YouTube is loading. And once you hear that we're recording, we'll be good to go. Okay. You're good now. YouTube is loading. And once you hear that we're recording, we'll be good to go. Okay. Okay. So we're good? Okay. So I'll call the meeting to order, and we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag flag of The United States Of America Of America. And to to the republic for which it stands.
Stands. One nation One nation. Allegiance Under God. Under God, indivisible, with liberty With liberty and justice for all. Okay. Great. Okay. So our first, agenda item is to approve the special board meeting. Do we have any discussion before we move for the approval? Yes. Madam president, I'd like to alter the agenda at a item of discussion for the selection of our new board member, the the dates and deadlines.
So a kind of a procedural question and answer time? Pardon? You're suggesting that we add a discussion time just to kinda discuss procedures? Yes, please. Okay. Do I have a motion? I'll second that. Okay. Then let's k. Let's, let's have a vote. Can I take a can I take a brief moment? Sorry. Mine is echoing from the YouTube and everything, and I can't hear a word. Okay. Second. Okay. So we'll pause for just a moment while we work on our technical difficulties. Can somebody talk now so I can see if it's echoing?
Hello? Perfect. Okay. Sorry about that. It was echoing with the delay, and it was terrible. That's okay. How much of it did you get, Kimberly? How far back do we need to go? Should we just start after the pledge? Kimberly, you're muted. How far back do we need to go? I I need the Should we just start after the pledge? So they they made a motion to add Or back to me, need to a discussion item for procedural Should we just start after the pledge? I don't know how to turn off this echo. So they they made a motion to add a to be needing to write an
item for procedural position question after the pledge. I'm hearing the echo as well. I think we're good. Yeah. They made a motion to add I'm about to be needing to write an item. Can you turn on your computer noise and take those off so I can hear? Yeah. Sorry. I'm not trying to be got you. Mhmm. Technology is a blessing and a curse, isn't it? Yep. Okay. I'm gonna use Tim's and leave mine off. And a curse, isn't it? I I've heard the pledge, and then I didn't hear the motion. Okay. So the motion was it was, motion was made and seconded to add a discussion
time immediately following the acceptance of the agenda and, for the purpose of procedural question and answers with Brad. So Mark made it. I seconded. Yes. Does that adequately sum up what you think you've tested, Mark? It does. K. Good. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. AJ Wilson? Yes. Motion carried. Okay. Very good. So now, apologies. This is my dog. We'll open the meeting for, discussion regarding, procedural questions and answers.
I think there were some that were raised, regarding this whole process. So while we have Brad in the meeting, I'll just open, the floor for questions and allow him to respond. I can start. Okay. K. So, according I would just like clarification regarding, statute twenty two thirty one one twenty nine. My question is when we accept the resignation, we have sixty days from the acceptance
date of that resignation to then fill the position. Is that correct, Brad? That is correct. K. That was my first question. Does someone else have a question from the board? I have a comment. I feel there is no reason to rush this process. And, Michelle, could you continue with a suggestion? Yes. Per the end of semester and the two week winter break, we would like to consider, postponing moving the, acceptance of resignation until after the break?
I think my concern was we just kinda wanted to get since it was such a public, you know, announcement, I guess, people are expecting us to start moving forward with this. And, kind of my thinking was we needed to allow people time to process and to to realize if they wanna run or not. And so that's kinda why, you know, I was thinking it'd be good to have this as well. So that way, we can start talking about dates and, you know, when do we
wanna have those candidates in, when do we wanna vote on them, when do we wanna, you know, set some of those guidelines. And to me, waiting until after break would kinda put us at a bind and felt like even more of a time crunch. So, AJ, what kind of bind is that that that would put us in? If if I might Well, I just sure. Yeah. Hi. This is Brad Miller speaking. So first of all, just to be clear, unless and until you accept the resignation,
Annie Oakes remains on your board. She is an equipped voting member. She can participate in any way until that resignation is accepted. She could rescind it in the interim. All of those things are possible, that it is absolutely the case that a board must accept that resignation and at the same instance, declare the vacancy. So just so you have that in the backdrop, that is requirement. This this individual could return to the board and continue to serve if if if you don't move forward and, she thinks it through.
