Bedford School Trustee to Continue Q&A at Least Once a Month
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Bedford Board of Education President Edward Reder proposed continuing the Q&A session during public comments for at least one meeting a month for the upcoming school year.
Reder said that residents have expressed their support for the give and take when they have questions or pressing matters they want addressed.
“In my experience, it’s often very awkward when people come to a board meeting and they come to the microphone expecting to hear an answer and it’s awkward when we’re just in public forum and it’s one way,” Reder said.
For people who don’t follow meetings, it can be very awkward and it looks like we don’t care and that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”
It was unclear whether the board would make it a feature at every meeting during the public comments portion or keep it at once a month. Reder said he would like to get to the point where it’s at every regular meeting, although time may play a factor in that decision.
Board Vice President Steven Matlin said as long as the public conducts itself properly it should not be a problem. Trustees usually have a pretty good idea when an issue draws a sizeable crowd to a meeting, he said.
“We should be able to have a productive conversation,” Matlin said. “We may not have all the answers, we may need the administration to take some time to get the answers, but I think we’re all committed to being as transparent as possible, and we can do that effectively.”
–Martin Wilbur
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
