What happened on Monday, 15 December 2025
Kalamazoo City, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
The Commission voted unanimously to go into closed session for attorney–client privileged communication; Attorney Liao confirmed the meeting would not return to the public screen and the session was adjourned after the vote.
Schuylkill Valley SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The board approved committee work session dates for 2026, approved one extracurricular appointment (subject to clearances) and ratified the Sterling Act tax‑credit certification for $10,466 for calendar year 2024; all motions passed by recorded voice votes or unanimous voice vote.
Capitol Preservation Board, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Utah Governors, Utah Executive Branch, Utah
The Capitol Preservation Board voted to make part of the first‑floor visitor center available to the Utah state auditor and to transfer Suite 260 to legislative control after public comment and questions about whether the earlier vote complied with the Open Meetings Act.
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Public Works told the committee personalized rebates (SpokaneScape, Water Wise Challenge) produce the biggest conservation gains, noted toilet rebates (~$100) and SpokaneScape credits (up to $500), and said staff will study commercial rate structure changes for 2026 while bringing the conservation master plan forward in Q1.
Berkeley County, West Virginia
Planning staff recommended advertising a Jan. 20, 2026 public hearing for Communities of Burwell Phase 14, a proposed 48-lot subdivision served by public water and sewer; the commission voted to accept the recommendation. Mike Roberts represented the developer.
Schuylkill Valley SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The board received updates on the field‑house bid preparations, the switch to in‑house snow removal (three pieces of equipment and bulk salt/calc. chloride on hand), Flexible Instructional Day options and recovery work at the Education Center after flooding; Doctor Keener said classrooms were operating on paper‑and‑pencil while moisture remediation and camera wiring continued.
Riverside Local, School Districts, Ohio
The board approved a resolution on Dec. 15, 2025 to appoint Robert Scott through the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve as interim superintendent beginning Dec. 15, 2025, at $115.34 per hour plus a 6% administrative fee; the board limited the interim's authority to day-to-day operations and preserved immediate termination rights.
Gardner City, Worcester County, Massachusetts
At its Dec. 11 meeting, the Board of Assessors voted to accept Oct. 17 minutes, discussed and moved forward with a motor vehicle excise abatement denial (staff to send the formal denial and a board member will sign), and voted to enter an executive session under a cited statute; the transcript does not record a roll-call for the executive-session motion.
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Council staff presented a resolution affirming the importance of cultural celebrations and specifically naming Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth after the National Park Service removed free‑admission recognition for those days; councilmembers debated whether the title should be broader or explicitly name the two days.
Schuylkill Valley SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
Schuylkill Valley board members pushed to survey teachers on new language‑arts, math and science materials and to identify missing instructional resources; the curriculum & technology committee will refine survey questions and aim to present staff results at the January board meeting.
Riverside Local, School Districts, Ohio
The Riverside Local School District Board of Education on Dec. 15, 2025 set a formal termination hearing under RC 3319.16 for Dr. Christopher J. Ratino on Jan. 4, 2026 at 9 a.m. in the district board conference room and directed the treasurer to provide statutory notices and to request a referee.
ALICE ISD, School Districts, Texas
At a Dec. 15 public hearing, Alice ISD presented its Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) results: a 'Superior' (A) rating and a numerical score of 96, with full points on several solvency measures and 165 days of cash on hand.
Kalamazoo City, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
An unidentified Kalamazoo resident said officers refused to provide a police report in one incident and gave limited options for welfare checks, calling the system confusing; the transcript records the complaint but no staff response was recorded.
Schuylkill Valley SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
After a presentation from the Berks County Intermediate Unit on superintendent‑search best practices, the Schuylkill Valley School District board reached consensus to pursue a search with IU support; the IU said member districts incur no consultant fee and estimated advertising/postage costs of $750–$2,000.
Scranton SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
Superintendent Dr. Keating announced the district received a Pennsylvania Certified Teacher Registered Apprenticeship grant in partnership with King's College to help paraprofessionals and others earn certificates; he also reviewed Keystone testing windows and the winter break calendar.