Secondly, I believe that the the conspicuous nature and this is why I suggested, considering this before the break. The conspicuous nature of that, the emergence of that resignation when it was published in papers not just locally, but across the state sets forth an expectation and anticipation in your constituency that there is a vacancy. And that can, in my experience twenty five years doing this, can create some ambiguities
and some, questions about the rights and roles of your board president who has a unilateral right at some point down the road to appoint a successor. And getting clarity really is useful in my experience for the stability of the entity. So to clarify, you stated that so whenever the resignation is accepted, from that date forward, we have sixty days. At the end of the sixty days, if we don't, as a board, come to
an agreement, then it is the board president that decides. Is that correct? That is correct. Yes. But not until the end of the sixty days? That is also correct. K. Unless Annie were to decide to come back before we accept her resignation, and then it would all be a moot point. Correct? She would have that correct. Yes. To do that. That's right. And I've seen that happen. Well, that would be a public relations nightmare, wouldn't it? Sounds like it. Well, it it would Oh, the, miss Oech coming back would be a public relations
night nightmare. Well I I've actually seen it occur in a couple of instances, and and then members have gone on to serve. So I I I don't I can't really anticipate for you or speculate what that looks like from a PR standpoint, but I hear what you're saying. Yeah. I think they have to be realistic about the possibility, especially given that the resignation was sort of in the heat of a moment, an emotional kind of, you know, kind of situation. So for that reason, and for the reasons that AJ mentioned, it seems prudent to
me that we go ahead and accept the resignation. And how how, Anne, how would that, make our schedule accepting the resignation and taking applications, so to speak, how would you see that schedule working? So if if you don't mind a point of order, I I believe that the additional item here was to do some q and a around procedures. You're right. Thank you. And I I think you're gonna have a very robust conversation that you get to have about your your pros and cons about this particular transaction.
Absolutely. So let's, right now, if we have legal questions, for Brad, let's address those to him right now, and then we can come back around to the timeline. Are there other concerns, questions, points of clarification? Yes. So, per again, the statute, mentioned twenty two thirty one one one hundred and twenty nine and the sixty days. I did, look at the CASB guidelines, which of course, you know, is is, and and, the statute.
And so, Brad, as far as how or, as we look at this, making sure that, you know, we're transparent from beginning to end, and setting up a date that is realistic, those are up to us legally as long as we're transparent. Is that correct? They're absolutely up to you. And to the extent that I made any suggestions around that, that wasn't intended to be prescriptive. Correct? More an example?
Yep. Okay. K. So furthering in the meeting, we do have time in the agenda to discuss the actual timeline. Are there additional questions for Brad, procedural questions, questions regarding anything to do with this whole process that that we might, benefit from his legal advice? If you don't mind, Anne, I'll address two things that I've seen come up in sort of related media. Do. Yeah. First off, it was your duty and obligation to conduct the board, officer elections at
the time you did. You did not have an option to somehow delay that beyond, the time frame that's set in the statute, which I wanna say off the top of my head. It's in twenty two thirty two one zero four. You can look it up, I think, but but it has to be within ten or fifteen days after the certification of the election. It and and those officer roles are inalterable after that vote. You can't take another dip at it for two years unless your current board chair or vice chair were to be, off the board. If you created a full board vacancy, we would have a reelection of those.
We're not allowed to. Just statutorily, you cannot recast those votes. And so I did see, some correspondence around that. And then secondly, I saw some correspondence having to do with the question of whether, a board president may unilaterally call a special meeting. And I wanna say that that is explicitly set forth in twenty two thirty two one zero eight, and there is no there's no deviation or a way to interpret that, designation. It says special meetings may be called by the president at any time.
That clause is self standing. It means unilateral power. It's it's not open for question. That is very clear, and it's been universally interpreted that way for, you know, generations. Okay. Any questions regarding either of those points from the board for Brad? So to to clarify, a so so, Brad, I'm sorry. My first question is, can you just restate that? I mean, I know I've I've read the statute, but if you could just restate. So, like, a so the president special twenty two thirty two one zero eight one.
It says in there, special meetings may be called by the president at any time. That is a unilateral power designated to the board president. It has been universally interpreted by every law firm that does this work in the state for multiple generations. That is unequivocal language. The alternative manner to call a special meeting is by a request of the majority of the board. And as I have observed to the board in an email, that is a really irregular scenario because it contemplates that there would be an unposted out of the eyes
of the public meeting of a majority of the board in order to to call for a special board meeting. So that only comes up in very rare instances like massive misbehavior of a board president or some, emergency. So that second clause is rarely utilized. The first clause is the one that's most conventionally utilized is the board president calling that meeting. Does that answer I mean, does that any other questions regarding those topics or additional clarification needed? I think another clarifying question, a legal question before you, before we move into our
next segment is as we are preparing for, again, per the CASB and the statute, and how we'll go about both collecting, whether it be resume or cover letter or even how we, have a committee to look at the, the the those interested in
the position, can you offer any legal insight to that? Can we have a committee be on the board? Thank you. That's a really good question. I appreciate that one. Question. So statutorily, there's no guidance for the process for a replacement. I will tell you that first off, it has to be entirely transparent. It it cannot be a non public process. So that means that at every instance, the whole board should be involved with every determination such as, like, review of the letters of interest. You would be able to protect, letters of reference.
