For Bloomfield 20/20, the grass roots citizens group trying to impeach the entire seven member Bloomfield Hills School Board, the day or decision is days away. B20/20 needs for 5,266 valid signatures for each board member they wish to recall and these signatures must gathered in a 90-day period of time. The first 90-day period ends on Wednesday Oct. 12.

According to B20/20 Leader Jenny Greenwell, the group has two options: either forfeit its August signatures to gain a new Nov. 12 deadline, or submit the signatures that have already been collected. Greenwell said that decision will not be made until the last minute. 

Greenwell states that the group’s signature campaign got off to a slow start in the near 100 degree temperature days of August but is now flourishing. A month delay in deadline dates would push the recall election to March or possibly later.

B20/20 volunteers believe there are still ten thousand recall petitions yet to be collected from a mailing of 11,067 petitions. Each petition packet was mailed at a reported cost of $1.28.

In regards to a less than seven member recall, Greenwell says “I’d be happy with one voice of reason on the Board. Someone to at least alert the public to what crazy thing is coming down.” 

In reality, she believes four more recalls would be a victory but many 20/20 members are holding out for seven or bust.

At a recent PTO meeting at the Way Elementary School, consensus came easily. Everyone agreed that parking lot protocol was a more divisive issue that the budget. When the topic turned to B20/20, one woman said that going after the entire board, especially the new elected members, suggested an agenda. Another thought that was scary and a third wondered how much money was being spent.

Bloomfield Hills School Superintendent Robert Glass, told PTO members that the recall effort, “complicates everything,” but “affects nothing.” In 2013 there will be one high school. That is “for sure” and “absolute,” he said.

There will be a bond issue for approximately $60 million dollars in the fall of 2012. If it passes, Bloomfield Hills High School will be on one campus. If it fails the School will be on multiple campuses.

Despite the recall effort, Glass stressed the importance of communications, and “staying focused on what we do best, delivering product and always be innovative.”

The board members up for recall are also taking their point of view to the public. Recently they placed a full page ad in a weekly newspaper which provides direct mail coverage to the school district.

The advertisement’s cost is estimated at $1,000 to $1,400 and it was paid for by the “Mark Bank Election Committee.”  Mark Bank is one of the School Board Members facing recall. It is the first advertising or campaigning by the School Board during the recall period.

The advertisement is written as an open letter. It states “You may  disagree with our conclusion about the path we think is best , but please be assured that they were drawn after significant public input and that they are steeped in our unwavering commitment to our children, their education, and our public trust.” The complete text can be found on the One Bloomfield United website.

In addition School Board President Ingrid Day wrote a full-page article, Understanding how your Board of Education does business for Community Connections the Bloomfield Hills Schools newsletter mailed to all homes in the district.

Community Connections also states that there are “many opportunities are in place for members of the community to share their skills and input for the betterment of the School District. Please consider attending one of more Community Partnership Committee meetings

Partnership committee October meetings will be held every Monday through October 24^th, at 6:30 pm at the Doyle Center. The Topics for these meetings is Financial Communications, Relationship Outreach, and The Light House Curriculum.