A couple months ago, a community member speaking to the school board during Community Comment time, referred to Sarah Costain as the school board member with the “attendance problem.” The community member never said Costain’s name, but everyone knew exactly who he was referencing.

In Costain’s first year on the school board she missed over 30% of all school board meetings. If this was Costain’s employment she wouldn’t have a job by now. If she were a student she would be in a truancy program. It’s impossible to do any job when you simply do not show up. School board members are not held to mandatory attendance, but Costain treats attendance as though it’s an optional activity for her.

Our school board currently does not have an attendance policy, meaning this situation has not been an issue until now. And even though, on two separate occasions, a current board member suggested the board should now create an attendance policy, Board President Eric Lawson appears to have no interest in addressing or correcting Costain’s behavior.

On a related issue, a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) filed by a community member, revealed Costain registered for trainings available to school board members through the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB). The Alpena Public School system pays for this, meaning we, the taxpayers, pay for these instructional sessions. The FOIA revealed Costain registered for trainings, and similar to school board meetings, failed to appear. Because she had registered, yet didn’t bother to cancel when she knew she would not be attending, APS had to pay for the sessions she skipped. Just another instance of no-show.

The school board member with the “attendance problem” also has an accountability problem.

Cathy Goike

Alpena