To Martians and other sporadic visitors to School Board meetings in Culver City, no irregular could have guessed that the Board President was missing from Tuesday night’s session.
To say that Karlo Silbiger was not missed, would be an understatement.
Vice president Kathy Paspalis assumed command of the agenda and the evening’s entire performance well before gaveling the meeting to order.
Mr. Silbiger, on vacation for the month, wanted his voice, his imprint, his influence to mark the events, just as happens when he is present.
His wish never took flight.
Snow has a better chance of surviving in Miami this afternoon.
In Full Command
A lawyer, Ms. Paspalis rendered succinct, transparent, inarguable verdicts at each intersection.
No hired stand-in or drive-by temp, she was not pitching in relief of anyone. She was her own person. No one on the dais or in the audience dared cradle a doubt.
When a speaker asked politely, gently, to allot her three minutes to a friend, Ms. Paspalis declared no. That was not within range of policy, she declared. Without elaboration, the disagreement instantly was smothered.
The crowning, and most memorable, moment bobbed up late in the evening. Paul Ferrazzi, a longtime activist against perceived violations/intrusions in the Baldwin Hills Oil Field, was to make a presentation about the ongoing perils of fracking.
It is a tradition in many American institutions that when No. 1 is out of town, No. 2 liquidly replaces him, without interrupting – especially slowing – the flow of business.
Mr. Silbiger asked for an exception.
He said he was in charge of the agenda. A political activist by family tradition, Mr. Silbiger said he didn’t want any action taken on the stir-fried subject of fracking when he was not present. He even cited a School Board bylaw to support his statement.
A Page Missing?
“Unfortunately,” said a Board member who felt not only diminished but “insulted” by his assertions, “Karlo forgot page 2 of the bylaws. That is where it says the vice president shall perform the President’s duties when the President is absent.”
Ms. Paspalis read Mr. Silbiger’s 215-word letter to his colleagues, a message not held in esteem by some of them.
“I am so glad that the Board is discussing fracking in Culver City. Since it impacts the health and safety of our students, their families and our employees, the School District should be discussing this important issue.
“We need to let the state and our Council know that both should act to protect our community, not pass the buck to other levels of government. If the Board decides tonight to do an individual letter- writing or PR campaign, put me down to help. However, if the Board decides that you want to pass an official resolution or send a letter of support to the state and city, then I want to be involved in that process to ensure that it is most effective.
“Part of my job as Board President, under Board Policy 9121, is to work with the Superintendent to jointly plan the agendas for our meetings.
“In my discussions with both Patti Jaffe and Eileen Carroll, I have made it clear that I will not approve any action on fracking for the July 24 agenda, since I will not be able to be in attendance. If the Board chooses to go this route, we will either need to take action in September or schedule a special meeting, either of which works for me.”
Against Mr. Silbiger’s express wishes, the matter of an anti-fracking resolution will be taken up at the next regular School Board meeting, Tuesday, July 24, in Council Chambers.
