The Cumberland County School Board met on Thursday night to approve several agenda items. One of the agenda items regarded a policy for board committees. The amendment to the policy did away with requirements to work with standing committees including policy, budget, building and grounds safety, and athletic, arts, and activities.

The reasoning for this was to streamline and shorten the length of school board meetings in the future in favor of work sessions.

The policy amendment was approved 7-1 with Elizabeth Stull of the first district voting against it.

The amended policy reads as follows:

(The Board shall operate without standing committees, except for the executive committee. Special committees may be formed at the direction of the Board and as the needs of the Board shall require. Such special committees shall be discharged when the work is finished or earlier by a majority vote of the entire Board. The chairman of the Board shall recommend, and the Board shall approve, appointments to committees. All reports by committees shall be made directly to the Board.

• Special committees shall elect the chairman at their initial meeting;
• Committees shall serve in an advisory capacity, and shall consist of less than a quorum of Board members;
• Committees may vote to make recommendations to the board, and such recommendations shall not be binding on the board;
• Issues to be discussed by committee shall be approved in advance by the board;
• Special committee shall serve no longer than the annual organization meeting of the board unless reappointed to finish a designated task; and
• Committee meetings shall be held in accordance with the open meetings law.)