A proposal to keep the public out of some meetings held by a Denver Public Schools citizens committee has already irked some city advocates – including a few members of the committee itself.
The “A+ Denver” citizens committee, composed of about 100 city and community leaders and clergy members, will, among other things, make recommendations to the school board about DPS building closures.
The co-chairs of a 33-member subcommittee on finances and facilities said they intend to keep some meetings secret, though a decision hasn’t been reached.
Committee chairman John Huggins, the city’s economic development director, has asked that subcommittee members keep meeting conversations confidential, according to a draft memo about the subcommittee.
“One element of our work will involve confidential information that the district would not want publicized,” Huggins said, “like real estate values.”
He noted that market values of public buildings are often different than assessed values, which are available to the public.
“What’s the big secret?”
Huggins also said conversations about school performance or individual classes may be unsuitable for broader public consumption. He said the committee planned some open meetings, as well as official public input in April, before making recommendations in May to the board.
But community leaders said everyone should be able to hear discussions about something as important as closing schools.
“What’s the big secret?” said Mike Kromrey, a committee member and executive director of Metro Organizations for People. “If they (residents) want to be involved in this dialogue, they should.”
Kim Ursetta, president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, which represents about 4,000 city educators, said teachers and parents should be included in discussions.
Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña, who will make the decision with his committee co-chairs, said he prefers open sessions.
“It is my view that our work should be open, that all our meetings should be open to the public,” he said.
Colorado law says meetings must be open to the public when a committee acts in an “advisory” role to government.
First meeting next week
A draft memo about the subcommittee’s duties said that because the committee’s work will be “based upon a global analysis of all the district’s real property assets … it is essential that the board of education accept or reject our recommendations as a complete package.”
Because of that, board member Jeannie Kaplan said she would like to attend meetings. The school board will decide on school closures.
“I don’t want to just be presented with a bunch of facts once it’s done,” she said.
Superintendent Michael Bennet said there is a balance between “sensitivities around specifics” and the “importance of having the situation be one that’s understood by the public.”
Peña said he and his co-chairs will make a decision by the end of this week. The first finances and facilities meeting is Wednesday.
Staff writer Allison Sherry can be reached at 303-954-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com.