That's an HR protocol, so you would not have to disclose letters of reference and certain directory information like an email address or something of a candidate, can be, blurred or or redacted in in response to a core request. But other than that, the process is an open one conducted by the board. Now that said, the statute nor our policy nor even really CASB, and I've looked through their guidance documents, they will remark multiply. This is just sort of some thoughts on it.
There isn't, you know, there isn't really a best way to do it, and and that's true. And so there's multiple ways. I would suggest that, minimally that you have someone, probably Kimberly Ryan is the right position for this to accept, you know, so I have a point of contact for delivery of those things, and then make sure that every board member has equal access to every document that comes through. And then you can conduct interviews, you cannot conduct interviews, you can, have people make presentations at a board meeting so you get a flavor for how they they talk,
do it publicly. All of those things are, viable under the the law. And, frankly, you could you could prioritize just a couple of people that, as a group, you think are the ones that are most sort of viable, and you can not you don't have any sort of, violation of someone's, you know, like, protected rights if you don't include them in the in the cohort that you're considering. So you can exclude some people if you want to from serious consideration. You don't have to give everybody equal platform.
It's up to the board. And so, Brad, when we review, letters of intent, resumes, whatever we decide upon, that needs to be in a public forum as well, and interviews need to be in a public forum? Which is which yes. Which is part of why I was suggesting an earlier submission time frame so that you would have a couple of meetings before you had to make a decision because I want you to have some time to to wrestle with it and not just have, you know, have them come in and then at that meeting, you're making a decision. That's rough. Sure. And if we did set an earlier date for the purposes that you just stated
and we decide that we don't we're not getting candidates we like or whatever the case may be, we would have the ability to to extend our deadline. That would all be within our rights and our purview. Correct? Sure. Well, yes. Absolutely. Yes. And I I do encourage you posting this on your websites and maybe even your Facebook that you're looking for candidates. Make sure you have a good definition. I know there was confusion in this last selection of where the director districts lies, so make sure you've got some clarity there. That would be very helpful. That would be very helpful. Yeah.
I I have a question, and I know Rhonda does too. Action of where the director districts lies, so make sure you've got some. Can I put out my email address since we're closed from December 19 through January, I think, fourth or fifth, whatever that Monday is? Absolutely. And, also, Bob DiPietro wants to work the whole time and take the, you know, the emails himself. But, otherwise, yeah. I would say that, you you know, if if I'm a person in the community, I might want Christmas break to kinda write my my letter up. That's I'm not I'm not impeded from doing my part.
It's just we need to have a place where they can submit it so someone's not waiting, and then they forget on the Monday after break or something. So, yes, an open door is very important. I just don't want people to feel like they have four and a half days or whatever the dates are Bingo. Yeah. To turn it in with I mean, I don't feel like I have a choice but to work through that. Right. Agreed. Well, I so but we can, with the four and a half days mentioned, Kimberly, I think we are can we, we're going to discuss extending that beyond Absolutely. We can't be sure if we discuss that.
That. Yeah. And then and then also, is it possible I I apologize, Rhonda. Is is it possible to accept applications via just like we would turn in a a you know, if I were applying for a teaching position, I would do that all online. Is that possible? There's there's no statutory requirement how you can gather that information. So I'd I'd I'd wanna have a broad, you know, basket for that, however people wanna do it. Make it as easy as possible for people, I think.
You know, remove barriers for applying. Yes. Yeah. I know Can I ask a question really quick? Yeah. Sure. You know, with our with our application process, we we normally create a screen tool. And I'm wondering if, based on what the board determines as their priorities for a new board member, if we would be allowed to create a screening tool for the board, where the board could then screen all of the applicants to help them in their process. I mean, is that something that we could possibly do for them to to assist
them in this process so that I mean, we do this all the time. So it it would it would I think we could help them if if we're allowed to. Rhonda Rhonda Rhonda, Brad, can I talk, please? Rhonda, I think that's a great idea. I've gone through this once before, and that's exactly what we did. As Brad said, we are basically able to conduct this process the way we wanna handle it. That may be a screening tool. That may be, resumes. That may be all of the above.
