Paris YES hears “no” from Town Board on agenda request

A request to be put on the Town Board agenda from the Paris YES Committee was rejected by town Chairman Virgil Gentz for last Tuesday’s meeting. A request from the group to be able to discuss the town supporting the school’s open enrollment marketing efforts next month doesn’t seem any more likely to be approved.

Beth LaBell, representing the committee, had made the request before Tuesday’s meeting. She said she was told by Gentz that the board would not discuss her request until the district’s contract with teachers was settled.

Gentz disputed that that was what he said, but acknowledged that the item was not placed on the agenda.

During citizens comments Tuesday, LaBell read to the board her email message making the request. Board members did not respond to LaBell’s request to be put on the December meeting’s agenda .

LaBell said she is looking for funds to help market the school as an open enrollment alternative. Open enrollment is the process in Wisconsin in which students who reside in one public school district can request to attend school in another district. If accepted, the students coming into the school increase state aid for the district by increasing the student population. The school’s aggressive open enrollemt recruting last year resulted in $125,000 of increased revenue for Paris School, with the effort costing $1,122.

Western Kenosha County is a prime area for open enrollment with its several small single school building districts.

Gentz said he confers with other board members in setting the agenda. His comments did not seem to hold out a lot of hope that LaBell’s request will make the December agenda.

“Now we heard and I will do some listening with other folks and we’ll see what happens,” Gentz said.

Said LaBell in an email to westofthei.com:

I am hopeful that our Town is open to continuing discussions about the possibility of the Paris YES Committee being included on the December Town of Paris meeting agenda. This donation request is reasonable, citizen-driven, beneficial to our community, and is worthy of consideration by Town officials.”

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2 Comments

  1. Robert says:

    Unbelievable! How then is a resident supposed to get any action from the Board if not “allowed” on an agenda? If the board is setting the agenda, that would mean that they have to meet prior to the agenda being made up – would this be an illegal meeting?

  2. Xfactor says:

    Paris residents please remember this when election time comes. The board does not own the town or the 23+ million dollars. They represent the citizens of Paris. It’s time to get some new blood on the board.

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