If you're wishing wanting to speak, you need to fill out a form and put it in the basket. And I'd welcome everybody here tonight to the Hazel Park Board of Education meeting at 6 PM on March 16th. And I call the meeting to order with
roll call, please. here. >> Becker >> here. >> Present. >> Here >> uh please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Can I have a motion to approve the agenda, please? >> I make a motion to approve the agenda
with moving the close session close sessions after uh public comment. >> So far, Okay. Motion by Heidi, support by Debbie to move the close session after public
comments. Uh, any discussion? >> Okay, roll call, please. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> No. >> Becker, >> no. >> Fox,
>> yes. >> No. >> Uh, yes. Motion carries. Uh 4 to three. Uh special order business. Wow, how did I miss that one? Student of the month is the most fantastic part of our meeting.
So, we'll get started with student of the month. ready. >> Hi, my name is Nora Ray from United Oaks and I'm here with Terrell Bordon. Um, it is such a privilege to celebrate Terrell as student of the month this month. Um,
Terrell is the picture of hard work and dedication at our school. Um, I'm so proud of all the growth that we've all seen him make since I've at least known him in second grade. It is always such a joy working with Terrell and seeing how
hard he tries every single day. He's resilient, a resilient student who keeps going even when things are tough or challenging. Um, he does an amazing job learning from and listening to other people's
feedback. He's a kind, helpful, and wonderful leader to his classmates. And he set such a role model example every day. Terrell always has a smile on his face, and he does such a nice job making other students feel welcome, and even
the adults feel happy at our school. So, congratulations, Terrell. You truly deserve it. Right. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. >> Proud of you. >> Good evening. My name is Julie Kaminsky.
I'm the principal at Hazel Park Junior High. and I have the distinct honor of introducing you to Bryson Jefferson, an amazing young man who we have the pleasure to have in our building every single day. Bryson is a wonderful young person. He comes to class on time. He's
on tasks and he never misses an opportunity to ask good questions so that he's sure to understand the lesson. He cares about his peers and his surroundings and he builds strong and respectful relationships with his classmates. At lunchtime, he volunteers
to help teachers in their classrooms and enjoys a good book in the cafeteria. In band, he's earned a spot in the prestigious All Green Club by having the highest scores on all of his assignments. He was voted by his peers
as their band representative, which speaks to his leadership skills that we're so proud of. He often stays after school to ensure the band room is clean and ready for the next day. It goes without saying that we are incredibly proud of Bryson and all that
he does each day at school. We are quite confident he will continue to do great things in this world. Congratulations, Bryson. Hello, my name is Monnique McMerry and I am the dean of students at Advantage School. The student of the month at
Advantage School is Zachariah Roland. Zachariah exhibits exceptional behavior throughout the school day. That's within the classroom setting as well as the common areas of our school. He is always polite and a true
gentleman. Zachariah's teachers state that he is a pleasure to have in class. Zachariah demonstrates respect for his teachers, support staff, and his peers. He has also shown academic and personal
growth. Zachariah takes pride in his education and takes the initiative to stay current with his assignments and tackles any obstacle that is thrown his way. We have seen amazing growth with
Zachariah and we are very very proud of him. Zachariah, keep up the good work. Thank you. Hi, my name is Rachel Kletchum. I'm a fifth grade teacher at Hoover Elementary. Our student of the month is Riley Dockery. Riley was voted for
student of the month by her peers in her classroom. Some of her peers gave reasons such as she is kind to others, respectful to her peers and adults, a good person, doesn't need reminders, follows not only classroom rules and procedures, but also schoolwide rules and procedures. And honestly, I couldn't
agree more. Riley always puts forth an effort in everything she does, and is just all around very well deserving of this award. Keep up the great work. We are all so proud of you. Hello. Web Elementary has chosen Charlotte Thousand Clark as our student
of the month. Mrs. Your heart says Charlotte is a wonderful example of what it means to be a student of the month. She comes to school each day with a bright smile and a warm positive attitude that lifts up everyone around her. Charlotte is incredibly smart and
conscientious, always putting thoughtful effort into her work and doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. She's kind to everyone and truly a friend to all. Charlotte is a shining star in our classroom and an outstanding citizen. I'm so proud of her and I know
she will continue to great to do great things. Great job, CHARLOTTE. READ. Come on. >> Tardan Vocational School has chosen Hayang Shin to be student of the month. Hay Young continues to thrive at school this year and has had a wonderful year
of growth. He especially enjoys cooking and has loved participating in the Chartwell's Wednesday cooking class. Hiang has worked hard to develop his work skills and continues to make great progress. He does an excellent job with his co custodial tasks. He loves taking
part in all of the Jardan activities and brings great enthusiasm to everything he does. He's also a great uh friend, mentor, and does a great job at helping out all of his friends at school. Great job, Hi Young. We've had so much luck.
Thank you. >> Hi, good evening. I'm here for Webster Early Childhood Center. And I don't know if our student is here. I can't really see, but Sona Sao is our student from Webster. Are is she here today? No. I wasn't sure if she was in the back
or outside, but that's okay. Um, Miss Katie was really excited to um nominate Sona. When Sona first arrived in our classroom, she was very shy and kept to herself. Now, she arrives in the morning full of smiles and has become a real leader in our classroom. She is always the first one to start cleaning up and
the last one to stop. She is very patient and kind with her classmates and is a great all-around student in our classroom. >> Uh good evening. I'm George Deus uh from Hazel Park High School and we are honored to um recognize Frankie Aquino
as our student of the month. Um, Miss Hakeley says, "Frankie is a true leader in Hazel Park High School. He is kind, smart, adventurous, and he's always willing to help." Mr. Shirley says that Frank is very kind, considerate, and an intelligent young man. He is a role
model student, and an absolute pleasure to have in class. Miss Bratzky states that Frank is always such a positive impact in every class and in the building. He is a silent leader who does what he needs to do. Frank excels in everything he does, and his goal is to do well. his future is shining bright
and he will continue to thrive. And I just must add that Frankie and I have been together since second grade and then we continued again on into sixth grade and he still can't get rid of me at the high school. Um but on a serious note, um he's a great student and even
an out and an an even better outstanding young man. We're so proud of him. I expect great things from him even though he did pick the wrong university here in the state to attend. But um we're very proud of him and way to go Frankie. >> A
well he was at volleyball practice so I knew that he wasn't going to make it. I did talk to mom so >> Oh my goodness. We don't have anything. We don't have a write up for Invest. So, Invest students is Miriam Cushi and um there's no write
up. So, just congratulations to her for doing a great job. Okay, next we have um our audit service presentation. Do we need a 5m minute break? If anybody wants to leave with their children, you're welcome to stay.
Um Monica, could you introduce him? I don't have him. >> Oh, certainly. >> Um we're welcoming uh Tyler Baker from Mayor Coster. >> Thank you, Mr. Baker. >> Hi.
>> Good evening. Thanks for having me. Um, like I said, my name is Tyler Baker. I'm a partner at Mayor Costar, and I was invited um here this evening to present kind of a one sheeter about um the firm of Mayor Costar, as well as answer any
potential questions you may have uh in regards to the audit um service uh proposal. Um so, with that, um I'll get started. A little bit about me. Um like I said, my name is Tyler. I'm a partner. Um I started with Maynor in 2014. Um
been there uh for the for the entirety um of my career. Um along with myself on the engagement team would be Jeff Staley. Um he has been with the firm for over 25 years. Um he would be the concurring partner. Uh he's also our
department head um and former quality control director of the firm as well. And then Tom Jury um who is a manager with uh Mayor. Um that would be the team lead responsible for the the operations of the of the audit uh as a whole. Um
Mayor is located mainly in Lancing. Um we're right downtown. We also have an office in Grand Rapids. We got approximately 250 people um at this point. Uh about um 80 or 200 or at the Lancing office with another 50 in Grand Rapids.
