Diane Blevins Posted November 14, 2011 Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 Proceedings of the Board of Trustees District No. 2, Yellowstone County High School District No. 2, Yellowstone County Billings, Montana October 17, 2011 CALL TO ORDER The Regular 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, October 17, 2011, at 5:30 p.m. Members present included Trustees Connie Wardell, Greta Besch Moen, Lindy Graves, Barbara Bryan, Travis Kemp, Kathy Aragon, Teresa Stroebe, Travis Smith, Pam Ellis, District Clerk Leo Hudetz, and Assistant Superintendents Gail Surwill and Josh Middleton. Registered guests were Patrick Todd, Joe Michels, Mary Westwood, Don Bergeron, Emily Bonnam, Amber Rall, Katie Day, Julie Lowe, Jeff Weldon, Kristen Armstutz, Kristen Horton, Karen Tibbs, Jodi Schreiber, Wade Spartz, Karen Moses, and Lauren Pedersen. RECOGNITION AND GIFTS AND DONATIONS Lew Anderson, Facilities Director, announced the district received the Montana Better Bricks Award. The district has saved $1,718,903 in energy costs due to behavior changes in the running of computers and lights when rooms are empty. The Board recognized Rich Whitney, former Facilities Director, for the award. Trustee Aragon made the following motion with a second by Trustee Smith: Motion to accept the gifts and donations with gratitude. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. The following are the gifts and donations: Bench -- United Way, school supplies The Popelka family in memory of Reva Popelka, $150 Bitterroot -- Shawna Carlos and Wes Morales, clothing Leah Haaland, school supplies Wilma Alexander, school supplies Sherri Petersen, school supplies Billings Heights Exchange Club, school supplies Shiloh United Methodist Women’s Club, school supplies Newman -- Tifan Picard and Family, school supplies Crowley Fleck Law Firm, $200 worth of school supplies Colleen Black and Co., CPA, money for student planners Cabela’s, school supplies MYMK, professional follow spotlight Heidi Caekaert, wooden puzzles of the United States Office Depot, welcome back goody bags for teachers Costco, backpacks Ponderosa -- United Way, school supplies Washington -- United Way, school supplies and toiletries St. Pius Catholic Church, school supplies Ron and June Panian, school supplies Colleen Black, $10 Will James - KAKATU Foundation, $22,000 to purchase software Billings Clinic, $240 Eric, Linda and Calvin Bjorgum, $100 Bryan and Stephanie Canty, extended studies vocabulary books David and Ralna Cuningham, $130 for extended studies vocabulary books Darren and Tammy Holmes, $30 to the soldiers’ fund Col. Michael and Sally Morone, $100 to the soldiers’ fund Lois Urion, $15 to the soldiers’ fund Wells Fargo bank, $100 through United Way Matching Program Craig and Jo’etta Buckhouse, donation for 7th grade field trip Mark and Shirley Carlstrom, donation for 7th grade field trip Reed and Bridgit Gerth, donation for 7th grade field trip Yolanda Good Voice, donation to 7th grade field trip David and Ju Yeon Hill, donation to 7th grade field trip Greg and Deanna Hilton, donation to 7th grade field trip Jeff and Carleen Jarecke, donation to 7th grade field trip Robert and Debra Jones, donation to 7th grade field trip Patrick and Deborah Murtagh, donation to 7th grade field trip Rodney and Janice Ostermiller, donation to 7th grade field trip Dr. Donald and Patsy Peretti, donation to 7th grade field trip Timothy and Heidi Petersen, donation to 7th grade field trip James and Alecia Ragain, donation to 7th grade field trip Kevin and Tiffany Rauch, donation to 7th grade field trip Mike and Tracey Schuster, donation to 7th grade field trip Dean and Lisa Sukin, donation to 7th grade field trip Michael and Alice Wilcox, donation to 7th grade field trip Wade and Amy Wilde, donation to 7th grade field trip 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. Mary Westwood addressed the board and reported she had made a request for information in September and received it this evening. The information is on salaries and benefits which she has found to contain discrepancies. She did not feel it was time to discuss the issue due to the state of the district but asked the members to keep in mind these discrepancies. She encouraged the board to move forward. Ms. Westwood also stated the board minutes of September 13, 2011 were incorrect as she did not say she opposed Dr. Beeman. Jodi Schreiber addressed the board to discuss the suspension of all committees. She felt there needs to be open communication with the community and requested a committee to address public input. She voiced her concern that there seems to be no financial responsibility as the Budgeting for Results Committee was suspended. She requested an audit and budgeting committee be formed immediately as the first step to be fiscally responsible. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Trustee Wardell requested the pulling of Item Q6 on the Consent Agenda and Trustee Ellis requested Q2 be pulled for discussion. Trustee Kemp made the following motion with a second by Trustee Aragon: Motion to approve the agenda as amended. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. UPDATE ON BOND PROJECTS Assistant Superintendent Josh Middleton introduced Lew Anderson and Shane Swandel. Mr. Anderson reported the bond projects have come in under budget but are waiting until all projects are completed to see where the district stands in order to determine if any alternates could also be completed. The bid on Riverside was overbid as the district was late in obtaining bids. Bids are being taken now for the summer of 2012. Trustee Ellis asked if the insurance for the Skyview roof damaged by a storm was received and how much was received. Mr. Swandel reported Skyview’s roof will be quantified when it is removed as the total damage could not be determined without removing the roof. The insurance will be determined at that time. Mr. Anderson stated they are holding off on the Lincoln Auditorium’s roof repair and will bid the project in the spring. SKYVIEW HIGH SCHOOL ROOF REPLACEMENT Mr. Anderson reported the bid received from Commercial Roofing came in $100,000 less than expected. Pat Dodds reported a new tape seal will be installed after they make a determination of the damage. The repairs will bring the roof back into code. The ballasts will be reused and new skylights will also be installed which will result in an energy savings. Trustee Aragon made the following motion with a second by Trustee Stroebe: Motion to approve the award of the construction contract for the Skyview High School Roof Replacement to Commercial Roofing for $1,009,742. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. CLASS SIZE REPORT Gail Surwill, Assistant Superintendent, reported the enrollment numbers are currently unofficial as they are being compiled now. The elementary numbers are from last week and the high school numbers are from September. She reviewed the numbers for those present. The state funding formula is based on the October count and February count to determine what the district will receive in funding for next year. Trustee Moen asked for the process used to place teachers and para-professionals. Ms. Surwill reported some teachers did not know what school they would be located in until the day before school started. Some teachers were moved after school started. When placing para-professionals, she concentrated on grades K-2. Kindergarten class numbers are higher this year which is how it is throughout the state. Trustee Ellis recommended using the Davis Demographic software in determining numbers for next year. ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGESS (AYP) REPORT Errin Schmitz, Director of Assessment, reviewed the AYP report as it appears in the packet. Trustee Bryan asked what ‘proficient’ and ‘advanced’ mean in the AYP report. Ms. Schmitz reported tests are on a scale with different levels and proficient and advanced fit into that scale. A school fails if a subgroup fails. It is harder for a larger urban district to make AYP due to the subgroups. Trustee Moen stated she would like to see figures on advanced levels. BARGAINING AGREEMENTS UPDATE Josh Middleton reported he has met with members of the Montana Public Employees Association MPEA) and the Billings Classified Education Association (BCEA) in July and August to discuss labor issues. He has also discussed negotiations with the BCEA and MPEA in September. Tentative agreements have been reached on language items with a financial element still being discussed. Dr. Middleton stated direction from the board is needed to wrap up negotiations for 2011-2012. Trustee Ellis felt it was hard to move forward without knowing all of the numbers. Dr. Middleton stated the district has a working budget and he plans to discuss it at a future meeting. Trustee Ellis asked about board members working on negotiations. Dr. Middleton stated he felt comfortable meeting with the unions but teams would be set up next spring to work on the 2012-2013 contracts. FOLLOW-UP ON MONTANA DEPT. OF LABOR LETTER RE: ADMINISTRATIVE BENEFITS HANDBOOK Jeff Weldon, legal counsel, reported he contacted the Department of Labor regarding the letter sent to the district regarding the handbook for administrators. He was told no response was necessary and he has referred it back to the administration. Dr. Middleton reported he has