Springfield Township SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township administrators proposed keeping district social media accounts as nonpublic forums (no public comments), to remove or take down inactive X/Twitter accounts, and to require third-party/booster accounts that link to district sites to identify as unaffiliated or forfeit the ability to link.
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Staff described a potential $1,000,000 DOJ COPS hiring grant (payments for three federal years, supplement-not-supplant conditions, about 39 federal conditions) to fund roughly eight positions with local matching afterward, and asked for consent on two Drinking Water State Revolving Fund low‑interest loans (~2.2–2.25% for 20 years) for major water transmission and well‑station capacity upgrades.
Worth County, Iowa
Supervisors approved claims and payroll items including a payroll change for the Ferris office and acknowledged building projects (foundations, vault door, shop steel) and maintenance issues (ice dams, a damaged door) and scheduled follow-up repairs.
Scranton SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The board approved contracts for lighting transformers and generator testing/maintenance and authorized purchase of a T‑Mobile Direct Connect radio solution to improve districtwide emergency communications; staff cited dropped calls and aging radios as reasons.
Springfield Township SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
Following the Pennsylvania Crown Act amendment, the committee reviewed student and staff dress-and-grooming policies to add affirmative language protecting hairstyles and head coverings associated with race or religion while preserving narrowly tailored safety exceptions for food service, bus operation and athletics.
Kalamazoo City, Kalamazoo County, Michigan
A Kalamazoo City resident told the Commission she found sludge flowing into three ponds and urged the city to use settlement or filtration systems and organize volunteer cleanups; no city response was recorded in the meeting transcript.
Worth County, Iowa
Supervisors discussed uncertainty around a proposed 28E agreement for Central Iowa Juvenile Detention after Worth County was excluded from decision-making; members raised potential future liability for county debts and questioned repaying original investments before rejoining under new terms.
Canton Township, Wayne County, Michigan
A speaker provided basic holiday electrical safety guidance including avoiding overloaded outlets, using UL/ETL‑tested products and outdoor cords, inspecting lights for damage, following manufacturer limits on strands, and keeping real trees watered.
Springfield Township SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
Administrators revised the district's field-trip policy to define trip types (regular, extracurricular, school-sponsored, non-district vendor trips), require board approval for advertising of vendor-run extended travel, add post-trip reviews for overnight travel, and say the district will help arrange financial supports for school-sponsored trips while vendor-run trips remain outside district funding.
Scranton SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The board tabled a proposed stop‑loss insurance consortium arrangement and directed administration to meet with union representatives under Article 10 to review options, negotiate terms and gather alternatives before bringing the proposal back.
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Staff proposed five amendments to the city's arterial street map (upgrades to Wellesley, Summit Parkway, Freya and Weber; removal of a Wall Street block) to support traffic operations and grant funding; council also reviewed a code change to shorten Bicycle Advisory Board terms to two years (with longer allowable consecutive service) and to formalize BAB review of street‑vacation impacts at the planning level.
Scranton SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The board approved purchase of 1509 Maple Street from Friendship House for $2,500,000 with a leaseback of approximately 15% of the building; leaseback rent is $15,596 per month. Board members asked about utility costs prior to approval.
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Public Works presented 2025 construction accomplishments and upcoming projects, highlighting a lower‑cost Highway 195/Meadow Lane realignment with a J‑turn-style movement and acceleration lane to improve safety, and listed pavement, water-main, sewer, bridge, and pedestrian projects citywide.
Springfield Township SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The policy committee advanced revisions to policy 105.2 to explicitly let students aged 18 and older opt out of instruction that conflicts with religious beliefs; members recommended excluding broad 'moral' grounds and clarified dissection exemptions, IEP handling and notification timing.
Worth County, Iowa
Supervisors voted to amend the agenda to add discussion of hiring outside counsel to review a settlement/development agreement, road and drainage easement and maintenance agreement; board members debated timing, suggested legal referral sources, and agreed to seek counsel and possibly act next week.