Um in the for those that have the one sheet that I printed in front. I guess you can see it on the screen as well. Um that middle section. Um so we've been regional leaders, best firms to work for for accounting today. That's voted on by employees um for um for the last three
or four years as well as uh Cranes Detroit does include Lancing in that um in that survey. Um and so for the last four years, we've been a best places to work um as well from Cranes Detroit. So pretty proud of those accolades. Um and
then a little bit about our industry as a whole for school districts. Um we do over 130 dis uh school district audits um in the state of Michigan um between locals, charters, and ISDs. Um we also
do a total of uh over 350 um other governmental audits, so including school districts, townships, counties, and cities. So we're well verssed in the governmental arena. Um approximately 60 of our um employees
within our audit department are strictly uh related to school districts throughout the summer. That's approximately 75% of our audit department. So overall um school districts and governmental audits are a significant um part of our firm's um kind of identity. And that bottom number
I'm extremely proud of. So that number 95 is our net promoter score. Um, so if anybody's not familiar with what a net promoter score is, um, that's a survey that gets sent out to all employees or excuse me, not all employees, all clients. Um, and so they send us quotes
back, um, and give us a range from 0 to 10 on would they promote us to family, friends, colleagues. Uh, that's a scale of negative 100 to 100. So, not just 0 to 100. And our school district niche uh, receives uh, in this past year a score of 95. So, extremely proud um, of
that number. kind of shows that relationship that we have with our clients and specifically in that school district um realm. That's enough talking by me. Um, any questions um
for the board for me at this point? >> But I I would um ask that we let Monica cuz I did not realize you didn't have it in front of you the difference of the bids and what their bid is and then take questions for him that you might have.
>> Okay. Um, Manner came in at the lowest bid with the first year being at 48,900 compared to 53,000 for Clark, Schaefer, and Hackett
and 63,500 for Yo and Yo. The 5-year cost for Mayor is 275,900. The 5-year cost for Park Schaffer Hacket was 284211
and the 5-year cost for Yo and Yo was 321750. So Maynor came in um 45,850 less than the higher bid of Yo and Yo.
>> So we're looking to sign a 5-year contract with them. >> Yes. And what's your hourly rate if we go over the 48,900? What exactly does that entail? >> So, um, ideally we don't. Um, so, uh,
that quote is based on that uh, an expected level of service and as long as the financial records are in a reasonable spot when we come out for fieldwork. If we poorly managed or poorly um, quoted the job, then that would be on us. Um if there is a
decrease in the um financial readiness of audit records when we come out to agreed upon week then we would have that discussion well in advance but um theoretically it's just that uh quote um and then if there's multiple single audit uh programs that would be added on
but that's built out in the in the uh proposal and is a known number. um the hourly rates are included in that proposal and it's based on level um for those hourly rates, but um if it's poorly um if if the financial information is available and ready um
and it's just poorly quoted on our side, we don't bill more just because it took us longer. >> When do you normally anticipate getting the information to start the audit? >> Um I think in the proposal we said at the latest September. Um but again, if ready earlier, more than willing to come
earlier. Um, Heidi, I wanted him to share a little bit about your philosophy of year-round support because that was one thing that really um we we loved hearing about and about the professional development you provide throughout the year. >> Yep. So, we provide a number of trainings throughout the year,
especially um over the past number of years, a lot of new gazes that have come up uh and different training opportunities. So, we provide templates and and free CPE and trainings and and things like that. uh we take the approach that we would uh rather have questions throughout the year. So we
generally don't fill for questions or someone has a question about a refunding or a bond issuance um or how something should be recorded um or a new grant that comes out and they're wondering if we have any information on it um we don't bill for those throughout the year. We would much rather have um that
information correct um for the board for decision-m as well as finance throughout the year rather than just that final when we come out. Um, so we'd be uh we take that general approach. >> Thank you. Is um can you give us a list of a couple or just a couple names of
school districts that you currently work with? >> Uh yes, I can give a couple of myself personally and then can give a couple for the for the as well. Um so personally um uh Ingram I think in the proposal Ingram ISD uh would be in
there. Um the uh Brighton um is also included in that. Uh we do um a lot of work on the west side as well. So you got Alligan Aesa um Jackson Public Mason um let's see um Oak Park. Last year I
think there's four charters um that we also do uh within your guys' county as well. Um >> did you say Oak Park? I'm sorry. In Oakland County. >> Yeah. >> Is that the only one in Oakland County? >> Uh local the only local district. Correct. Yep. And then four of the charters um that we do as well.
>> Okay. um within the county. >> Yep. And then a number of uh cities along the corridor too. Um Huntington Boy, it's Ferndale. Um we do a lot on the government side as well. Uh we do um Kazoo Public, Lancing Public. Um so
yeah, >> thank you. >> Yep. >> Anybody else? >> No. Okay. Well, thank you for the presentation. >> Thanks for your time. I appreciate you having me. >> Thank you. And so we're asking for a motion.
>> I'd like to table it because we didn't see the bids. I'd like to see the bids and kind of look them over before making a decision. >> Do you need support? I'll support that. >> Can Yeah. Make that into a motion. >> I make a motion to table this until um
our next meeting so we can see the vid bids >> support. All right. motion by Heidi and support by Debbie to table this further information. >> My problem with that um is this has
always been an issue. It's like we're pushing the audit off, pushing it off. If we have a company that is a great price in my opinion, why are we going to wait? Because I'd like to see the bid. I don't want to make a decision without seeing the information. We've got one sheet in
front of us that has very little information. Um although it is good information, it's very little and the audit doesn't start until September and it is currently March. So we do have some time to push it up just a month.
>> Any other discussion? >> Okay, roll call, please. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Eaton. >> I see no reason to push it off. It's been an ongoing issue that audits are delayed. There's no sense in delaying a new process. No >> Becker.
>> Yes. >> Fox. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> No. >> And motion carries. 4 to three. >> Um, it was >> Yes, it was. Sorry.
Um, next is our high school representative. Hello, my name is Preston Blae and I am the high school representative. Um, I'm just going to share a few things that have been going on at Hazel Park High School for the past month. So, starting off, the winter sports season has
concluded with the following achievements. The girls bowling team won their division. The boys basketball team handed Lampere their only loss during the season. The girls basketball team remained undefeated all season.
And lastly, some individuals from powerlifting qualified for state finals. Next up, we got the 2026 rummage sale took place on February 28th and March 1st. This is one of many fundraisers that have been held for the class of 2026.
On March 3rd, we began the usage of the phone pouches. Despite all of the complaints from the students, I have personally noticed an increase in socializing during lunchtime. Um, next up we got Drama Performed Beetlejuice on March 5th through 8th for a total of four soldout public
performances. This is a massive milestone for the organization and I've heard fantastic reviews from patrons and I'm quite happy because I played Beto G. Uh the spring sports season is now in motion with triyouts for girls tennis
and soccer, boys volleyball, baseball, softball, and track all having uh took place last week. Both band classes attended a band festival on March 11th and showed off their musical talents. Concert band scored an overall score of two and
Sophonic Winds scored a one. Both are very high scores that showcase consistent music capability. The senior banquet is right around the corner, occurring this Wednesday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. This is the first of many special events for the senior class this year. And lastly, the last Red
Cross blood drive takes place on April 16th. Please encourage your friends and family to sign up. And we have already saved many lives this year. That's it. Thank you. Can I also thank you Preston for being one of our MC's at the dinner because
you guys were amazing. >> Okay, next we have Advantage representative reports. Anyone here from Advantage? No. How about United Oaks? Hi, Lisa Bernest, United Oaks Elementary. Not that tall. Um, I'd like
to share with you something that actually not just United Oaks does, but um, our elementarymentaries do. Streamlining family support, our RFA process. RFA stands for request for assistance.
This is a process by which school staff and parents can discuss student concerns that might be academic, behavioral, or both and determine action steps so that the student will be successful. We can now flag additional concerns such as a
student having attendance issues, food insecurity, or even other general wellness concerns. Our RFA meetings are held regularly. At the ends of these meetings, the team decides what the next steps are and how to follow up. as needed.
The starting point of this process is the request for assistance form. Whether a student needs help with academics, behavior, or even basic needs, all assistance begins with the RFA form. This is a quick Google form that teachers can quickly fill out to alert
that there is a need. Once submitted, it comes to the principal and we kind of triage the request, if you will, to determine the best route for support. I've cited just a couple examples here and I'll walk you through. Example number one, Miss Smith, teacher Miss
Smith notices that Brooke is really struggling in math and it could be affecting her behaviorally as well. Example two, Miss Smith might learn that Brook's mom just lost her job and Brooke says that there isn't any food at home. They're in between.
