The meeting’s primary focus was on the election of new leadership. Dr. James accepted the nomination for chair after Nancy Thrower declined, citing her final year on the board and her interest in focusing more directly on her schools. The board members unanimously supported Dr. James for the chair position. For the vice chair role, Lori Conrad was nominated and accepted the position, also receiving unanimous approval from the board.

The board also outlined the calendar for 2026, establishing a series of meeting dates from January to December. A specific point of discussion arose regarding the February 10th meeting, which coincides with Marion County Day activities in Tallahassee, potentially affecting board members’ attendance at related events. Despite this, the calendar was adopted with the understanding that the timing could be revisited closer to the date.

Additionally, the board passed several motions to set the standard meeting start time at 5:30 p.m. and confirmed that meetings would primarily be held on East Fort King Street in Ocala, Florida, unless otherwise specified. Special meetings were scheduled for budget discussions in July and September and for the annual organizational meeting in November.