Dayton School Board adopts textbook in special meeting

DAYTON- Mayor Roger Trump called the Dayton City Council workshop meeting to order at 3 p.m. on July 30, 2024. Trump, council members Teeny McMunn, Michael Smith, Kyle Anderson, James Su’euga, and Shannon McMillen were at City Hall. Laura Aukerman joined the meeting late on Zoom, and Joann Patras was absent.

The council discussed complaints received from residents about fireworks discharged before and after the legal window, including concerns about large fireworks. The council considered the city’s fireworks regulations and the sheriff’s department’s enforcement.

The council members discussed law enforcement funding, including the relative cost to the city.

The city’s website was discussed, covering complaints that the site is antiquated and difficult to navigate. Walla Walla Web Weavers, a web design company, hosts and manages the city’s website. The company works with private companies, foundations, and government agencies, including Walla Walla County and Walla Walla Public Schools. City employees and officials have no direct access to make changes to the site.

Walla Walla Web Weavers quoted the city $12,000 to update the website. The city pays the company $4,000 to $7,000 for maintenance and hosting fees for the interactive site. Su’euga questioned the need to spend so much on a website.

Council members discussed a proposal to return water and sewer billiing to the city instead of continuing outsourcing to a contractor. Before the billing was outsourced, city staff sometimes worked until midnight. The city saves approximately $1,300 annually by outsourcing the billing.

Ryan Paulson, the Public Works Director, asked the council to develop laws against animal cruelty. When the city’s animal control picks up wounded or sick animals, it has no power to seize or cite owners who abuse or neglect them.

On August 1, the Dayton School Board met in a special meeting to vote on the purchase of updated textbooks, “US History American Stories Beginnings to 1877.” Board Chair Jeffrey McCowen, Ryan Paulson, and Aneesha Dieu attended on Zoom. Zac Fabian attended in person with Superintendent Jeremy Wheatley. Grant Griffin was not present.

The book, published by National Geographic, had been available at the school for review by the public, parents, staff, and board several weeks before the last board meeting. The vote on adopting the new edition to replace the older version was deferred by the board after Dieu claimed she had not had the opportunity to review the textbook.

The board did not discuss any concerns over specific content revisions in the updated textbook. Dieu expressed her desire to review all textbooks and instructional material being considered for adoption. The board unanimously approved the adoption of the 8th-grade US history textbook.