Example three, Miss Smith might learn that Brooke was in a houseire over the weekend and their home was severely damaged. If we take a peek at example one, I'm going to take you back. Miss Smith notices that Brooke is really struggling in math. She's filled out the request
for assistance form. It comes to me when I take a peek at that. Ooh, this is going to be an issue. I'm going to route this to our school-based support team so that we can all get together and discuss academics, behaviors, and schedule a
meeting. Now you might ask who is part of that internal school meeting? Could be the principal, could be classroom teacher, could be MTSS teacher, resource, speech and language OT, PT, social worker, psychologist, specialed
supervisor, paraprofessionals, family members might even be the promise navigator. Could be a combination of any of them. And we would go through and figure out next steps. Example two. In this case, parent might have lost a
job that comes through to me. Hey, Miss Bernest, you know, we see that this might be an issue here. I would fasttrack that to our promise navigator because I know we have a system in place where we can fill that gap. Our promise navigator reaches out to the family. Hey
mom, what's up? How can we help? What can we do? And we would handle in that way. Example three, god forbid a house fire. Miss Smith learned that there was a houseire over the weekend. She shoots me a quick Google um form. Hey, Miss
Bernest. In this case, I would seek out our promise navigator, but then we would take it to that next step. We also have um our community health workers that can help with housing. Maybe they need housing, a place to stay for the next two days to kind of or next few days to
bridge that gap. So, we have lots and lots and lots of resources to help So again to recap, many avenues to support our students and our families here in Hazel Park. Could be the school team, could be the promise navigators,
could be the promise navigators and the um community health workers. Lots of resources. Our promise navigators serve as the essential bridge between the school and our community health workers. They will personally call the family to ensure
that they are connected to the right resources and that the handoff to those community health workers is seamless. By including both the promise navigator and when necessary the community health worker, we ensure a whole family support
system. Their expertise allows us to bridge the gap between the classroom and the home, ensuring that students have the foundation that they need to succeed. Finally, I'd like to share a quick clip with you. Um, one of our families at
United Oaks. My son Jackson is kind, hardworking, loving, generous, helpful, thoughtful, and positive in every aspect. He has struggled with ADHD along with OCD. His
reading was a bit of a difficulty and has been since the beginning. I met Talia about 3 years ago when I came on as the community school coordinator. Talia is a mom who is all about her son. She just exudes warmth. So, I knew that
we were going to have a close working relationship. And once we sat down and we got to know each other, I got to know everything that was going on. Over the last few years, my difficulties I've had, I did deal with having cancer and it was prolonged through a 2-year span.
If it weren't for this school, it makes me a little emotional. It was almost immediate that there was like an open arms feeling and it wasn't even that I had to ask. It was already given. Seeing him now as a student just in the couple years that I've been here,
he has grown so much. His test scores, they're going up. Watching him become an involved reader and his skills growing every month. It's just this overflowing like warmth that you feel inside. He's going to go on and use these skills and
have an amazing life. And it's all done here where the foundation is at school. One of my biggest things is when my son finally um acclimated doing baseball, financial struggle was real and the gear was expensive. Brooke took it upon
herself to ask the school for that help and she met me at Dunhams to purchase all the items that he needed and then some. When my son was able to do baseball, it really improved his social skills in an entirety. The positivity, love, and support that my son gets from
everyone that surrounds him in his life and at school, I feel like he extends that to everyone around him. The way this community has come together for me and my family and my son specifically with his struggles and his learning, the foundation at this school and through
United Way, I think it's going to allow him to adapt into a really strong, beautiful young man. Thank you for your time. I just have to comment that Hazel Park has always been um very supportive our
our parents um and our children reaching out and and helping families in that way. So that is a a great report. Thank you. Okay, so now we're on to public comment. If you're wishing to speak, please fill out a form. They're on the table back
there. Um, and I just have this little statement before we begin. Our first person is going to be Clint Atkins. Um, this meeting is a meeting of the board of education in public for the purpose of conducting school district
business not to be considered a public meeting. There's a time for public participation during the meeting as indicated on the agenda. Please state your name and address. Please be considerate and refrain from using names. You have five minutes.
>> Proud to be here tonight. You schoolboard members. I know what you your jobs are. I did this for 28 years and had a lot of fun doing. >> It's on hold. Closer. >> Closer. Any closer be
anyway. Uh I I was on the school board for 28 years and enjoyed every minute of it. Had some good days and some bad days. And uh I know what you guys are going through and uh
I got some problems with how some of the money is being spent. We're spending money like we're never going to run out of money. Back in January of 2025,
we spent four to five mill four to5,000 on trying to get rid of a superintendent who, in my opinion, with all the good things I've heard tonight from kids, from everybody else, you ought to be
thanking her, not trying to get rid of her. I went through so many superintendents and she I I did not know her. I had no idea what she's going to be like. But the longer I've been longer I've known
her, the more I see what she does. Not only for the schools in this community, but for the kids and the parents and the people in the community. She's always at sports things, anything in the world.
She you go you go on Facebook and you'll see her with football, the basketball, anything in the world, she's there and she's doing a good job. And uh we spent a lot of money in 2025, somewhere
between $4 and $5,000. No, $4500,000 trying to get rid of her. Trying to get rid of her and it came back. You had no case to get rid of her. So that's that that's money you wasted
on stupid things. We hired a person to do do uh budget of things paying him 30 30 $40,000 a year maybe 50 where you could got it from
from uh Oakland schools probably as good or better for zero dollars. That don't make any sense to me. I mean maybe to some people it does but not to me. Now we're doing something. I don't know what we're doing. I got a phone call from 90
miles up north today asking me what's going on tonight in this meeting. I said I don't know. I got a good I got a I think I'm going to know what might be going on but I'm not sure what's going
on. And I really another thing is what I saw tonight. You ought to be thanking her. Everything in this went on tonight was good. Every kid got up. It was good. Reports are good. I don't know what the budget
is. I don't When I watch this meetings, it's on YouTube. And you guys all look good on YouTube. We really do. Uh I I I just wish you would think go back and and you could know what you're up there for. Okay. You're supposed to
be up there for the kids and the betterment of school district. I was on management FOR I was on management in automotive and building battle tanks for 30 years. I learned one thing. You're at the top.
You get the credit if things are going good and you're get to blame if it's going bad. And from what I've seen tonight, there's not too much going bad. And I' I've been around a long time, 83 years, I think.
But, uh, you guys need to think about what's going on here. Let her do her job. If she's doing something wrong, GO TO HER. THE DAY I WON MY first term of schoolboard meeting, my brother was a superintendent school in in Missouri. I
called him and says, "Willie, I want an election tonight." He said, "Let me tell you what your job is." I said, "Dude, I won the election, not you." But he told me, "Your job is you get a superintendent or you hire one and you support that superintendent in
everything he or she does, unless it's wrong. And if it's wrong, you go see her first, then you go see the public." And I've seen some meetings here that would uh it wasn't it wasn't done that way.
Okay? You be proud of her. let her do her job for God's sakes. And it turns to me it it's that she's doing a hell of a job. It's it you see it when people come in here and and tell you what's going on in
schools. And that's about all I got to say. WHAT? >> OKAY. Next we have John Hoff. Can I do something real quick? >> Absolutely. >> Back. I have to >> Hi, Jen Hall. Uh staff member and parent
in the district, 1510 East Pearl Avenue. Um, good evening members of the board, administrators, staff, and community members. I'm here tonight because I care deeply about our students, our educators, and the long-term health of this district. I believe we are standing
at a crossroad, a moment where our decisions will reveal whether we truly put students and staff first or whether we allow financial mismanagement to take priority over common sense. Our district is struggling. We all know it. We feel it every day in our
classrooms, in our buildings, and in our budgets. We're cutting programs, stretching staff thin, and asking teachers to do more with less. Families see it, students feel it, and we as staff live it. And in the middle of all this, we are being asked to consider
spending over $1 million, money we don't have, to buy out the contract of our current superintendent. And then after spending that enormous sum, we would still need to hire a new superintendent and pay another full salary on top of that. Where is that money coming from?
This is not responsible stewardship of public funds. This is not putting students first. This is not putting your staff first. This is not putting our district first. When a district is struggling financially, the answer cannot be to spend more money we don't
have on decisions that do not directly benefit students or classrooms. Every dollar we spend on un unnecessary buyouts is a dollar we cannot spend on reading support, mental health services, classroom supplies, building repairs, or
competitive salaries that help us retain the wonderful people who actually make a difference in these children's lives. Our teachers are exhausted. Our staff support is stretched thin. Every building is short staffed, whether it's teachers or paras.
