AUBURN - The Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education approved a policy that would allow board members to remove one of their own for misconduct, but not before hearing community members voice their concern about the measure.

In an 8-1 vote, the board, during Tuesday's regular meeting, approved a revised policy dealing with the resignation and dismissal of board members. The policy - first adopted in 2002 - now states that the board can remove a member or members for misconduct. A written copy of all charges must be served to the board member at least 10 days prior to a hearing and accused members will have an opportunity to refute the charges before removal. Appeals can also be made to the state commissioner of education.

Policy Committee Chair Ginny Kent said the inclusion of the additional paragraph was not done arbitrarily to remove a currently sitting board member.

“Maybe I'm naive, but I don't ever anticipate us ever having to remove a board member because of this policy,” she said. “I continue to be confused about why there seems to be this idea that it's targeting anybody.”

The point, she said, is to give future boards direction if there was ever a serious infraction of its ethics. Before this revision, only the commissioner of education can remove a board member.

A first reading of the policy came before the board last spring, at which point members decided they wanted clear procedures for implementation of the policy before they moved forward.

Such procedures now state the board president has the power to appoint a three-member panel to conduct an investigation into the misconduct, present their findings to the full board in executive session, and impose corrective action, which could include with the accused a verbal discussion, written correspondence, or removal from the board.

Prior to the vote, four community members - Lonnie Love, Merritt Fletcher, Sheila Tucker and Alice Buttarazzi, the last two served as Auburn board members - questioned the need for and timing of the policy.

“With everything else we're faced with, with these new (school aid) cuts,” Fletcher said, “I can't understand why we are spending time on this with all the important things we need to do.”

Buttarazzi said she is disappointed with the lack of focus on the board.

“The board faces real problems - both fiscally and academically - and this board wastes time and electricity debating methods of silencing and punishing dissent,” she said.

Board member Joe Leogrande, who voted against the policy, said that while he is not necessarily concerned with the policy being utilized against any one member of the current board, is afraid of future board members abusing this power.

“I don't think it is our job to police each other,” he said. “We don't have any more right to investigate each other than the Nazis did.

“You are setting rules that will be here after we're gone,” he later added. “If you have majorities of eight or nine people, you will have big problems.”

Board member Fred Cornelius said he is “baffled” about how much interest this policy was receiving out in the community.

“There are many big things that need to get done,” he said, “but just because there are so many big things to address doesn't mean that we can't address the small things, too.”

He said the board doesn't lack focus and the policy's intent is not to stifle speech, adding that he is one of the biggest dissenters sitting on the board.

“But this is a necessary evil,” he said, “and everybody needs to be able to say there is an appropriate way to act and an inappropriate way to act. In a perfect world, yes, we shouldn't have to do this. But this is not a perfect world.”

“The point is that a dysfunctional board can't be effective,” he later added. “We need to be functional.”

In other news:

* The board reluctantly accepted Cornelius' resignation from the board. Cornelius will be moving into the Union Springs Central School District and can no longer serve on the board. His last day will be Jan. 31.

Cornelius said it was an honor to serve for nearly three years, that it has been a “tremendous experience,” and encouraged community members to run for the board.

“This has been a tremendous experience for me,” he said, “and I wish I could stay.”

Many of his colleagues thanked Cornelius for his service and complimented him on passion for education, his devotion to the district and its students.

When asked for a vote, board members remained silent for a few seconds before all but one quietly and begrudgingly voted yes. Michael Stearns voted no.

Board President Charlie Cator asked Superintendent J.D. Pabis to look into the board's options in filling Cornelius' seat before making any decisions.

* The next board meeting is slated for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan, 27 at the Auburn High School library.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net