Freedom Area School Board: Meetings & Votes
Every board of school directors meeting and every recorded vote, taken from the official minutes. Canceled meetings are listed too, along with scheduled meetings whose minutes were never posted online. Minutes are posted after they are approved, usually at the next meeting.
Meetings in 2020
- Dec. 3 · Reorganization meeting5 votesFreedom Area board re-elected Sharon Geibel president, Lori Pail vice president
- Dec. 3 · Regular meeting7 votesFreedom Area board hired BVIU to help search for a new superintendent
- Nov. 19 · Regular meeting8 votesFreedom Area board voted to return to full virtual instruction district-wide
- Nov. 5 · Work session1 voteFreedom Area board accepted $93,000 in GEER grants and approved bus drivers
- Oct. 8 · Regular meeting8 votesFreedom Area board voted not to renew Superintendent Fuller’s contract
- Oct. 1 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board raised substitute teacher pay to $125 a day
- Sept. 17 · Regular meeting5 votesFreedom Area board accepted head football coach’s resignation, named interim staff
- Sept. 3 · Work session3 votesFreedom Area board voted to give students priority over parents at limited-capacity games
- Aug. 13 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area board approved five-year cyber contract and named Inman treasurer
- Aug. 6 · Work session4 votesFreedom Area board suspended facilities-use policy hurting community groups
- July 23 · Regular meeting5 votesFreedom Area board voted 8-1 to open the 2020-21 school year virtually
- July 9 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board cut a $1,500 banking stipend and approved a sports safety plan
- June 11 · Regular meeting8 votesFreedom Area board adopted $23.98 million budget at 69.4 mills on a 5-4 vote
- June 4 · Work session1 voteFreedom Area officials outlined fall reopening plans and debated testing switch
- May 14 · Regular meeting8 votesFreedom Area board advanced $24.5 million budget with 6.2-mill tax increase
- May 7 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board adopted public comment policy Draft A on a 5-4 vote
- April 16 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area board met by Zoom, hired interim business manager amid COVID-19 closure
- March 12 · Regular meeting11 votesFreedom Area board deadlocked 4-4 on rival drafts of its public comment policy
- March 5 · Work session4 votesFreedom Area board hired Big Beaver Falls’ business manager to fill in at an hourly rate
- Feb. 13 · Regular meeting6 votesFreedom Area board approved a five-year Naviance contract and the 2020-21 school calendar
- Feb. 6 · Work session4 votesFreedom Area accepted its business manager’s retirement and dropped a weather service deal
- Jan. 16 · Regular meeting8 votesFreedom Area board approved a 2020-21 preliminary budget and nearly $800,000 in bills
- Jan. 9 · Work session2 votesFreedom Area board adopted PSBA governance principles and approved routine personnel items
How members voted in 2020
| Member | Attended | Votes cast | Voted against the majority | Abstained |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Evans School Director | 22 of 23 | 104 | 2 | 0 |
| Sharon Geibel School Director | 23 of 23 | 115 | 3 | 0 |
| Gerald Inman School Director | 21 of 23 | 107 | 6 | 0 |
| Leslie Rizzi School Director | 23 of 23 | 115 | 3 | 0 |
| Harry Gilarno School Director Former member | 20 of 23 | 84 | 2 | 0 |
| Dawn Greene School Director Former member | 22 of 23 | 109 | 2 | 0 |
| Lori Pail School Director Former member | 23 of 23 | 114 | 3 | 2 |
| Lynn Patsiga School Director Former member | 22 of 23 | 112 | 5 | 1 |
| Mary Ann Petcovic School Director Former member | 21 of 23 | 105 | 2 | 0 |
Attendance counts the meetings held while each member was on the board of school directors. "Voted against the majority" counts no votes on motions that passed and yes votes on motions that failed. Tap a name to see every vote.
Many votes are taken by voice. When the minutes say a vote was unanimous, everyone present is shown voting yes. When they name members who voted no or abstained, everyone else present is shown voting yes. When they give only the result, individual votes are shown as not recorded.
Source: Freedom Area School Board minutes. Recaps are drafted by the BeaverCountian AI Desk from the official minutes and reviewed by an editor.