been meeting with administrators and will continue to meet with them to discuss their suggestions for changes to the handbook. Trustee Ellis asked what was discussed with the administrators. Dr. Middleton stated he was given a brief history of what has occurred over the years. Trustee Graves asked for a timeline for information. Dr. Middleton will give an update at a future meeting. REPORT FROM AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING Chair Bryan reviewed the information from the Visioning Workshop on facilities held in September. The strategic planning group met last Friday morning. More information is available on the district’s website. A draft is expected from Fielding Nair and will be posted on the website. There will be additional people added to the leadership team to make revisions. Fielding Nair will be back in Billings in November and a meeting will be held at the Mansfield Center. Chair Bryan reviewed the six phases of the study as listed in the board packet. Trustee Moen reported there are free things that can be done in the schools that Fielding Nair will make available in the next day or two. INTERIM/PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT POSITION UPDATE Karen Moses addressed the board and read the motion from the September 26th board meeting creating a search committee to find an interim superintendent. One member of the superintendent search committee had asked for the meeting to be noticed but it was not noticed. She felt that public input is needed. Ms. Moses further spoke regarding the process that has been used and felt it has not been respectful. She asked that an outside firm not be brought in to find a superintendent. She felt another outside member should be added to the search committee. Chair Bryan felt Ms. Moses’ testimony was inaccurate. Travis Kemp, a member of the search committee, reported that all meetings are subject to open meeting laws. He felt responsible due to his inexperience that the meetings were not publicly noticed. Trustee Wardell felt there was no way the search could be done by volunteers. If the members do not want the plan being brought forward tomorrow, we can do it a different way. Trustee Stroebe stated her assumption was that you were looking for an interim superintendent. She would have been able to participate in the meeting with Trustees Kemp and Wardell, if it had been noticed, as she was in the building. She felt input from the public should also be used. Trustee Wardell stated there are retired superintendents out there who could come in for 6-9 months and begin to work immediately. Trustee Graves felt the motion from September 26th should be reconsidered. Trustee Stroebe believed the board needed to come up with an interim superintendent and then develop a process for a permanent superintendent search. Trustee Ellis stated that retired superintendents can only make a certain amount as they are drawing from a retirement system. Trustee Moen reported she wanted a process that includes goals and specifications for an interim superintendent. She wants to work with the committee. Trustee Stroebe felt some sort of common ground and consensus was needed. Trustee Graves requested a definition of process. Trustee Ellis made the following motion with a second by Trustee Kemp: Motion to reconsider the motion regarding made on September 26th for an interim superintendent search. Trustee Graves suggested an advertisement be placed for an interim superintendent to run fourteen days. Trustee Ellis suggested modifying the motion to include a letter of what the salary expectations would be. Trustee Aragon voiced her concern that ideas were being thrown out and did not feel it was the right way to run a district. Trustee Stroebe stated there are people in this community who could serve as the interim but it would need to be a more thorough search for the permanent superintendent. Those voting in favor of the motion were Lindy Graves, Travis Smith, Pam Ellis, Travis Kemp, and Teresa Stroebe. Those voting in opposition were Greta Besch Moen, Connie Wardell, Barbara Bryan, and Kathy Aragon. The motion passed. Trustee Graves made the following motion with a second by Trustee Stroebe: Motion to advertise for the interim superintendent to run through fourteen days after it is posted and accept applications for fourteen days thereafter. Chair Bryan wanted to be very clear as to what we are looking for in a superintendent. Trustee Graves wanted to include the public. Those voting in favor of the motion were Lindy Graves, Travis Smith, Pam Ellis, Travis Kemp, and Teresa Stroebe. Those voting in opposition were Greta Besch Moen, Connie Wardell, Barbara Bryan, and Kathy Aragon. The motion passed. Tomorrow night’s special meeting has been cancelled. Mr. Hudetz reported he will put out the advertisement with legal advice. Trustee Kemp stated he reviewed his board orientation booklet and urged all board members to do so. Trustee Stroebe encouraged members to read through the material in the orientation booklet as we will need it eventually. POLICY 4333 ADVERTISING Trustee Aragon made the following motion with a second by Trustee Wardell: Motion to refer Policy 4333 to the Policy Review Committee. