Truckers Sit Tight, 
Wait Out The Storm

Mission Into Somalia Is A Welcome Move

By JAMES RUBIN; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Thursday, December 10, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 2A QUICK WORDS: NANTICOKE AREA SCHOOL
DISTRICT GREATER 





NANTICOKE -- The superintendent of Greater Nanticoke Area schools violated
the spirit of the Pennsylvania Open Meetings Law, a school board director
claims, by refusing to give a taxpayer an advance copy of a meeting agenda. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 School director Cal Reinbold says he isn't pleased by the refusal of
superintendent Charles Davis, who says he was just trying to follow the letter
of the law. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Last Friday Davis refused to give a citizen a copy of the agenda for
today's school board meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His action violated a resolution the board passed last month requiring the
district to provide taxpayers with agendas by 3 p.m. on the Friday prior to
the board meetings. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis says he was not trying to defy the board's policy, but that he did
not hand out the agendas because they had not been approved by the board. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is just a legality that will be hopefully straightened out so I know
what to do," Davis said. "What I had was not the official agenda. If the board
tells me to release (the unofficial agenda), I'll release it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Association (PNPA) spokesman says
Davis' action violated the spirit of the open meeting law, which guarantees
constituents the right to observe a governmental agency's policy deliberations
for everything except specific personnel decisions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I don't know why the district would make a policy and then disobey it,"
PNPA's Dave Morgan said. "The superintendent is subject to the dictates of the
board. Now he's going to have to answer to the board." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The board member who introduced the resolution is Reinbold, who says Davis'
refusal was unacceptable. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is another case where boards or administrative personnel are acting
in an irresponsible manner," Reinbold said. "They want to keep the people in
the dark." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Reinbold was one of a majority of four directors at last month's meeting to
vote for the resolution, which passed because only seven of the board's nine
directors were present. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He says agendas are typically approved at a work session one day prior to
the meeting. This month the work session has been rescheduled for the same day
as the meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TRIMMED HERE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Reinbold said school board solicitor Charles Coslett, who could not be
reached for comment Wednesday, told him the superintendent was in violation of
the board's policy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis said he had not talked to Coslett as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, but
expected the issue would be resolved at today's meeting. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It will surface, I'm sure," he said.

Superintendent Violated Spirit 
Of Sunshine Law, Director Says 
Nanticoke Area School 
Director Cal Reinbold Says Refusal By Superintendent Charles Davis To Give A 
Taxpayer An Advance Copy Of Meeting Agenda Broke With Board Policy

Superintendent Violated Spirit Of Sunshine Law, Director Says Nanticoke Area School Director Cal Reinbold Says Refusal By Superintendent Charles Davis To Give A Taxpayer An Advance Copy Of Meeting Agenda Broke With Board Policy