Our students deserve stability, resources, and leadership that reflects fiscal responsibility. That's your job. They deserve a board that models the same accountability we expect from every classroom and every department. If we expect our students to act a certain way, the adults that lead them should
act that WAY AS WELL. WE CANNOT continue to ask our community to trust us with their tax dollars while making decisions that contradict the realities of our budget. We cannot continue to tell staff there's no money while simultaneously considering spending over a million dollars to solve
a problem in the most expensive way possible. Leadership is not about choosing the easiest path. Leadership is about choosing the right path. Tonight, I am asking you on behalf of students, staff, families, and taxpayers to reject any
proposal that wastes money we do not have. I am asking you to prioritize classrooms over contracts, people over politics, and fiscal responsibility over convenience. Our district cannot afford this buyout. Our students cannot afford
it, and our staff cannot afford it. Our community will not forget it. So, let's choose a path that reflects our values and a path that protects our classrooms. Let's choose a path that puts students and staff first where they belong. Thank you,
Cindy Thomas. Good evening. Cindy Thomas, 1120 East Troy Street. Um, my name is Cindy Thomas and I have served this district for four years as a pair professional. I work with our adult students with special needs at Jardon,
teaching them job skills in our greenhouse, school store, greeting card m, and lately I've had the privilege of working alongside our Chartwells team at the junior high. I'm also the proud parent of an elementary student in this district. I am here because a budget is
more than a spreadsheet. It is a statement of values. And right now, the values being signaled to the staff are deeply concerning. My family's journey here started with a major leap of faith. We moved here from out of state just before the pandemic hit. A time of total isolation and
uncertainty. When things finally began to open back up, it was this district and this community that made us feel like we had found our home. We chose to put down roots here because of the promise of what this district could be. My daughter started her journey in early fives during the height of that
pandemic. Like many children her age, she was deeply afraid. She had no social interaction with peers and faced a world that felt uncertain. But because of the dedicated staff at Web Elementary, she didn't just survive, she thrived. These educators have helped her become
the student of the month every single year. She's reading two grade levels ahead. And that success came from the tireless daily work of the teachers, the paras, the speech pathologists, the secretaries, the principles, and the staff in our buildings. Every day I walk into a building in constant need of
repair to serve some of our most vulnerable learners. We are told the funds for our infrastructure and staff retention are limited. Yet, we are currently discussing spending over a million dollars to buy out a contract. It's impossible to reconcile a million-dollar
exit with the reality of leaking ceilings, broken locks, broken fixtures, lack of heat and air conditioning, and intercoms and walkie-talkies that quit in the middle of crisis. Often the walkie-talkies will stop just an hour into the day, and that's a
walkie-talkie that's shared among seven staff members. We often have situations where we have to go on hold. We have to stay in our rooms. If I don't have a walkie, I don't know that. I don't know what I'm walking into. The lack of investment in people is even
clear on our pay scales. In my four years here, I have reached a point where I earn only $1 less than a co-orker who has spent 30 years in this district. >> That's not a sign of a healthy competitive growth model. It's a sign that long time long-term loyalty is
being ignored. I have another colleague who has also spent three decades as a pair professional. Despite fighting cancer for several years, she is rarely absent. She works non-stop because she knows our students need her. She and all of our paras are the backbone of special
education. Last week, I heard another colleague who works with our young students in wheelchairs, literal backbreaking work, talk about how she may need to set up a GoFundMe just to pay her bills. How is it that we cannot find the room to give people of this caliber a meaningful raise, yet we can find a
million dollars to settle a contract? Why is an administrative buyout a priority while people fighting for their livelihoods and their students are told to wait? >> A million dollars can buy out a contract or it could show the people who bring the dedication, the sweat, the heart that keep this district going that you
truly value them. I am asking the board to prioritize not just the names on the contracts but the people in the buildings and start investing in the ones who are actually doing the work. Thank you. >> Okay, Nancy Anderson.
>> Maybe she's NY. Yes. Okay. Joan Ryinski, >> she's here. >> Oh, no. There's Nancy. >> Good evening. My name is Nancy Anderson. I live at 306 Senomen Hazel Park. Sorry, I'm short.
I'm here tonight as a lifelong community member, alumni, parent of three alumni, and an employee for the past 18 years. I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about how I feel about Dr. Wilcox. Those of you who know me, and most of you really do, you already know
how I feel about her. I will take a quick second to publicly thank her for years of support, not only for myself, but for my family, my children, my husband, my parents. She has supported all of us some through some of the hardest moments of our life and some of
the best moments of our lives. even long before I worked in central office. More importantly, tonight I want to address the close session and the rumor that's floating around about the plan to buy out Dr. Wilcox's remaining contract. To do this would be incredibly
irresponsible. It would be a horrible decision by each board member who votes in favor of it. Buying out her out alone could cost close to $1 million before a new superintendent search and the salary of a new superintendent. we've already spent half a million on an
investigation that didn't really result in anything. And she came back to work and on day one she hit the ground running and she's been working ever since. >> It is insulting to hear staff it is insulting to staff to hear board members suggest maybe we
don't give raises right now and then turn around and suggest spending a million plus dollars to buy out a contract for no understandable reason. It is insulting to our students that you would ever consider spending this kind of money on a buyout rather than putting
the money into classrooms, into our dedicated staff, into supplies and technology experiences and tools that would provide an even better educational experience for our students. Honestly, it's insulting that it's taken something this drastic for me to finally have the
courage to get up here and speak. In the past, there's been a small select group of people that have been trying to run our superintendent out of the district. And I've always backed away from speaking up, fearing a target on my back. And how insulting that after 18 years in this district dedicated to this
school district that I should even fear speaking up because I'm afraid of becoming a target. No employee deserves to feel that way. Moving forward with a buyout would put the district in financial hardship once again, potentially leading to another deficit,
potentially more freezes, staff reductions, pay cuts. 11 years ago, almost to this date, we took a 15% pay cut in this district. For a family like mine, that was a 30% family income cut. I will tell you, it was devastating,
painful, and created situations for my family that was embarrassing. We struggle to stay above water. I've gotten to know so many of our employees in this district, hardworking, dedicated employees, and even a small cut will
cause the same kind of devastating situation for them. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Our staff will pay for this decision and in turn, our students will pay for it as well. This is not about whether you like our superintendent or not. This is about what is fiscally
responsible for this school district, for our staff and our students. You were elected to do what is right for our students. Tonight, make responsible decisions in the best interest of the student and staff of Hazel Park. Thank
you. There she is. Joan Joan Rayinsky 53 West George. Okay. So, I'm here tonight because this conversation had in secrecy around buying out the superintendent's contract has left many of us who work directly
with students feeling frustrated and unheard. You have often berated the administrators and the rest of the boards not for not seeking out public opinion. But this time, you developed a plan behind closed doors, which is not only unethical and a slap in the face to
our staff, to our community. It is illegal. So, let me be clear. Whether someone personally supports Dr. Will Cox has never been the point. The point is the cost of this decision and what the cost represents for our students, our staff, and our community.
We are hearing that this board may vote to spend over $1 million to buy out one contract. At the same time, many of us are sitting in this room have been told again and again that there's simply not enough for things like supplies, building maintenances, students
performing staff raises. And yes, one member said during a meeting that maybe we needed to look at salary freezes for staff. Did she say that knowing that this plan was in motion?
As pair of professionals, we are some of the people who work most closely with students every single day. We are the ones helping manage the big behaviors. We are the ones supporting students who need extra help learning to regulate, communicate, and succeed in the
classrooms. We step in during crisis. We help keep classrooms functioning. We build relationships with these kids who often struggle the most. PAR professionals are not an extra in the school system. We are an integral part of it.
So when we hear that the district may be preparing to spend over $1 million to settle your disagreements with the people working directly with students are told that there's no money to support them, it sends a very clear message about priorities and who you truly care about.
