Board Panel Committee June 8, 2009

[Diane Blevins]

Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

June 8, 2009

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The Board Panel Meeting of the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2, Yellowstone County, Montana, and High School District, Yellowstone County, Montana, was duly held at The Lincoln Center, 415 North 30th Street, Billings, Montana, June 8, 2009, at 915 a.m.

 

Members present included Malcolm Goodrich, Mary Jo Fox, and Kathy Aragon.

 

INTERVIEW AND MAKE RECOMMENDATION

 

JOYCE WEBER INTERVIEW --

 

Trustee Goodrich explained the process to be followed and stated a recommendation would be made to the Board at the June 15 meeting.

 

Joyce Weber stated her reasons to apply were that no one had applied and she wanted to see the other side of education. She has nieces and nephews in School District #2. Ms. Weber explained she had an accounting background and wanted to keep a hand in governmental auditing and she felt she could be a good sounding board as she has no children in the District.

 

Trustee Aragon asked Ms. Weber what other boards she sat on. Ms. Weber stated she has sat on the steering committee for Relay for Life in Helena and has attended legislative committee meetings. She voiced her concern that she would have a problem if a meeting was called during the day as she worked at the Stillwater Mine out of Columbus. She would be able to attend a daytime meeting via teleconference. Ms. Weber reported she is on a tight schedule the first five days of every month.

 

Trustee Fox asked where her philosophy was for making decisions. Ms. Weber reported there are a number of low-income families in her area and she would have to solicit information from people, but would look at the larger picture as it would be a district-wide decision. Trustee Fox asked Ms. Weber if she would be able to support a mill levy. Ms. Weber responded she would have to try and educate the people as to the needs for a mill levy. The challenge is getting the need out to the public in order to gain their support and only ask for what is needed by the District. Ms. Weber stated the only concern she had was working around her job.

 

Trustee Fox asked if she would be able to express her opinion if others did not agree. Ms. Weber stated she was not afraid of speaking up. Trustee Fox asked if the District should aim toward neighborhood schools. Ms. Weber felt it was a good idea but the Board must live within the constraints of a budget and it was important for people to have an ownership in the buildings where their children attend school.

 

Trustee Aragon asked Ms. Weber about diversity of schools. Ms. Weber stated it is important for a family to stay in their neighborhood school and that it is important for a family to have ownership in that school than to have diversity at a different school.

 

Trustee Aragon asked about unions. Ms. Weber reported she worked for a union company and people must be open-minded. Everyone must give up something to make negotiations work. Trustee Fox asked how Ms. Weber felt regarding steps and lanes. Ms. Weber felt 3% was good but stated that steps and lanes are good for improving education for teachers. It is important to have a good starting wage in order to attract top-notch teachers.

 

PAMELA ELLIS INTERVIEW --

 

Trustee Goodrich asked Ms. Ellis what she could bring to the Board and why she wanted to serve. Ms. Ellis reported she was a Montana native and was retired from the educational field which has been her work life as a teacher and administrator. She felt more information is needed for a mill levy election. Trustee Aragon asked how she would communicate with the public. Ms. Ellis reported, as a principal, she had to be a front person to the public. She reported meetings during the day would not be a problem as she was retired.

 

Ms. Ellis asked if there were any big issues at this time. Money and calendar issues, as well as boundary changes are being considered. Trustee Goodrich stated the Board has not been able to get close to the deferred maintenance items. Trustee Fox also reported the current money from the stimulus package for facilities is an item to be considered, along with the energy segment to be considered. Ms. Ellis stated legislators must realize that they are not funding the teachers but are funding education for children.

 

Trustee Goodrich stated that everything must be done in the public’s eye. Trustee Fox asked Ms. Ellis what her approach would be for a mill levy. Ms. Ellis stated it would depend on the times and the Board would have to be able to support a mill levy for a reasonable change. The Board must be up front with the public on what is needed and what would be cut if the mill levy fails. Trustee Fox asked how she would make a decision for her zone versus the District. Ms. Ellis stated it would depend on the issue but it would usually be made by her for the entire District as there are merits in having views from all zones.

 

Ms. Ellis asked if there was training for new Board members. Trustee Goodrich reported the Montana School Board Association has training sessions and information is contained on their website. There will also be a Board retreat in the fall to help new members get up to speed.

 

Trustee Aragon asked how she would weigh-in on cuts in the budget. Ms. Ellis reported, in her experience as a principal, it was known that items would be cut and it was usually personnel that would be cut first.

 

Trustee Fox asked about neighborhood schools. Ms. Ellis responded that schools are the function of family life but schools must also be cost effective. It is important to have neighborhood schools but it must be effective for schools and is a balancing act.

 

Trustee Fox asked about parity for 4%. Ms. Ellis stated she has been in both situations and did not feel that busing students was the answer to reach parity for free and reduced.

 

Trustee Fox felt Ms. Ellis showed a lot of intuition but she favored Ms. Weber due to her accounting experience. Trustee Goodrich agreed. Trustee Aragon felt that the District needed more budgetary knowledge. Trustee Goodrich stated that Ms. Weber could bring a different way to look at government budgets. It was the consensus of the panel to recommend Joyce Weber to fill the vacant Board seat. Trustee Goodrich stated he would contact District Clerk Hudetz to place Ms. Weber’s name in the agenda for Monday night.

 

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m.

 

 

 

 

Malcolm Goodrich, Chair

 

 

 

Diane Blevins, Recorder