Brenda Guilford says school board travel money spent well

Dothan City School Board member Brenda Guilford says trips taken by board members for training purposes are necessary to improve their ability to serve the public.

“I don’t want to come across as being defensive,” she said in a phone interview with the Dothan Eagle on Wednesday. “But I don’t think it’s clear to the public the concern I have for making sure that all board members become well-trained.”

A proposal has been made that would cut board members’ travel to help the city schools balance their budget. Guilford strongly opposed a previous proposal to limit board travel.

The city schools have spent about $10,000 on travel and training for Guilford over the past four years.

Guilford traveled to Alabama Association of School Boards and National Association of School Boards events. Guilford said the events teach board members about issues in education and how to be effective advocates of public education. Guilford said the Alabama Association of School Boards offers different levels of training at the events, and that the more events a board member attends, the greater level of mastery he or she can obtain from the AASB.

Guilford said workshops she’s attended have helped her become more knowledgeable about education programs and initiatives such as pre-kindergarten public school programs. She believes the money the board has spent on training for her and other board members hasn’t been a lot in the grand scheme of things.

“I don’t think it’s a whole lot,” she said.

A proposal from chief finance officer Mike Manuel would help plug a $3.5 million hole in the budget caused by proration by cutting travel funds for board members and teachers. The proposal would glean about $25,000 per year in savings from cutting board and school system employee travel.