Downstroke

Unhidden agenda: The seeming minutiae of a public meeting format is a big deal for the Chico Unified School District Board of Trustees, which is considering changes to the way agendas are handled.

The board might switch to meeting once a month instead of twice. Other proposed changes could move public comment from the beginning of the meeting to after the scheduled agenda items. It could also go back to its old way of doing things—discussion and action at the same meeting—but would take it a step further, by immediately following a discussion item with a vote.

In 2000, then-Superintendent Scott Brown suggested moving the meetings from Wednesday to Thursday nights, in order to give trustees longer to review the agenda and so staff members would have less of the week to struggle through after the long evening, but that was quickly shut down. (The board holds one of the few available time slots in the City Council Chambers, which enables meetings to be televised.)

A few years later, the board shuffled the agenda around, changing it so items weren’t discussed and voted upon at the same meeting—ostensibly to give the community more time to learn about them. The board also limited speakers’ “public comment” time before the board.

The matter was to be discussed at the board’s Jan. 18 meeting, after the News & Review’s press time.

New Assistant City Manager approved: The city manager musical chairs game finally ended this week when Dave Burkland, assistant community services director, was officially approved by the city council as the new assistant city manager. Burkland joins newly appointed City Manager Greg Jones, who replaced retiring manager Tom Lando just this week. Burkland replaces longtime Assistant City Manager Trish Dunlop. Jones made the appointment, which is expected to be confirmed by the council at its Jan. 17 meeting.

Like many before and after, Burkland moved to Chico in 1975 to attend Chico State University. Before coming to work for the city in 1992 as a housing specialist, Burkland worked for the Community Housing Improvement Program. He is married with two children.

KZFR looking to hire news director: Chico’s community radio station KZFR wants a news and public affairs director. The station reports it could fill that position as early as this summer if it can raise $10,000. Bobbi Tyron, a station programmer, has taken on the challenge and says she doesn’t want hold a car wash or bake sale to raise the money. Do the math, she says. If 100 listeners donated $100 each, the goal would be reached. If 200 listeners donated $50 each, same result. And so the formula goes, all the way to 10,000 listeners giving just a buck each. Painless.

“If you are interested in hearing more public affairs and local news on your community radio station, a committee to figure out how to help fund this position is forming,” reads a press release from the station. “Please consider joining a group that could make a big contribution to our community. Be a part of a team that will be able to look back and know they made a difference.”

For more information contact Tryon at 891-4335.