##VIDEO ID:dSmlUNmVJFw## he uh good evening everyone and welcome uh we are the otana school board this is Monday it's January 6 5:30 we have two meetings tonight the first would be our organizational meeting and we will follow that up with a work session immediately following uh the first item tonight would be to call the order and I will uh obviously Sarah can see but uh we are all in attendance uh let's start our meeting tonight with the Pledge of Allegiance pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all thank you the first thing that we would do tonight would be to welcome our new board members and I would um I would be very quick to say thank you very much for getting in and taking care of all the paperwork and getting all of that squared away Sarah has shared with me that everything is done and in place it's all signed I would um share with you uh just a very brief statement I would say Andrea Ron congratulations on your recent election to the otana school board it's an honor and puts you in a position of responsibility for an equitable and quality education of every learner every day you'll be asked to provide vision structure accountability and advocacy for public education our responsibility is to provide every learner with the tools they need to be academically successful and prepared for life after graduation again on behalf of the otana school board congratulations and welcome thank you with that this is a recorded meeting there are people that probably haven't had the benefit of an introduction so if you would like or would be willing to take two seconds and tell us a little bit about yourselves uh that would be awfully nice sure my name is Andrea velder um I have three kids in the district a high schooler middle schooler and Elementary student and my husband and I have lived here for about 14 years and we're happy to call oana thank you Ron um hi I'm Ron kubichek and um yeah I've lived here in otana for about 20 years this time I grew up south of here and then moved away and then came back I have seven kids uh four of them have graduated from oana high school and then uh two are in the high school right now and then I have one in seventh grade so looking forward to our work with the board excellent both of you welcome uh we will move on uh next item up would be to approve the agenda as presented we'll entertain a motion to approve so move second we have a motion and a second is there any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries the first up would be to be the election of officers and we start with the chair so I'm Mark Sebring Mark Sebring currently holds the office of chairperson nominations will be taken for this position and an appointment will be made so I will open the floor up for uh nominations I nominate Mark Sebring for chairperson second are there any other nominations okay hearing none um I am able to then simply declare that Mark Sebring will um fulfill the chair of the otana school board the next one would be uh the vice chair Lori weisenberger has held the office of Vice chair in 2024 nominations will be taken for this position I nominate Lor weisenberger for the office of Vice chair nomation in a second are there any other nominations none we will duly elect or declare Lori weisenberger to be the vice chair we'll move on to clerk are there any nominations for clerk I will oh go ahead I will nominate myself Elizabeth Hedland for a clerk we have a nomination for Elizabeth are there any other nominations I nominate Tim Jensen for the office of clerk okay are there any other nominations okay so this is a simple Voice vote uh we will uh call for uh those in favor are voting for Elizabeth with an i i and those voting for Tim with an i i i okay so uh Tim Jensen you will be our uh Clerk and we will move on to the office of treasur jool Mo has held this office since 20 in 2024 we will now open the floor for nominations for treasurer I Nom sorry I nominate Joel a mois for the position of Treasurer are there second thank you are there any other nominations okay hearing none Jolan Mo thank you you will serve as our Treasurer uh item six tonight would be board action requested and this would be uh the organizational items that starts with the school board committees and if you have an opportunity to do so to the best of my ability several of you had requested um a particular committee to serve uh the quick reminder here again is that there are board committees district and then there would be outside uh committees and to the very best of my ability I tried to spread the load out as evenly as possible and to accommodate the requests that you had put in for um each of those respective committees with that I believe we can entertain a motion to approve I move that the board approve the school board committees as presented second have a motion and a second any questions from anybody with regard to that okay anything Ron nope you okay all right uh we have a motion in a second any further discussion hearing none all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries at this point I'm going to turn a lot of these over uh I'll introduce it but I'm going to uh turn it over to Mr elstad because he'll do a very good job of explaining what each of these would be the first would be representative for Title One funding Mr elad if you would uh thank you Mr chair members of the board title one funding is something we receive from the federal government requires Federal statutes and regulations and I am recommending that you would consider Julie Sullivan a director of teaching and learning to serve in that capacity as our representative for Title One funding any questions um Mr elad I think our director of teaching and learning traditionally fills this role isn't that true that is correct yes I'm sorry I should have highlighted that this has been held by our director of teaching learning for a number of years yeah all right um I've got it queued up here so I will move that the board authorized director of teaching and learning Julie Sullivan to make application and be the contact person for funds as provided under the title one Public Law 10338 2 for calendar year 24 second Motion in a second is there any further discussion is that for 2025 it would be actually um this is the is it the school calendar year or is it school year uh the federal grants actually run um by a calendar it's a calendar year yeah it's a calendar year should be 25 oh it should be shouldn't it yes living in the past it's no it's complicated because there are some that are fiscal year and some that are yeah actually Julie is this fiscal year this one the title one I think so it is fiscal year I stand corrected it's the fiscal year so it would be for FY for the rest of this year which is fy2 25 26 FY 26 a portion of FY 26 and so does did my did the corrected Cal fiscal