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Special Board Meeting December 2, 2009


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Proceedings of the Board of Trustees

District No. 2, Yellowstone County

High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County

Billings, Montana

 

December 2, 2009

 

CALL TO ORDER

 

The Special Board 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, December 2, 2009, at 5:30 p.m.

 

Members present included Trustees Joel Guthals, Mary Jo Fox, Peter Gesuale, Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, and District Clerk Leo Hudetz. Trustees Achten, Goodrich, Weber, Stroebe and Superintendent Copps were excused.

 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE PUBLIC

 

The Board recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues and the importance of listening to members of the public in its meetings. The Board also recognizes the statutory and constitutional right of the public to participate in governmental operations. The Board encourages members of the public to participate in and express opinions about issues important to the District. This part of the Board’s meeting is dedicated to public ranking. comment on any public matter that is not on the agenda of this meeting and is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Trustees. Members of the public may also address particular items on this agenda either now or at the time the Board considers the particular item. There were no public comments.

 

UPDATE FROM AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEE FOR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH;ESTABLISHING SALARY RANGE FOR SUPERINTENDENT

 

Trustee Guthals reported the Ad Hoc Subcommittee met yesterday, December 1st, with a teleconference with Bob Vogel (Montana High School Board Association), Dan Martin (Human Resources Director) and District Clerk Leo Hudetz. Mr. Vogel gave his recommendations for the search process which were subject to the approval of the subcommittee. Mr. Vogel requested that he be the lead person from the MTSBA and lead the District through the process. MTSBA recommended the salary rate at the December 1st meeting. MTSBA would also draft an advertisement that would begin running in the first week in December and would run nationally. The ad would run through the end of January. A survey drafted by the MTSBA regarding the qualities and preferences for the Superintendent would be disseminated.

 

Mr. Vogel stated he would come to Billings to hold meetings for the stakeholders. In early February 2010, MTSBA would screen the applicants and will present the applicants to the Board for review and ranking. The Board will conduct the ranking. The ranking will be done in executive, closed session because of privacy issues. Three to five finalists will be invited to come to Billings. The applicants will meet with the stakeholders as well as staff from the District. The Board will then have an open meeting allowing each finalist to address the District and answer questions. Another session will be held and the Board will make an offer. The subcommittee felt Mr. Vogel’s recommendations were acceptable.

 

Trustee Aragon asked if the business partnerships would be involved in the process. Trustee Guthals reported that was not mentioned but it might occur in the focus groups with the public.

 

Trustee Guthals reported the subcommittee elected him as the Chair of the subcommittee which was subject to his availability due to his work schedule. He stated if he would not be available to attend a meeting., one of the other trustees would be elected to preside. The subcommittee adopted a number of recommendations for approval by the Board. The subcommittee voted unanimously that Bob Vogel would serve as the lead person from the MTSBA in the Superintendent search. Executive Director Dan Martin was approved to serve as a liaison for the District. The subcommittee also approved the advertisement and announcement to begin immediately and run through January 10, 2010.

 

The subcommittee recommends the Board consider a salary of $140,000 to $165,000 plus benefits. Trustee Fox made the following motion with a second by Trustee Gesuale:

 

Motion to approve the proposals by the subcommittee and to adopt those proposals.

 

Trustee Bryan stated, as the time period was short, the Board must work to ask for the right things to get the applicants that it wants. Trustee Guthals stated the Board needed to hold another subcommittee meeting next week and finalize as much as possible.

 

Trustee Aragon asked if there was any discussion in tying salary to performance review. Trustee Guthals reported it would come before the Board. The subcommittee felt the salary range was high enough to attract the type of candidates that are needed. The Superintendent contracts are individually negotiated and there might be some trade-offs in salary and benefits. Trustee Fox felt $140,000 was a competitive salary for us.

 

Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Peter Gesuale, Barbara Bryan, Mary Jo Fox and Joel Guthals. The motion passed unanimously.

 

The subcommittee meetings will be open to the public and for the other trustees. Following the recommendations of the MTSBA, the final decisions will be the Board’s. There will be focus meetings on the finalists.

 

As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Joel Guthals, Vice-Chair

 

 

 

Diane Blevins, Recorder

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