The money belongs to the staff who serve students every day and most importantly belongs to the children in this district. Not to you, not to the people who have left, to the people who are here now. These people, all of these people,
we are entering into negotiations. We will not forget that you had money available and chose to waste it while telling us that we don't matter. I urge you to think carefully about the message you planned
vote sends to your employees, staff, students, stakeholders. I also want to point out that as you make this decision, understand that there are a lot of pair of professionals in this district who have to work a second job
outside of this district to pay their bills, especially in this economy. So, they're already working two jobs, sometime some three. They have children, they have families. This is the message
that you're sending them that they don't matter and that's unacceptable. Lynette Dailyaly. Lynette. Can I say it? Lynette Dailyaly. What? I said she's Oh.
Lynette Daly. I live on Goodrich in Ferndale. Been a pair professional for 16 years here. >> Sorry, I'm not a speaker, so bear with me. Um, I've been a pair professional
here in Hazel Park for 16 years. I'm Thank you. I'm proud to serve as a pair professional in Hazel Park schools. Every day when I walk into work, my focus is to help the kids in front of me succeed. That means supporting students who may struggle academically,
behaviorally, and making sure classrooms remain safe and productive learning environments. Paras are often the first people called when a student is in crisis. We are the ones helping deescalate situations, helping students get back on track, and
helping teachers maintain a learning environment. School cannot happen without us. Yet our wages are so low that many of us work 12 hours a day and many of us work more than one job. So when we hear that some of you created a plan to spend more
than a million dollars buying out a superintendent's contract, it's incredibly hard to understand. For months, staffs across the district have been told the same thing. There's not enough money for the meaningful raises for additional safety improvements in buildings to upgrade
facilities or programs that directly benefit students. Yet suddenly there may be over a million dollars available for you to settle a score. That is hard to hear because when resources are short, every dollar should
be focused on the people and the systems that directly support their our students. That means classrooms, buildings, teachers, pair professionals, and other staff who are working with children every day.
Paras help manage some of the biggest behavioral challenges in schools. We support students with special needs. We help ensure that the classrooms can function so teachers can teach and students can learn. We are proud to do that work, but we
also want you to see the district prioritize the people who are making that work possible. And we didn't ask you to do this. This money should not be used to resolve adult conflicts or personal disagreements. It should be used to
strengthen our schools and support the staff who serve our students every day. Please remember that the decisions made here affect not just you personally or the administrators but every student and every employee in this district. Thank
you Wolf. >> I couldn't hear you. I'm sure they could wolf. Good evening. My name is Shashana Wolf and I'm the parent of a fourth grader at United Oaks. I live at 17 28 East Meyers.
I want to talk about priorities because right now the priorities of this board are extremely difficult for many parents in the community to understand. Over the past year, this district has spent more than half a million dollars on an investigation into Superintendent
Dr. Wilcox. And after all that time and all that money, there were no findings of misconduct and no findings of wrongdoing. None whatsoever. And now after spending over $500,000 investigating her and finding nothing,
this board is preparing to spend over another million to buy out her contract while also paying the salary of whoever replaced her. By the time this is over, Hazel Park taxpayers may have spent well over a million and a half dollars on an
investigation and buyout that produced no evidence of wrongdoing. So that raises a very simple question. If there is no wrongdoing, what exactly are we paying all this money for? Because I'll tell you from the outside,
it looks a lot less like accountability and a whole lot more like a very expensive personal vendetta. Whether some members of this board personally like Dr. Wilcox or not is completely irrelevant. I tell my daughter something very simple all the
time. You don't have to like someone, but you do have to treat them fairly. >> That's a le that's a lesson we expect children to learn in elementary school. It should not be a lesson that the leadership of a
school district still needs to learn. While this while this district has been spending enormous sums of money on investigations and administrative battles, I asked a few of my daughter's teachers how much of their own money they've spent on
classroom supplies this year. One teacher told me she spent over $500 out of her own pocket just this year alone on supplies and stuff to keep her classroom engaging for her young students. Another told me over $200. And
that's not even counting basic things like tissues that she now has to keep buying herself because the district doesn't provide them once the boxes the parents send in at the beginning of the year run out. So, you think about that. Teachers are buying tissues and
classroom supplies out of their own pockets to support their students, but this board has no problem spending over a million dollars over leadership drama that produced absolutely nothing. So, that's not fiscal responsibility.
That's not leadership. And it's certainly not putting the students first. When teachers are buying tissues for their classrooms out of their own pockets, spending over a million dollars on an investigation in a buyout that produced no wrongdoing is not
leadership. It's a complete failure of priorities. AND QUITE And quite frankly, anyone that votes for it should all be ashamed of yourselves. Our children Our children deserve better. Our teachers deserve better. And the
taxpayers of this community deserve better. Thank you, >> Jonathan Jackson. >> Hello again. Um, I am here tonight uh because I would like to show some some support for Dr. Wilcox.
Um, she is our superintendent. I want to show support for our teaching staff and administrative staff and all of the people who come here every single day to help educate our children. Last week during the committee of the whole meeting, the topic of this board
buying out Dr. Wilcox's contract was brought up during public comment. Um, it was brought up again by two board members who were concerned because the discussions are happening without the board as a whole. One board member said there may have
been a discussion outside this building where a member of the community, not a board member, uh, was promised that Dr. Wilcox would be fired. I mean, that was in last week's meeting. It was brought
up here. Why are people outside of this room having any conversations when I've sent you emails and you don't even have the courtesy to respond to me? Who out here has the ability to have your
attention and have those types of conversations? That's concerning. Those are some strengths. From here, I just see this as you guys finally found that you had an 8% fund balance
and you could not wait to spend that money, whatever your personal vendettas are. You know that meme where the guy's standing behind the tree and he's rubbing his hands together waiting for something to h. It's like that's like what we're watching. It's so
embarrassing. So today when you go into your close session and you have your conversations about whether or not you're going to vote to um you know pay out Dr. Willox's contract. Understand this. Every single
one of you are eligible for recall. We did not get it done last year. We will get it done this year. It's going to be real embarrassing for you. Uh, Trusty Kesy Kales, 1812 East Harry Avenue, Hazel Park.
Good evening, members of the board. I'm here tonight as a parent, a longtime member of this community, and someone who cares deeply about Hazel Park Schools. I'm also here representing the employees of the Hazel Park Central Office Administrators, Specialists, and
Assistance Union. Like many people in this room and across our city, we want our district to succeed. We want all of our students to have every opportunity possible and we want the adults who work every day to make that happen to feel supported and
valued. Most importantly, we want the decisions made by this board to reflect the best interests of our students and our community. That's why the discussion about potentially buying out the superintendent's contract is so concerning to us.
From what has been shared publicly, that kind of decision could cost this district close to a million dollars for the buyout, plus the cost of additional superintendent. As many have said tonight before me, as a taxpayer and community member, it's difficult to understand how spending
that kind of money to end a contract early could be the best use of our district's resources. As an employee, it also concerns me because of the impact decisions like this can have on the people who work here and their families.
At a time when the cost of living continues to rise for everyone, this is simply not the kind of financial decision our district needs. When Hazel Park did this last time, salaries were slashed and employees suffered through pay cuts, furlow days,
and programs ending. We hear often that budgets are tight. That information is largely accurate. Hazel Park School's budget is tight. Financial pressures are a reality for all districts across the country.
Several board members have repeatedly suggested that raises for staff should not be awarded in order to ensure the district ends with a positive fund balance and voted down raises for staff in several instances. One particular board member specifically
stated at the December 8th committee of the whole meeting that we do a raise freeze this year. However, last week when the favorable movement on the budget was presented, it seemed like an opportunity to recognize the work of the business office and the
superintendent. Unfortunately, that moment was met with very little acknowledgement from the board. This positive movement should be invested in the staff, programs, and other supports for our students. The idea that such a significant amount
of money could be spent on a contract buyout raises serious concerns for many of us in this community. Also, this isn't new for Hazel Park Schools. This would be the third contract buyout in the last few decades. At some point, we have to ask ourselves,
why does this keep happening? Why does it seem so difficult for Hazel Park to move forward without creating the appearance of conflict and instability? >> We know that serving on a board of education means making difficult decisions.