year get make its way into the motion yep thank you very much uh any thank you Ron any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed uh that motion carries item 6C would be the official newspaper Mr elad the district uh is required to designate a newspaper for providing meeting notice the school board summar requests for bids and other official business of the board the oana people's press is the most frequently circulated newspaper in oana and has been the official newspaper for the district for many years any questions one you have that I move that the board designate the oana people's press as the official newspaper for oana public schools second we have a motion in a second is there any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries item D would be the school board meeting schedule um and the very quick I'm sorry for superseding I'm stepping on your toes here Mr elad but we uh historically we'll we will approve this tonight and as the school year unfolds fs and we have a better sense of what activities may or may not if there's if there's something that comes up and there would be a true you know conflict where several of us would not be able to be at the school board meeting we'll just address it and we'll make changes if necessary but to the best of our ability Sarah kind of looked through the entire calendar and um we have a pretty good sense that we're going to be okay sorry I would just add one thing for the board's consideration um in the past the board has appreciated that especially at work sessions to have such a not not quite a formal setting as this and so um we have utilized the district office conference room uh for that purpose and that would be something I would ask the board to consider moving forward not for perhaps every work session but those that require more of a round table discussion is more conducive for that opportunity do you think there's value in setting the location now or can we do that as we go it's completely up to the board or the conversation that you would have about what we would do right the only thing that would be a possible conflict would be um if that meeting room at the new district office is booked for something um but beyond that I'm I'm really it's a much more conducive environment for work sessions it really is and to that end my preference would be that we would just simply make work sessions a standing meeting at the um the district office there is one caveat that I just thought of there are occasions when um we need to have a short regular meeting in front of a work session because of some business of the board that needs to be conducted before the next regular business meeting yep um so that would be the only consideration but um we do not necessarily always need to record board meetings that is not a law right and we have there is a history that when that has happened those were meetings that just didn't get recorded correct we're like tonight we have the work session here right following the business meetings y maybe so I would suggest we just do it on a Case by case as we move forward it sounds like there are too many moving we've had several times when we've had a kind of like the idea of having it as an option so like you Mark had mentioned scheduling yeah if we can pull Rank and say let's make sure we have that room available yeah um I think that would be nice yeah that gives us the flexibility and and if we know there's a meeting where we should or an issue coming where maybe we should record it then we could just have it here so where are we Landing are we saying we're going to meet I think it's up to office the only thing there's legal notices we have to maintain I think it's 72 hours we have to maintain in yeah 3 days yep and as long as we notify people that they're like if you're scheduling next work session at a regular meeting and as long as we report that publicly at the regular meeting as well the time before that would be appropriate and then we'll post it by the other statutory requirements buy of notice very good so we're saying the district office for work sessions for work sessions yes and Sarah can we ask you to get our name on the calendar so that all right and then if it's other than we'll have toy our notice have we entertain a motion for this yet no still all right we're having discussion I move that the board approve the 2025 meeting schedule as presented with the caveat that work sessions are to be held at the district office second have motion and a second any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries we're going to move on to 6E that's legal counsel Mr elad M so the district uses a variety of firms provide Legal Services on occasion when required we keep uh these firms on retainer um each of these firms has been used by School administration for councel and uh more pointedly um in the past we've used the law firm of dorsy and Whitney on matters related to referendums and we've also used the firm of ratwik rosac and Maloney on matters related to personnel and special education and my recommendation that we continue uh to receive counsel from these legal firms anybody have any questions somebody have this One queued up all go I move that the board designate dine Whitney and ratnick rosac and Maloney and others as needed as the official legal council for the district second we have a motion in a second any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries item F designated depositories for school district Revenue so in the past we've identified where we are required to designate our depositories uh for our school district revenues um we have been utilizing Bremer Bank and PMA financial and networ Network Incorporated um have been the district designated depository of revenues related payroll Student Activity accounts General accounts and savings and they have provided uh great customer service to the district uh for those purposes any questions I move that the board approve Bremer Bank and PMA Financial Network Inc as as depositories for monies necessary to meet payrolls activity account monies and for school district revenues necessary to meet its General accounts savings and federal income tax withholding obligations second we have a motion in a second any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries item G designating financial institutions for school district Investments the district has historically used a variety of Institutions that oversee the proper investment of our assets um the financial institutions the district has used uh would be those that we would ask you to consider authorizing tonight Wells Fargo Bank um US bank Wells Fargo investment Service Incorporated PMA Financial Network Inc and Bremer Bank as those institutions that protect our investments any questions Andre yes I move that the board approv designating the