Diane Blevins Posted May 18, 2010 Report Share Posted May 18, 2010 Proceedings of the Board of Trustees District No. 2, Yellowstone County High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County Billings, Montana May 12, 2010 CALL TO ORDER The Special 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, May 12, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. Members present included Trustees Kathy Aragon, Mary Jo Fox, Peter Gesuale, Malcolm Goodrich, Joel Guthals, Teresa Stroebe, Barbara Bryan, Travis Kemp, Joyce Weber, and District Clerk Leo Hudetz. The registered guest was Butch Kochel. 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 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. Chair Goodrich suggested the Farewell to Trustees follow the Canvass of Votes in the agenda. Trustee Guthals made the following motion with a second by Trustee Gesuale: Motion to move the Farewell to Trustees to follow the agenda item Canvass of votes. Those voting in favor were Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, Mary Jo Fox, Peter Gesuale, Malcolm Goodrich, Joel Guthals, Travis Kemp, Teresa Stroebe, and Joyce Weber. The motion passed unanimously. CANVASS OF VOTES -- MAY 4, 2010 MAIL BALLOT ELECTION-HS/ELEMENTARY TRUSTEE BY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT ZONES 1, 2, 3, 4, & 7 AND ELEMENTARY MILL LEVY AND ELEMENTARY TECHOLOGY ACQUISITION AND DEPRECIATION FUND LEVY Trustee Bryan made the following motion with a second by Trustee Weber: Motion to approve the official canvass of votes from the May 4, 2010 Mail Ballot Election. Those voting in favor of the motion were Barbara Bryan, Kathy Aragon, Mary Jo Fox, Peter Gesuale, Malcolm Goodrich, Travis Kemp, and Joyce Weber. The motion passed unanimously. Trustees Guthals and Stroebe are ineligible to vote on elementary issues. The following is the Canvass of Votes: HS/ELEMENTARY TRUSTEE BY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT ZONE 1 -- 1 YEAR TERM Travis Kemp 1217 votes Ken Ard 453 votes HS/ELEMENTARY TRUSTEE BY SINGLEL MEMBER DISTRICT ZONE 2 -- 1 YEAR TERM Joyce Weber 36 write-in votes Christopher Leffler 32 write-in votes Daniel Willems 10 write-in votes HS/ELEMENTARY TRUSTEE BY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT ZONE 3 -- 3 YEAR TERM Mary Jo Fox 3600 votes HS/ELEMENTARY TRUSTEE BY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT ZONE 5 -- 3 YEAR TERM Lindy S. Graves 3320 votes HS/ELEMENTARY TRUSTEE BY SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT ZONE 7 -- 3 YEAR TERM Connie Wardell 1949 votes Craig E. Hash 1369 votes Lavonna D. Robinson 1105 votes ELEMENTARY MILL LEVY ELECTION Votes FOR 16316 Votes AGAINST 13707 ELEMENTARY TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION AND DEPRECIATION FUND LEVY ELECTION Votes FOR 14775 Votes AGAINST 15182 CANVASS OF VOTES -- MAY 4, 2010 MAIL BALLOT ELECTION-H.S. TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION & DEPRECIATION FUND LEVY Trustee Fox made the following motion with a second by Trustee Aragon: Motion to approve the official canvass of votes from the May 4, 2010 Mail Ballot Election. Those voting in favor were Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, Mary Jo Fox, Peter Gesuale, Malcolm Goodrich, Joel Guthals, Travis Kemp, Teresa Stroebe, and Joyce Weber. The motion passed unanimously. The following is the Canvas of Votes: HIGH SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION AND DEPRECIATION FUND LEVY ELECTION Votes FOR 17562 Votes AGAINST 17535 FAREWELL TO RETIRING TRUSTEES Trustee Guthals thanked Peter Gesuale for his service on the Board. He stated he was an integral and important member of the Budgeting for Results Committee and the Audit Committee. Trustee Gesuale was more than willing to take over the position of delegate on the Board of the Montana School Board Association. Trustee Guthals stated Trustee Gesuale has brought a wealth of business and financial knowledge to the District. He has also stated he would continue to serve on the committee for the contract for the new superintendent. Trustee Goodrich stated he has appreciated Trustee Gesuale’s service on the Board. Trustee Guthals thanked Chair Goodrich for his service. His record of service is exemplary and has spent numerous hours in service to the District. Trustee Goodrich was a leader in the successful two elementary levies and with the work of the Yes For Kids organization. Trustee Goodrich has worked to lessen the litigations against the District and the significant legal fees from those litigations. Trustee Goodrich also worked to establish a committee to oversee the funds of the bond levy for the elementary schools. Trustee Gesuale also thanked Malcolm Goodrich for his dedication to the Board. Trustees Goodrich and Gesuale thanked the other Trustees for their service as well as the administrators in the District. ADMINISTERING OATHS AND REORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD District Clerk Leo Hudetz administered the oath of office to the newly elected Board members: Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Mary Jo Fox, Joyce Weber, and Connie Wardell. Mr. Hudetz took nominations for the Board Chair. Trustee Guthals nominated Trustee Fox for Board Chair. Trustee Wardell nominated Trustee Bryan. Nominations were closed. Mr. Hudetz opened the discussion to the members of the Board. In asking for support for the chair position, Trustee Fox stated she has had a few years to think about the direction the District is heading. Our decisions in the next two years will be critical as to where the District