one at the district’s administration building, 500 Tiger Blvd., Ley said. The board will vote on who will replace Riggs after interviewing candidates. The person who replaces Riggs will have to run for election in November.

Willie Cowgur, board vice president, will sit as interim president until the seat is filled and the board has voted on new officer positions.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 01/26/2013

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