Voices rose on a couple of matters at the Sweet Springs Board of Education meeting Thursday, March 13.

Board member Cindi Sims asked the board to discuss distribution of board packets for closed session material.

Sims apparently asked for materials prior to the Thursday meeting to prepare herself for the decision to be made that night and was denied until further investigation on if there was a policy or motion made by a board in the past on distribution of this material and also to get all board members input.

"It seems irrational to come in and prepare for a vote if you just get the information that night," Sims said.

President John Dohrman said the decision was made to see if anything had been done by past boards to not allow the material to be distributed prior to the closed session.

"I think everyone was trying to make a big deal out of something that should have just been handed over," said Treasurer Philip Clevenger.

Board member Rodney Heaper said he had problems with that material being hand-delivered with the rest of the board packet.

"If I want (closed session materials) in writing, I will personally come and get it," he said.

Vice President Robert Fuehring said the information needs to be kept in closed session.

Sims said she takes the closed session information home after the meeting and what would be the difference of getting it early for reviewal?

Fuehring and Dohrman said they leave the closed session information in the board room to be disposed of properly. While other board members said they took it home for their records.

Sims said she called the attorney and knew within a five-minute conversation that she was allowed to get the information prior to the meeting.

"That's all that had to be done," she said.

"I want (closed session materials) picked up from this office and not hand delivered," Heaper said. "I don't want it left on my doorstep."

Clevenger said there was nothing wrong with someone requesting the information and having it hand-delivered as long as it goes in the hands of the board member.

Sims said she only wants it delivered to her hands, if she is not where it is to be delivered then that information would be excluded from the board packet until she is able to have it in her personal hands.

The board verbally agreed the information could be distributed prior to the meeting only if it was to be handed directly to the hands of the board member and not left to be found wherever.

More tempers arose when the discussion of forming a committee to hire a new vocational agriculture teacher after Dan Hill announced he will retire after his 30 years with the school district.

Sims said she wanted to form an advisory committee to hire a new teacher.

"Historically, the administration has brought candidates to the board," Superintendent Boyd Jones said about the advisory committee.

Fuehring said the committee could be a good idea because "this person deals with the public much more than other (teachers) do."

The agriculture teacher will deal with the public through parents, FFA and other community and school programs associated with agriculture.

"My problem is singling out this position," Jones said.

"We didn't form an advisory committee for other teachers who retired in the past," he added.

He was relating to a teacher that retired from the elementary side of the school and had been there numerous years.

Clevenger said, "We have lost a good superintendent in the past over this same thing."

"And you may lose another," Jones said.

Sims said she would like Brent Niemeyer, agriculture teacher, and others representing different agriculture organizations in Sweet Springs, like Friends of FFA.

"Brent will be asked for input," Dohrman said. "Remember, (the board) went through two or three candidates before we hired Brent."

Secretary Jack Thomas said he would like Niemeyer to be included because the two teachers will be working closely.

"Their skill sets must be compatible," Thomas said. "They need to compliment each other."

"Mr. Niemeyer would have to have a lot of input," Clevenger said.

Jones said, "There is no doubt" Niemeyer would have a lot of input with the administrations decision and an advisory committee is still not needed.

"I am absolutely in favor of Mr. Niemeyer having input on this hire," Jones said.

"Let them handle it the way they typically hire," Dohrman said.

"That is fine, I just wasn't clear and I want everybody on the same page," Sims said.

Contact Rachel Harper at marshallcity@socket.net