How many school board members does it take to write a letter?

Based on a conversation at Monday’s South Whidbey Board of Education meeting, the number is something more or something less than two.

At the meeting, the board was unable to agree on a response to a letter addressed to the board and signed by 24 community members concerned about board director Barbara Schneeman’s move last year out of her district, her possible conflict of interest over the Head Start program, and the track resurfacing at the high school.

Board directors Bob Riggs and Ray Gabelein attempted to write a letter that all board members could agree with and sign. They were unable to do so.

“We were close, but couldn’t agree on the final version,” Riggs said.

Helen Price Johnson said she could not put her name on the letter as it was presented.

Johnson and Riggs both declined to sign the letter. The response was agreed upon by three directors, Gabelein, Jim Adsley and Barb Schneeman.

Prior to the discussion about the letter, a half a dozen people spoke in favor of putting the Schneeman and track issues to rest and spoke about communication and trust among the board members and the public.