Manhattan City, New York County, New York
Project team proposed restoring 432 Hudson Street’s front façade, rebuilding a storefront in wood, removing a fire escape, adding a one-story 7-foot rear extension and a low rooftop bulkhead; committee asked for geotechnical/underpinning reports and raised concerns about visible slider windows and rear elevation massing.
Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
Residents from Peaceful Valley asked the committee not to eliminate neighborhood bus service; Spokane Transit Authority (STA) presented Connect 2035 outcomes and project plans, highlighted youth ridership (~20%), mobility‑on‑demand pilots, shelter/bench investments, and reminded the committee that the STA sales‑tax accountability measure sunsets Dec. 31, 2028.
Scranton SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
The Scranton School Board approved a $243.1 million 2026 budget and a package of local tax levies, including a 1% earned income tax and a payroll preparation tax, while adopting several routine administrative resolutions for 2026.
Clay County, South Dakota
At a brief Clay County meeting, members authorized Commissioner Gilbertson to sign renovation contracts up to $50,000, approved a city payment request tied to a law enforcement center for calendar year 2025, and approved two vouchers to Beckenhauer. Individual vote tallies were not recorded in the transcript.
Berkeley County, West Virginia
Staff recommended advertising a Jan. 20, 2026 public hearing for Highgrove Phase 1 (File 2510-285), a proposed ~92-lot development on about 31 acres off Hammonds Mill Road; commissioners asked about Route 901 improvements before approving the recommendation.
Manhattan City, New York County, New York
Owners of 54 Green Street asked to cover deteriorated sidewalk vault (bullet) glass with diamond plate to stop basement flooding; the Landmarks attorney referred the case to commissioners because a prior restrictive special permit requires restoration of historic elements, and the committee emphasized reversibility and documentation if it approves covering.
Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California
After hours of testimony, the commission voted 5–2 on Dec. 10 to forward a revised bird‑friendly design ordinance to City Council with key edits: removal of the 300‑foot stream buffer, exemptions for many single‑family residential windows below 35 feet in the urban area, and removal of accreditation/year requirements for alternative compliance; staff was asked to add a note about limited local collision data.
Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California
At its Dec. 10 meeting the commission heard transportation updates: council approved a second reading of speed surveys (enabling radar enforcement on key arterials), council reviewed quad‑gate quiet‑zone installation at Churchill Meadow, the Ventura Community Center opened the Bay Area’s first traffic garden, and the South Palo Alto bikeway connectivity project advanced with alternative A at El Dorado under study.
Manhattan City, New York County, New York
A design team proposed a penthouse and rear-yard extension at 22 East 10th Street that would lower and extend the cellar and require underpinning across both neighboring facades; the Landmarks Committee asked for geotechnical reports and standard excavation/underpinning conditions before approval.
Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California
The Planning & Transportation Commission voted 7–0 Dec. 10 to recommend approval of a 145‑unit townhome development at 2100 King Road, a builder’s‑remedy application, while adding a condition to comply with Palo Alto’s new dark‑sky ordinance and asking staff to work with the developer to increase native tree plantings.
Manhattan City, New York County, New York
A tenant architect proposed simulated double-hung and tilt-and-turn windows for 9th-floor units at 491 Broadway/446 Broom; committee members said they cannot approve piecemeal changes without a building master plan and directed staff to pursue coordinated options.
San Diego City, San Diego County, California
Gary Johnson, group emergency preparedness and security coordinator for the Health and Human Services Agency for the County of San Diego, described leading a cross‑department effort to 'right size' underutilized facilities after COVID while coordinating security and crisis response to protect staff, clients and property.
Manhattan City, New York County, New York
Applicants for stoop gates at Waverly Place and West 4th told the committee the gates respond to safety and sanitation problems; committee members pressed for structural attachment details, pedestrian clearance and consistency with previously approved gates and agreed to an applicant-proposed height increase to 30 inches.