But before even considering something as costly and disruptive as a contract buyout, we hope you pause and think about the message it sends to the people who live here, work here, and send their children to these schools. While a few voices may be urging this
forward, many more members of this community have serious concerns about it. Finally, as a community member, I'm asking you to focus on what matters most. Supporting students, supporting the people who work with them every day,
and protecting the limited resources our district has. Please don't move forward with a decision that could cost this district so much. Thank you for your time. Mitchell Good evening. My name is Don Mitchell,
1216 East here at Hazel Park, Michigan. Want to start out by saying I am an alumni community member. I've been a longtime volunteer of this city and community as some of you board members have, but the difference is I actually
care about the children. Unlike you, with that being said, >> why have our students taken the back burner? You guys are so concerned in doing the me me. It's about me. What about these kids? You guys want raises,
but yeah, let's get rid of somebody. As everybody else has said, you guys are wasting so much money. Who's coming up to replace this? Is it coming out of your pocket? No, it's coming out of taxpayers. Aren't we taught as a young child, you
are going to have to work with people you may not like as an adult, >> you have to you have to figure it out. Be adults, not children. What are we teaching these kids from elementary to let alone the
high schoolers that's getting ready to graduate that's going out into the world? What example is that setting for them? If we throw enough of a fit, we get what we want. Who cares what anybody else wants? There is. So, this room is full of
people. When is the last time this room's been full like this? Why? Because everybody has a concern. Who's to say if you get rid of her that the grass is always greener on the other side? What's going to happen then? So,
you've got her buyout. the legal fees plus the cost of a new superintendent. Who's making that decision? Whose fault? Who are you blaming then if it don't work out? >> There could be a the next one could
truly embezzle money or misuse funds. >> Where is your guys's answer to the your investigation that the community still has not had over a year later? It's all about Dr. Wilcox and her wrongdoing. Where's your guys's
wrongdoing? Where are when are you willing to accept what you guys have done, too? We as the community are supposed to accept what she's done wrong. Yeah, maybe there's people that may not like her. But again, like I said, tough crap. Deal with it.
That's what we teach the students, >> right? here. Let's let them go get in a fist fight, but they're going right back together whether they like it or not. But it's okay for that. But not you guys. Get over it. Grow up. >> Dr.
This past year, a lot of the parents got together to raise money for the senior class because last year they just didn't get to do enough. It's actually appalling to think that we would get together to raise money for a class because our school does not have money
for you guys to turn around and spend quadruple that more than that amount to get rid of somebody. I'd also like to thank the people who actually showed up to help like Christy, Mona, even Jimmy came and helped us.
Monica, April, Dr. Will Cox, you guys showed up in such a way for these students right now. I mean, Bev, do you know who my daughter is? No. I know that some of the other people could name her by name. I know that there's several parents in this audience that could stand up and they could tell
what their kids' names are. That's how much interest that they actually have in the children that they work for. So, we raised over $14,000 to make their their last year so successful and get to do everything that they want. That's countless hours of volunteering,
organizing events, bringing the community together, which you are tearing apart. All because the resources are already stretched thin. And now we're watching you consider spending a million dollars of our taxpayer money because I do pay taxes in this city to buy out our superintendent contract only
then to pay a replacement along with full salary fringe benefits and meanwhile last week while I was helping at the clock of a game our roof was leaking in the middle of the gym floor and the opposing team looked at me and said, "Is there a camera somewhere? Am I
getting punked?" How embarrassing. We have many people who are not getting run, who are not getting their raises. Things aren't properly funded. So, help us understand, help us make this make sense that there is no money for these
things. No money for the people who take care of our children on a day-to-day basis. No money for the things that directly impact our children and our community. But suddenly, there's money for you to buy out a contract. If any of you vote yes to this, we the people ask that
anybody who votes yes seriously consider resigning. >> And yes, Jennifer, the paperwork did get filled out today. >> Y >> and not everybody is up there, but there is enough of you to get rid of so that we could get back on the majority of the
people who love OUR CHILDREN. DEBORAH DEUS. >> HELLO, Deborah Deus, principal of Hoover Elementary. Good evening. Tonight, I address you as a representative our of our administrative team. We would like to express our grave concerns regarding the reported plan to buy out Dr.
Wilcox's contract at a cost of nearly $1 million. Before I begin, I would like to say that personally, I was shocked to learn about this proposal last week and assumed it to be a rumor. As far as our administrative team is aware, none of the negotiating units has ever been surveyed by by the board for input. For
some time, the board and district leadership have told the community and its negotiating units that our district is facing serious financial challenges as we head into the 2627 school year. In fact, the board hired an outside consultant to support administrators to ensure we are budgeting in a manner that
is fiscally responsible. The board has taken these steps because when resources are limited, every dollar matters. Just last year, the district spent nearly a half a million dollars on an investigation of Dr. Wilcox due to financial concerns. After 107 days on
leave, the investigation concluded concluded she had done nothing unlawful and the board unanimously reinstated her. Given those findings, it is difficult for our team to understand why the district would now spend nearly a million more dollars to remove her. That
money represents critical resources that could directly support our students. classroom instruction, academic programs, mental health services, staff support, and opportunities that help children succeed. Schoolboard members are elected to make decisions in the best interest of students. In a time of
financial strain, spending nearly a million dollars on a contract buyout instead of investing those funds into classroom raises serious concerns. Right now, across the greater Detroit area, there are several superintendent vacancies providing strong, qualified
candidates with ample opportunities. Does this board sincerely believe Hazel Park Schools would be able to attract a highly qualified candidate with all of the infighting and negativity? Stability and positive community culture matter to
potential candidates. Stability and a positive community culture matter to staff, families, and especially to students. We urge the board to reconsider this path, put aside personal differences, and focus on what matters most, ensuring that our limited
resources are directed where they belong, supporting the students of our district. Thank you very much, Kathy Ryan. Kathy Ryan, PO Box 71381, Madison Heights. PO 71381 Madison Heights 4 uh 071. Once
again, I'm coming in front of the board. You have made a public announcement. We will not be getting a raise. Yet, here we are again with this personal vendetta against Dr. Wilcox. You need to take your vendettas against her and deal with it outside of our district. Do not bring this rage you have into our community,
students, or employees. This affects our students, employees, and the community. You need you not only embarrass the Hazel Park School District, you're embarrassing yourselves as board members. The board um is to talk things
through the pro and protect the the safety of the students, the employees, and the community. You're not. If you're that miserable in Hazel Park and on our board, resign from the school board, please. You just you we just spent all this
money on an attorney and you guys have already heard this when at the time her name was Dr. Krooppy. Okay. And the evidence came back. Nothing. Okay. Who need We Oh. Oh my gosh. There's no evident. No, cuz I'm
agitated. No finding things of her doing wrong at all. who you really need to go after, which you did not go after, but that person left our district that did this to this district, not Dr. Wilcox, who
her name is now. You are going to pay out $1 million of her contract, us no raises make that makes no sense. You can't. Your actions have spoke volume. You do not care about the students, the
employees, employees, or the community of Hazel Park. You have no clue how many hours a lot of us put in off the clock and don't get paid for it. See, all of us stand before you. We are the village
right here. This is your village that stand behind Dr. Willox and make sure we are there for our students day in day out. No matter what the situation is, they may just may need a hug just to hear I care just to hear have a smile
just to know that you're there. That's not what they're seeing with our board. You are hurting our students. You are hurting the employees. We have lost a lot of good employees because of this. And you all should be ashamed of yourselves for for us losing the employees we have. You are probably
going to lose more as well. Okay, we without our students, we will not have a district. Without this village, you would not have a district. Okay, we are with you. The to the B
board has told us employees, we are with you. You will get our pay, etc. That's what you've all told us. We're going to get our pay. But we've all been lied to. We haven't got anything. We keep getting excuses. The board does not see the big picture. You are destroying our
district. You have asked you along with parents to stay off social media. Stop making comments. You are representing Hazel Park. The social media stuff you shouldn't be on. You're not listening to us. Stop hurting our district. Focus on the positive.
Many students depend on us employees. May it be like I said a morning hug. Parents don't want to volunteer. They are ashamed of the way the board is representing the district right now. Barely any kind words about any employee come from any of this the board members up here and there's many of us that
should be recognized many in this room. We come here day in day out for our students. Um we are worth a raise. You do not see what we see with our students. That that's why we are losing students
in our district. Once again we stand behind you Dr. Wilox and we are here your village that stands before you tonight. >> Joshua Joshua is it Ka? Hello, my name is Joshua Culpa, 128 West
Robert Avenue here in Hazel Park. First, thank you to the board and everyone here for caring and working so hard uh in our district. I love Hazel Park, and I am especially grateful for our school district. I can affirm what was in that heartfelt video we just saw. My son has
been enrolled in the Hazel Park School District since he joined the fourth grade class at Hoover midway through the 2022 2023 school year. His experiences in both Hoover and the junior high have been incredibly positive compared to the school districts he was in down river.
