GBAPS tables action on virtual public participation

GREEN BAY – During its Sept. 22 meeting, the Green Bay Area Public Schools (GBAPS) Board of Education voted to table a motion to revise  a board of education rule that governs virtual public participation at board and committee meetings.

During COVID, the board of education modified its rules to allow individuals to participate in an open forum virtually.

“This virtual participation was facilitated through the Zoom meetings platform, in which a district representative phoned the individual through the Zoom platform. This feature was an add-on feature to the district’s Zoom contract and the cost was in addition to the Zoom meeting platform,” a staff memo stated.

“Due to budget reduction efforts, commencing with the 2025-26 school year, the district is transitioning away from Zoom as a meeting platform. Based on the district’s meeting records, the virtual call-in feature has not been utilized at least since May of 2024. As a result, the district would like to terminate the virtual call-in contract as well.”

GBAPS Board Member Andrew Becker made a motion to table the action until the next regular board meeting  to give school staff time to explore other options to allow a virtual method.

“I can't support something that is going to remove a method of participation. Even if it's in an infrequent one. And I just think more work could be done to see if there is a way without having to do the full cost of the system. I think, you know, a Teams meeting could be a way to do it if necessary. I don't think it's going to be used often, but I don't want people who have to be remote for some reason to have to choose a lesser method, or an awkward method, and a method that is lesser if a person wants to be part of the official meeting and has to choose writing instead. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with writing, but writing when you want to have been verbal, I think, is the issue,” Becker said.

The board unanimously voted to table the matter until the October regular meeting.

Sale of Kellner Elementary building

The board also unanimously voted to sell the Keller Elementary School property at a purchase price of $725,000.

The Keller property is being sold to Evergreen Theater, a non-profit theater company.