will go in the next ten to fifteen years. The budget in 2012 is projecting a $6,500,000 deficit and the cuts that will be required to meet the budget will be painful to the entire community. It is important for this district to move forward in a positive, assertive way. Trustee Fox also stated she wanted to gauge community support in moving forward with plans for the Broadwater and McKinley school remodels and a new elementary school in the westend Cottonwood subdivision area. Trustee Fox said she will continue to respect differences of opinions even as the Board vigorously debate them. In asking for support for the chair position, Trustee Bryan reviewed her history with the school district and what she has done since being elected to the Board and what her priorities would be as Board chair. She has been involved in school district issues for over ten years, even though she has served on the Board for one year. In all of her years working in the District, she has advocated for transparency and openness and open meeting laws. Trustee Bryan reported her view of the role of the Board chair is not only moderating meetings and putting together agendas, there is a lot of behind the scenes work to do, but there is also a real leadership role that the Board chair needs to take. One of those would be in Board development as it is really important that the Board have the common base of knowledge and information to make good decisions, especially due to the fact that the Board is really young with not that much experience. She felt the Board’s judgment really enters in but its decisions should be made, not on what we think or feel, but what the evidence tells us is good for kids. Trustee Stroebe stated she knew that the Board was bound by statute in that high school trustees could not serve as Chair, but that did not seem correct to her. She knew that Trustee Fox loves to debate but Board chairs should run the meeting and allow everyone else to debate. She stated she has received calls from community members to support Barb Bryan. Trustee Wardell reported she has worked with Trustee Bryan on school issues and has observed her in the strategic planning process. The community has wanted the strategic planning process for the District and Trustee Bryan has brought that forward. Trustee Aragon stated she has received requests from people asking that she support Trustee Bryan for chair. Working with Barb over the last year has been incredible. Her commitment, energy, professionalism and quality of work that she does has really been impressive. Trustee Bryan has a wealth of community support in the people she asked to serve on the committee for strategic planning. Trustee Guthals stated he appreciated the comments on wanting him to serve as the chair but state law does not permit him to do that. He felt that the Board needs a senior member serving as the chair and believed that experience is very important. Trustee Guthals reported Trustee Fox was very articulate and communicates well with the community. He had respect for Trustee Bryan and believed that she would do a good job as chair. Those voting in favor of Trustee Fox were Mary Jo Fox, Joyce Weber, Joel Guthals, and Lindy Graves. Those voting for Trustee Bryan were Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, Travis Kemp, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. Barbara Bryan was elected the chair in a 5-4 vote. Trustee Guthals then made the following motion with a second by Trustee Joyce Weber: Motion to give unanimous support to Barbara Bryan as Board chair. Trustee Fox felt that Trustee Bryan would successfully lead the Board and gave support to her. Those voting in favor of Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, Mary Jo Fox, Lindy Graves, Joel Guthals, Travis Kemp, Teresa Stroebe, Connie Wardell, and Joyce Weber. The motion passed unanimously. Chair Bryan accepted nominations for Vice-Chair. Trustee Guthals nominated Kathy Aragon. Trustee Fox nominated Joel Guthals who declined due to his time schedule. Trustee Aragon stated she would be happy to serve as vice-chair. Those voting in favor were Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, Mary Jo Fox, Lindy Graves, Joel Guthals, Travis Kemp, Teresa Stroebe, Connie Wardell, and Joyce Weber. The motion passed unanimously. Trustee Fox made the following motion with a second by Trustee Stroebe: Motion to retain Leo Hudetz as the School Board Clerk for the coming 2010-11 school year. Those voting were in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Barbara Bryan, Mary Jo Fox, Lindy Graves, Joel Guthals, Travis Kemp, Teresa Stroebe, Connie Wardell, and Joyce Weber. The motion passed unanimously. Chair Bryan welcomed the new trustees and encouraged them to be on-going readers. It is important to remember that the members are elected by the community and are accountable to the community. Orientation packets were given to the Board members. Mr. Hudetz will set up meetings with administrators for the new Trustees. Chair Bryan urged new Trustees to attend the Montana School Board Association meeting on June 12th. Trustee Guthals reported successful negotiations have been reached with Dr. Beeman, the District’s new superintendent. The contract will be finalized and it will be on the agenda for May 17th, but if that is not possible, it will be addressed at a special Board meeting in the near future. As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Barbara Bryan, Chair Diane Blevins, Recorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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