All of which score better on paper than our district. Hazel Park has provided to my son and through him to our family a level of care and support I don't know I could have found in any other district in
Oakland County. The people who do the hard work in this district saved him from horrible punitive educational methods. Yet, this board seems intent on destroying our school district and along with it the incredibly hardworking staff and our
children. I don't know Dr. Wilcox, nor do I know any but one of the board personally. I bear no personal ill will to anyone here. I say this because I don't know any other way to get the message across. You need to get your
heads out of wherever they are and focus on the needs of students INSTEAD OF THIS PETTY NONSENSE WE'VE ENDURED at the ineffective and/or incompetent hands of this board. It is an absolute disgrace that this
board and allegedly four members of this board in particular have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a fruitless witch hunt to oust Dr. Wilcox. >> When our citizens demanded the results of this investigation, you stonewalled
us. You refused to explain yourselves to us. the taxpayers who fund this district. And now you want to waste another million dollars to buy her out in our overstrained and cashstrapped
district. Why? If there are allegations to bring, bring them. >> You owe us answers. THE FOLLOWING, AND I won't even look at to anyone at the board, the following is directed only towards the ones, whoever you are, who seem determined to put
personal feelings over student support. Your pointless power struggle is a public stain on Hazel Park. You are scaring away talent and robbing our children. >> This isn't just a mistake. It is a moral
failure. Amen. >> But don't take my word for it. Take the words of Jesus in Mark 9:42, which says, "Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones. It is better for them that a one ton millstone be hanged around
their neck and they be cast into the deepest sea." If if you do not repent immediately and change course, that scripture is talking about you. To be clear, I don't want that for you. And frankly, I don't think anyone here does. But let's face it, if
you do not change, you have lost the right to call this your city. That's >> right. >> If you continue on this course, everyone should be made aware that you have chosen a personal vendetta over the lives of our children.
>> If you cannot do your jobs, you should resign and move out tomorrow. >> Exactly. OTHERWISE, otherwise do not be surprised when the citizens of this city pick at your every move and call out your names on every corner of this city and the internet. If
you are not swayed, you deserve to be made viral and excoriated on the national stage for the harm you have caused our children. As the elected board, you need to share the findings from last year. But regardless of
whether you do that or simply move on and give up this expensive grudge, your imperative is to do your job to do the very thing on those banners behind you. Collaborate with everyone regardless of
whether you like them or not to effectively support this district, its staff, and ultimately our students. >> Do better, please, because our kids deserve it. Amen. >> I will say again, do your jobs for the
children in our district if for nobody else. >> Jesus said so. Thank you for your time. Rick and Naggie. >> Rick and Naggie,
Rick Naggie, Annabelle Hazel Park. Uh, pretty much everybody has said what they're going to say. >> Louder. >> Talk louder. >> Okay. Sorry, I have hearing aids in, so I kind of talk softer. Um, I just want to let everybody know that, you know, I
was on the board for 20 years and I worked with all men and nobody, some people might know what I had to go through, as you know, other board members had to go through with those men. But at the end of the one contract,
we were $6.2 million in the hole. I stepped in as president. Come to find out in right before Thanksgiving that we were $6.2 million in the hole. At the end of his contract, we released him. That's when we hired Dr. Wilcox.
Not everybody was in favor of bringing Dr. Wilcox in. We went through a spiel with all the board members. Myself and one other board member were not ready to vote for her to bring her in. Everybody else, including our president, was
there. She voted for her. And then we decided that we were going to hire her. It took three years for her to get us out of that $6.2 million deficit. And that 6.2 million cost all the employees in this district, jobs and wages.
Two things big time. We lost our cafeteria people. All the other employees took cuts. They didn't get him back for many years after that. They I don't even know if they've ever got him really back. So besides that, I was just at the state
wrestling tournament last week talking to many high up officials in the state. They made it very clear we are the laughing stock of the state right now. >> People don't want to come here and work here. If you want to try to even find a
superintendent, if you get rid of Dr. Willox, good luck. They said it's across the country. They're having trouble trying to find a superintendent. And when you hire that superintendent, you don't know what you're going to get. So, just remember that.
Um, last but not least, um, we do have elections coming up in November. People have brought that up. That's when they can make a decision and absolutely they can do the recall on two of them if they have to. So, it's all I can say. I
think I hope you make a good decision because it's going to cost you guys. That's all I can say. And there's a lot of residents out in this district that are very, very upset, unhappy. I hear it every day. So, I'm tired of even hearing it. But, we just have to get the right
people to run for that position for the school board. And it's going to take some good people out there. It's all I can say. Thank you, >> Joe Hall. >> Good evening. Joe Hall, uh 1510 East Pearl. Uh I wasn't going to speak
because I usually don't do this. Uh when I'm mad and frustrated, it doesn't end well. Uh, but I feel responsible having four kids in the district. Um, and so a lot of this is going to be redundant, but I think it needs to be heard because apparently some on the board just don't
get it. One year ago, some on this board thought it was in the best interest of this district to investigate the superintendent. At the end of the investigation, there was no wrongdoing found. Three of the board members voted immediately to reinstate Miss Wilcox
right away due to no wrongdoing and also improper handling during meetings. The president, however, wanted to wait longer because she didn't get her way. This investigation wasted $500,000 of the school district's money, which could
have which could have been put to use for the kids. Now a Now a year later, you are still out to get her wanting to waste more money. Last week I was here and Monica brought a question up on March 9th. Why is there rumors around
when the board isn't even been addressed by it? To which the president quickly shut her up with no response? Why do you continue to hide behind a curtain with no response for what you are doing? Why is one side made aware of what is going
on and the other not? The board should not be handled like the House, the Senate or Congress. You should have you should have the district in mind instead of your own vendettas. I know you don't because 90 to 95% of
this district is not for what you are doing. If they were, they would be the ones up here talking. And I don't see any of them. those people like you comment on Facebook posts unanimous or unanimously and hide behind the same
curtains you do instead of trying to run uh on a person who cares about the kids in this district. Why don't we have a vote of confidence just right now on those positions? You don't want that. But I will say this, some have said, I know elections
are coming up. I know of three that have to be reelected. And I've been made aware of this. And so for that, this isn't what I do. But I would gladly run for the board so the likes of those people never sit in those very chairs
ever again. >> I have uh Lloyd who just stepped out. So this is his turn, right? >> Okay. I want to thank everybody for your comments and for your um uh
presentations. We're all um very um um calm. Um appreciate your words. Uh the next thing is the motion for
close session. I'll make a motion to go to close session. >> We have to I mean you have to tell >> there's two close sessions of which one are we doing first? >> We're not doing the close session for negotiations this evening.
>> But we didn't remove that off the agenda. Then I make a motion to remove the closed session 8C for strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of collective bargaining agreement. >> We already approved approved you already approved the agenda. >> We can make motions at any time you guys
do. >> Okay. Then we can go in for 8C and then we can mark right back out if that's what we want to do. >> We're going in to close session for 8H. >> Okay. Okay. I make a motion to recess into close session for 8H to consider
the material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal statute. >> Second. Right. Motion by uh Debbie and second by Heidi to enter into close session for 8h. So you're aware this is what you guys
have all been talking about that they wanted to go to close session for. >> Okay. >> The reason we have close session is attorney client privilege. Um, and so >> could I have a roll call, please? >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> I am unaware of any pending litigation before the board know any reason that we would have to have an attorney privilege session. I can explain why I'm voting the way that I'm voting. >> No litigation. There's no litigation and we don't need any um legal opport or any
legal opinions. So, no. >> Uh I know because you told me what what this close session is about. No. >> Yes. >> Um yes. Uh motion fails because we did not have five. Can I add a motion then? I'd like to
motion that the Hazel Park School Board of Education authorized through and law firm PC to prepare and negotiate an agreement with Superintendent Dr. Amy Wilcox and her legal representatives. through and law firm PC must receive a response to the agreement from Dr. Wilcox's representatives by March 25th,
2026. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Motion by Debbie, second by Heidi to enter into a settlement agreement with um Dr. Lex. >> No, we can have discussion of
>> discussion. There is no discussion. You just passed the close session. This is close. This is attorney client privilege and you just passed up close session. >> That has nothing to do with discussion. We can have discussion on a motion.
