Superior Court Judge Sarah Wall heard from Dodge County School Board Attorneys David Siegel and Rita Llop and “The Concerned Citizens Watch Georgia” representative Julius Gillespie referencing the complaint filed against Dodge County School Board members on Thursday, July 2, 2009.
Judge Wall issued a temporary stay of proceedings while the court has the motion to dismiss and the motion for protective order under consideration for 30 days.
Concerned citizens Julius Gillespie and Diana Glass filed a complaint for injunction and additional relief under the Georgia Sunshine Laws Open and Public Meetings Law against school board members Dougie Martin, Michelle Wahl, Shirley Ikedionwu, Rocky Stuckey, Neil Spradley, Kim Sheffield and Chuck Parkerson individually and in their official capacity as members of the Dodge County Board of Education on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
The complaint stated that the board members did “willfully and knowingly” vote in executive session by the process of a “poll” in violation of the open and public meetings law, that the board did not vote to go into executive session or record a “majority vote” in the official minutes dated January 29, 2009 and that on or about February 4, 2009 board members discussed candidates and selected two finalist (for superintendent of Dodge County schools) by a vote in executive session because the minutes did not reflect selection in open session.
Dodge County Superintendent Dr. Darrell May along with board members Martin, Ikedionwu, Parkerson, Sheffield and Spradley were at the hearing.
The school board will meet on Thursday, July 9 for their regular meeting. Items on the agenda include position postings, window tinting at South Dodge Elementary School, students handbooks and personnel.
