POTTSTOWN PA – Walk in, sit down, shut up. Listen, take notes. Ask questions, get answers, leave.

That describes the life of most news reporters who attend municipal meetings like that of the Pottsgrove School District‘s Board of School Directors. However, that isn’t exactly what happened during the board’s Tuesday night (Oct. 26, 2010) meeting at the district administration building on Kauffman Road, Pottstown PA.

Two reporters who actively cover the directors’ actions – Evan Brandt of The (Pottstown PA) Mercury, and Joe Zlomek of The Sanatoga Post – were, for about 5 minutes only, active participants in the event they were assigned to write about.

Their involvement followed a board discussion of how best to let the public know of the district’s interest in having volunteers serve on its new Community Budget Task Force. Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis had already described communication tools on which the district could rely: its quarterly newsletter, phone message chains, e-mail distributions, press releases, and board members’ word-of-mouth.

Neither Brandt or Zlomek thought that was enough and, without being asked, told the board as much.

Brandt first suggested involving students as task force members. After all, he reasoned, they would be most affected by whatever budget cuts arose from that group’s deliberations. He also suggested the district, or at least board members themselves, engage the public in social media venues like Twitter and Facebook. Explaining budget problems online, and openly soliciting feedback, was a sure way to identify both interests and solutions, Brandt noted.

Zlomek suggested the district tap into audiences it often found more difficult to reach: senior citizens, and district taxpayers without children. Seniors in particular, Zlomek said, could be approached in community meetings held in their own neighborhoods, and might have more time and enthusiasm to help the district re-examine and solve its financial woes.

Did Brandt and Zlomek overstep their bounds in becoming part of the news that night? Clearly neither seemed to think so when they volunteered their comments. And when they finished, Landis – who took notes as both spoke – thanked them for their thoughts.

Related (to the Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ Oct. 26 meeting):

• Notebook Worthy: News Reporters Made News Tuesday
• Pottsgrove Isn’t Waiting In Search For Budget Volunteers
• If You’ve Got A Budget Idea, Pottsgrove Says It’ll Listen
• Pottsgrove Seeks More Input On District Budget
• Download a copy of the Oct. 26 meeting agenda, here

Photo from Clipart.com