>> Okay. Have discussion. This is extremely sad. This is extremely pathetic that after all of these people came up here and spoke from their hearts who work here and are here every day that you guys are still willing to do this and still willing to ruin our district because you don't like her. LAWSUITS.
>> WE JUST SAID >> you Nate said you told him >> sue you. >> I had to seek it out. I had to >> and that's sad. >> It was offered to Miss Red Te and Miss Been to meet with myself and Debbie to hear what the close session was about
and they chose not to meet. It's my turn. did reach out and and took the time to meet. >> Beth, >> so I'd like to speak on this. Also, we just sat here and had 16 public
comments. >> 16 all 16 were all against >> this bio. >> Let him talk. Let him talk. >> Let him talk. >> Please let Mr. Becker talk about call
for him right now. >> Who's he calling? >> We need a 5minute recess to go recess. >> I'll second the fiveminut recess. That's against the law. >> No. Can we please vote on the fiveminute recess?
>> Rick, go ahead and call. >> Just call. >> Thanks for meeting. I think so. >> Thank you for meeting me in the parking lot. >> Oh, because he's here >> everything.
>> So, there's a motion on the floor in a second to go into process. There's also a motion on the floor to we're there's two motions on the we there's two motions on the floor. One for a recess and one for Deb's motion.
Are we going to vote? >> I wonder how much she thinks you're going to be here. >> I'm I'm fine to continue talking without a recess. Hopefully cooler heads can prevail out here and we can have >> I'll withdraw the second on the recess. feel free to walk by us, face everybody
in the eye that you're screwing up there. >> But my point being, we just sat here and listened to public comment and 16 people were against the buyout. Zero were in favor. And when I say 16 people against the buyout, I mean much more than that because there were bargaining units up
here from our employees. So, they're representing a lot of people. And to think after what we've gone through this last year and all the money that we've spent that we're going to go and tell these people, tell the community, tell our students, tell our staff that we're
going to just spend money and then have to spend more money on legal fees and then spend more money on getting another superintendent when what superintendent in their right mind would want to come and work for this board? So, I adamantly oppose this for these
reasons that I'm stating, and those are my two sons. >> Um, I want to make a statement that it is illegal to meet with two people and a board member. We have a a discussion from that from Brad Bansnick. It violates the Open Meetings Act. It's
called Broad Robin. And so this we just admitted to calling board members and asking them to meet oneon-one which was a VIOLATION >> meeting with with the uh mayor of the city too motion is a point of discussion Then I
can speak for myself because it was mentioned that I refused to meet. Um and I will say that I was offered the opportunity to meet with two board members. The response that I gave was that I had deep concerns regarding the violation of the open meetings act and any pending litigation. Um there are several cases that had been presented. I
did ask for advice. Uh what I was told was to protect any personal liability regarding the Open Meetings Act because it was obvious that a decision had been made prior to being contacted. Um for every reason that we've had here before us, I it is obvious that the
community is adamantly opposed to this. The community does not want to spend this money. Uh we have for a year now said that we do not have this money to spend. Yet we are moving forward in a manner that is both financially reckless. Um our staff sees it, our labor unions see it, our parents see it,
our children see it. And I am also deeply opposed both financially and legally to moving forward. >> I also want to want to make one last reminder. It was shared to me that we had four votes to do this ahead of time which is additionally a violation of the
open meetings act. >> Dr. Kubby, you call the board all the time and you senses to get things approved from the board. Some board members don't even get a call because you already have the four votes. So, um, that has happened before.
>> I will happily say in open session again to protect my own personal liability that I have never been coerced into voting, nor have I ever been told I need you as a fourth vote by any person up here. >> I don't I was not called nor coerced nor discussed with anything that happened is
going on last week when you were sick. >> Can I have a POINT OF ORDER? >> WELL, I wasn't sick, but thank you for your concern and my wellbeing. I will point of order, please. >> Mr. Gardner, can you confirm if there is
any violation of the open meetings act, please? >> He's going to say no. He says whatever. >> I'm not aware of anybody voting before we can the meeting. I think you have a motion on the floor at this juncture from my understanding. So, I >> You got calls ready to do this behind half of our backs.
>> Well, I have a legal opinion in my hand. I have a legal opinion in my hand. The the uh close session motion failed. So I will not be presenting that legal opinion because you need five votes. So at this juncture, you have a motion on
the floor. You have to make a decision. It's the board's call and I just urge you to move forward and whatever whatever decision you make, you make it. >> Thank you. >> It's on the floor. >> President H, can we please vote? So, we're voting.
>> You're voting today. >> Yes. Roll call. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> No. >> Becker, >> no. >> Fox, >> yes. >> Yes. Motion carries. 4 to three. like a motion to adjourn the meeting.
>> I think I got what you wanted. >> I motion to adjourn the meeting. Second, >> I guess roll call. No, I didn't explain.
>> Madam President, I had to um go back to the vote >> and my vote will change to no because I was just told by that uh Amy uh Wilcox that I am in violation because I told her on the phone that there was four
votes and that I will be personally liable. >> So at this point, YOU WILL SAY NO. IF I COULD ASK MR. GARDNER IF he's still here. >> Mr. Gardner, are you still here? >> Oh, he's still here. >> Yes.
>> If that doesn't keep them the board to bring this back up as a motion later, is that correct? >> Okay. Hold on. >> Okay. >> Uh, when I last left off, the motion did pass and now my
>> but then I was then I was told by Dr. Wilcox that I will now be personally liable because I told her that she when she asked me on the phone and I was being kind, she said, "Do you have four votes?" And I've always been truthful
with her and I said, "Yes, most likely we do have four votes." Now, I have not >> I have not I have not talked to anybody besides President Hitten >> regarding any of this, but that's okay.
I did will admit that I did tell Dr. Wilcox that yes, there was four votes possibly. >> You said I actually believe what I said to you is that is a violation of the open meetings act. >> Here we go again. We can't do business
like this. >> And that we will file an open meetings act violation based upon that. You cannot meet twoon-one and you also cannot take a private vote ahead of time and tell an employee that I have four votes. That is a violation of the open
meeting. >> Even though you said, "Do I have four votes?" >> You cared me. motion. >> No, the motion did not pass. >> Well, after after I brought that out,
then I said I want to change my vote to no. >> Can I do that? >> I from my understanding that the uh the motion had already been approved. It was they said I heard passed >> when you left. >> When I left and so now are we taking another vote? Is that what's happen?
My understanding is the motion motion is passed and we're moving to the next agenda item. >> I guess maybe we need to go into close session and discuss whether he's in violation. Is he in violation of open meetings? >> There there's no you have to have a
close session reason to go into close session and there is no closed session reason at this juncture to address this specific matter at this time. Right now you have a motion that passed. you move to the next agenda item. If you need a
legal opinion at a later time to address the specific concern, I can come back. But right now, we're we're on to the next agenda item cuz that motion just passed. That's >> and I motioned I made another motion to adjurnn the meeting >> and I second that. And that's >> So you have to go with the motion that's
on the floor, which right now we have a second on the motion to adjourn and now you have to >> you would almost have to wait a minute. >> Okay. to address the crowd quickly. We have a motion on the floor. You have a second which is a motion to adjurnn.
That's my understanding. >> Then you have to take roll call. If that motion adjourn is approved, you move the meeting ends. The only way that you would be able to address this is by actually doing a motion to amend the agenda. That has not occurred right now.
We have a motion currently on the floor that's been seconded. So you have to go through with the roll call vote because that's the way that the procedure works. So I can't at this point once the board has moved forward in this direction you can't like just you have to take roll
call. >> Okay. >> Yeah. You have to move to roll call. >> Okay. Roll call >> to adjourn. >> Yes. >> But I didn't make it should be um before she made Yes. >> Fortress.
>> Yes. >> No. >> Becker. >> No. >> Fox. >> Yes. Because I already looked it up and I know that we can adjourn and continue the next meeting if we need to. >> No. Get the hell out of here.
>> Yes. >> Motion carries. 4 to3 we are adjourned. >> Thank you. Thanks for asking. Heat. Heat. Thank you. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.