Judge rules BISD can't hold emergency meeting Thursday

August 06, 2009 12:58 PM
Scott Lawrence

A judge has ruled the Beaumont school board can't hold an emergency meeting Thursday night to discuss the South Park school case.

The Beaumont board was scheduled to hold an emergency meeting at 7 p.m. to discuss whether to appeal Judge Bob Wortham's ruling preventing the district from demolishing South Park Middle School.

Judge Wortham sided with the Beaumont Heritage Society Monday when he granted a Temporary Injunction. The organization wants to preserve the South Park building, although it's not mandating the building be used as a school.

The Examiner Newspaper sought injunctive relief to prevent Thursday night's emergency meeting because it said the meeting didn't fit the guidelines prescribed by the State for an emergency meeting.

Judge Milton Shuffield granted The Examiner a Temporary Restraining Order and held a Thursday afternoon hearing.

Shuffield ruled the planned meeting didn't constitute an emergency and the board will have to call another meeting to deal with the South Park school case.

BISD spokeswoman Jessie Haynes told KFDM News the district's position is the posting meets all state guidelines for an emergency meeting. The district contends the matter is an emergency because the board must consider whether to appeal the Temporary Injunction issued by Judge Wortham, as well as consider immediate mediation ordered by the Court. The district also believes the matter constitutes an emergency because of the immediate need to possibly relocate students from the South Park campus to an alternate site if the restraining order becomes permanent.

Judge Wortham set a September 21 trial date on a Permanent Injunction.

BISD attorney Melody Chappell said the district might decide to ask Judge Wortham to make his Temporary Injunction permanent to expedite an appeal.


http://www.kfdm.com/news/school-33349-meeting-attorney.html