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. PROCEDURE 4330-P2 USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES Trustee Wardell made the following motion with a second by Trustee Aragon: Motion to refer Procedure 4330-P2 to the Policy Review Committee and give staff the authority to enforce the procedure currently in place and make adjustments as necessary. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. AA CAUCUS REPORT Trustee Wardell reported the AA Caucus has been addressing Senate Transition Resolution 28 in order to design what teacher performance based funding would be. Trustee Stroebe stated AA superintendents have met and will be meeting during the MCEL conference. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT BENEFITS BOOKLET Josh Middleton reported the administrative support benefits booklet was updated by Dr. Beeman. Included in the booklet is longevity which was previously approved by the board. Trustee Ellis asked for the numbers for the longevity pay. Mr. Middleton stated he would email it to the board members tomorrow. Trustee Graves made the following motion with a second by Trustee Aragon: Motion to approve the Administrative Support Benefits Booklet as presented. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. GASB 54 RESOLUTION Patricia Hubbard, Business Manager, reported the district is required to adhere to the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 54 Resolution. Adopting the resolution in the board packet would make it official. Trustee Aragon made the following motion with a second by Trustee Bryan: Motion to approve GASB 54 Resolution as presented and authorize administration to format this resolution as Procedure 7000P-3. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. MISCELLANEOUS BOARD ASSIGNMENTS Chair Bryan reported the suggested motions would put someone in place to make sure the board stays on top of certain issues. Trustee Stroebe stated she was all right with the responsibility but needed more information before going forward. She suggested including alternative ways to find funding. The board reached consensus for Lindy Graves and Greta Besch Moen to serve as liaisons with staff to bring information forward to board meetings as stated in motion #2 on page 65 of the board packet. The board also reached consensus that Pam Ellis and Teresa Stroebe to serve on an Ad Hoc Board Committee to bring to the full board information on potential 2012 levies. No new committees were formed. PERSONNEL REPORT Trustee Ellis asked if there was anything unusual in the personnel report. Dr. Middleton reported there was nothing unusual. Trustee Ellis made the following motion with a second by Trustee Aragon: Motion to approve the Personnel Report. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. UTILITY EASEMENT ON PROPERTY BORDERING TRAILS WEST SUBDIVISION Trustee Wardell felt the district should be paid for this easement. Trustee Wardell made the following motion which died due to a second: Motion to authorize Lew Anderson to negotiate payment. Trustee Graves asked why boring equipment was not being used. Mr. Anderson did not know. Trustee Graves made the following motion with a second by Trustee Aragon: Motion to table the utility easement. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. CONSENT AGENDA Trustee Graves made the following motion with a second by Trustee Moen: Motion to approve and accept the items within the consent agenda without objection to recommended action. Those voting in favor of the motion were Kathy Aragon, Greta Besch Moen, Barbara Bryan, Pam Ellis, Lindy Graves, Travis Kemp, Travis Smith, Teresa Stroebe, and Connie Wardell. The motion passed unanimously. Items approved in the consent agenda are as follows: Monthly Legal Report Bills Paid -- September 2011 Financial Reports -- September 2011 (Unaudited) Regular Board Meeting Minutes, September 26, 2011 Special Board Meeting Minutes, September 26, 2011 As there was no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m. Barbara Bryan, Chair Diane Blevins, Recorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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