School forums to start

The first of five public forums held by Columbia County school board members will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Greenbrier High School auditorium.

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Board member Mike Sleeper will lead the first forum, with other forums conducted by the other board members as the year progresses.

"I don't have any specific agenda in mind," Sleeper said of the forum. "I just want to be there to talk about whatever anybody in the community wants to talk about - instruction, finance, superintendent. It doesn't make a difference."

The school board first held the forums in 2005, when Regina Buccafusco last served as chairwoman.

No forum was held in 2006 because it was an election year, Sleeper said.

"We didn't want to turn them into a campaign forum, or a free-for-all for or against a candidate," he said. "School isn't the place for politics."

Buccafusco was elected chairwoman again in December and instituted a plan this month to hold a second set of forums.

Sleeper said he was grateful to see that the forums would continue.

"From my perspective, one of our responsibilities is to meet with folks and listen to their concerns," he said.

It is likely other board members and school officials will attend the forum and respond to audience questions, Sleeper said.