financial institutions as listed to be authorized to invest District assets as requested within all state and federal guidelines we have a motion in a second any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries item H authorizing persons to make trans so the district is required to designate persons who can deposit or withdraw money on behalf of the district to the checking and investment accounts in the past we've had three primary business office officials who've served in this capacity one being the Director of Finance one being the controller and one be another designated business office official uh that would be able to do that and obviously all of those transfers are made uh within all three sets of eyes on those transfers along with our Auditors and other um agencies that are watching so any questions you have this one I do um I move that the board authorizes the Director of Finance and operations the controller or design to deposit and withdraw money on behalf of the district to the checking and investment accounts second we have a motion in a second you have a question go ahead um Mr Al can you just do we need to identify the design I mean we're in um in Mis B's you know recently left our employment is just to be sure that we have two individuals do we identify that specific um typically and we're in the process right now of posting a senior and Senior accountant position and more than likely that person would also serve in that capacity as well uh right now we do not have a Director of Finance in place right U but we have identified other individuals I'm not quite certain exactly where that's been identif if I did but there is another member of the business office that would be in the event that the other two are not capable of doing so and there was another fail safe which is also the superintendent well that's what I wondered whether you have the authority to do that as well so really we have two individuals today the control that's actually if you remember back in July you gave me all of those rights as a superintendent so that's I just wanted to make sure we had two at this juncture right excellent any further questions okay hearing none um all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries um we're going to move on to item J and I want to explain a little bit with item J hang on you missed I did I miss I oh cosigners sorry ah sorry mrad yeah so we do use a check signing machine um obviously with the number of checks we're writing every month um that only makes it efficient as possible um the designated co-signers will be the newly elected uh thus it will be Mr Sebring and Mr Jensen and Miss Mo will be the signers within the automatic signatures so right Jolan do you have this one sure do I move that the board designate the coiners of the district checks to be its chair Clerk and Treasurer and for these signatures to be used on the district's check signing machine second we have a motion in a second is there any further discussion all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries okay board allowance uh just a very quick uh note of explanation I um made the recommendation I'm making the recommendation that the board annual allowance per person has been $3,700 and a 4% increase give or take it's very close to a 4% increase would bring it to 3,850 this is uh 4% would be very much in keeping with the contracts that we have settled over the course of the past year um there is an allowance for the chair of $600 and the one item that I would ask for uh you folks to give some consideration to tonight is that uh the vice chair has for quite a long time served uh um a meaningful role in the establishment of these meetings and the the agenda for these meetings so there's uh there's a there's a measurable amount of time that the vice chair puts into this as well and my recommendation is that in addition to the 600 for the position of chair that we would um entertain the motion and include a $450 um um compensation for the vice chair additional compensation for the vice chair and I'm happy to answer any questions that you folks might have all right so I'll let me I'll do that um I I move that the board approve an annual allowance of 3,850 per board member to be dispersed over 24 pay periods additional 600 for the position of chair and additional 450 for the position of Vice chair second have a motion in a second any further discussion so I was actually going to just in considering of the um Financial deficit that we have going into the next year or two um I was going to ask the board to consider not doing any increase this year just even though our budget 70 million this is a small part of that but um just a thought and I I understand where you're coming from Elizabeth but I think if we look in terms of other capacities city council County Commissioners we have to keep Pace because we want people to continue to participate and run for these positions and there there needs to be a financial component to it and school bird is clearly significantly lower than every other elected position in our community and so as we can kind of limp along I think that's beneficial for the future but I appreciate the sentiment on the deficit and where we're at I get that yeah and and just for the record I mean again the I appreciate the additional funds because I feel that role today but that doesn't mean I'll fill this role you know into the future so again to your sentiment that yeah I think there's a real concern if we lag behind right um I'd say we already probably lag behind to some degree yes um so that's always been one of my concerns as well but but your point is well legit want to flush it out anymore um is your question answered yeah okay anything else okay so we have a motion we have a second any further discussion all in favor with an i i he opposed okay Dy duly noted um item K appointment of deputed Treasurer Mr elad this is perhaps a followup from the question that Miss weisenberger just raised so I would uh be appointed uh with your permission to be appointed the deputy Treasurer in the act in fact if the treasurer is not able to complete uh their duties as such um and so this has been by the superintendent of schools as a means of providing an internal check on the district's accounting system and has been done so for many years that way Tim do you have this one yep I move that the board appointed superintendent to serve as the deputy treasurer of the district to assist the elected Treasurer in carrying out his or her responsibilities second we have a motion on a second any further discussion on this all in favor with an i i any opposed that motion carries I will move that we adjourn the organizational meeting second Motion in a second all in favor with an i i i any opposed that motion carries good meeting I am going to essentially turn now the uh