Owosso school board weighs more public comment, Willman Field sound

Owosso Public Schools' Board of Education will consider giving the public more chances to speak at its own meetings when its committee of the whole meets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Conference Room 112 at the Washington Campus Administration Building, 645 Alger St.

The posted agenda lists "Adding Additional Public Participation" as the first of five discussion items. It does not say what the change would be, when it would take effect, or who asked for it. The agenda's standing header notes the meeting is board business conducted in public rather than a community forum, and that there is one time set aside for public participation, under Board Policy 2502 — item 4 on Wednesday's agenda, ahead of the discussion items.

Also up: the sound system at Willman Field, the district's varsity football stadium, which has come before the board before. No cost estimate, quote or specification is attached to the agenda.

The board will take up health insurance next, listed as "2027 Rates" and a line reading only "6058." What employees or the district would pay is not in the packet. A fourth item, "Federal Scholarship Tax Credit," is listed with no supporting material, and a round table closes the discussion.

The meeting opens with superintendent evaluation training presented by Collins & Blaha. The agenda does not describe the firm's role or how long the training will run. It ends with a closed session for attorney-client privilege, with no subject named.

Nothing on Wednesday's agenda addresses the former Owosso middle school. The Current reported Aug. 25 that Venture, the developer proposing 53 affordable apartments in the closed building, had asked for more time on a purchase agreement set to expire Aug. 1, and that no extension vote appeared in the board's July packet. That question remains unanswered on the record.

What happens next: Committee discussions do not produce votes. Any action on public comment rules, the Willman Field sound system or 2027 insurance rates would come at a regular meeting — the next is 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Performing Arts Center. The agenda also sets an Oct. 14 committee meeting at the Washington Campus and an Oct. 28 regular meeting at the Performing Arts Center. Two district events are listed for the coming days: Donuts with Grownups at 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at Central Elementary, and varsity football against Clio at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, at Willman Field.