Thank you, Mark. And and and my comment so I appreciate that comment. My comment was gonna be that, as you know, the constitution only has two limitations. One, that you've lived in the district for twelve months, and two, that you don't have a criminal offense against a child or a sexual offense. I mean, it's very, very minimal in terms of that standard, and you gotta be 18. So, screen tools are are are fine. I also think that every board member should have access to every candidate that emerges. But but with with a set of sort of stacking that comes out of that
screening makes a ton of sense. Mhmm. Okay. Any additional questions for Brad? I know he's, also In another meeting. In another meeting. Yes. So if we can, anything else that we we more things. We might come across more questions, but are there any questions that we can identify right now? I don't have any. Okay. Okay. Rhonda or Kim, if you'd like to text me if something comes up, I'll jump back out. Any more questions from you, Michelle? No. Not not at the moment. Yeah. At the moment.
Okay. Alright. AJ? No. I'm good. I think this Brad, thank you. Do on this is a learning experience. So Yeah. What an interesting way to start your new, regime. So good luck with that, guys. Yes. Alright. Thanks, Brad. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Okay. So this will, conclude our procedural question and answer time, and we'll move, to item 3.01 to discuss and provide direction on the process and timeline for filling the vacant director District two seat. All the important questions.
Elder president, at some point, I I want to make a statement, after we get through this stuff. Okay. Let me make a note. It's brief. Remember. So as far as the timeline goes, do we have suggestions? I know that, Michelle, Mark, you guys had, communicated that maybe you thought January 9 was too quick. Do you have an alternative suggestion? I, I would ask that we have at least two weeks after returning from break
to give applicants the opportunity to reach out to the district to, you know, with questions or, if, you know, we I think we definitely need to extend it. I think we need to look at for then but before we do that, I think we also hear because we mentioned proposed application opening and then deadline for submission. But we also have to talk about what we want from those candidate.
And so I would think that that would determine, you know, the length of time they need to do that. Like, if if we did want letters of recommendation, I think that would be you know, we need to take that into consideration in how long we give them. So I'm happy to host a special meeting as well if need be. And I I was saying I was thinking that we're kind of being called on the spot to plan this process, whereas we don't have much time to think about
dates and and deadlines. Maybe we could come up with our own ideas or our group's ideas, but we are on the spot right now trying to get that done. We're we're trying to rush it. And and me, I I do much better when I have time to think about things. Yeah. So what date are you looking at? Well, I don't As far as ending the exception or or for closing the application timeline, I guess.
Well because we have our first meeting in January 13 and then another one the twenty seventh. So so our meetings are those dates, and then we have another one on February 10. Sixty days from today is February 14. Okay. So we have three meetings within the sixty day time frame, but we do need to, as mentioned, with, once the application is what whatever it is that we ex expect the candidate to turn in, we need to make sure that you check their,
you know, where they live, right, their residence, and that they live within the district, that they would represent and also the background check. So we would need time to review but also to make sure that Kimberly has time to do that. Right? So, I think all of that needs to happen. So, I mean, at minimum, I I don't you know, does somebody I I mean, I have a date in mind. Does anybody else have a date in mind? Go ahead, Michelle. What what is it? Well, I I thought I I thought it was it seemed you know, I realized
this is something, you know, for anybody, that is willing to step into this role, as mentioned on the CASB website, you know, I mean, I I have great appreciation if they're willing to step up to be to to be considered. And so I think it's important that we give them the time to do whatever it is that we ask them to do. And if we come back to school, if school opens again on the fifth, the the least the very first date I would even consider, although I would like a
little bit longer, would be the nineteenth because that would be two weeks from that Monday that we come back to school. So that would give them, again, two full weeks, and then, I would say give them all day that Monday at minimum, that, like, a 4PM, 5PM deadline on the nineteenth. We don't have an we don't have another meeting until that until the twenty seventh, so it's in between our two meetings. So I'm I'm not opposed to that necessarily, but I do have a question. Do you anticipate that applicants are gonna be bound to the school calendar?
Well, but our school isn't open. That's why I was suggesting the fifth, or I'm sorry, the nineteenth because, there won't be anyone at the you know, I mean, I realized that Kimberly said she would, potentially I mean, she will fill questions via email, but I do think that some people considering this might want to talk to someone, might want to inquire. And so I just feel like that two weeks is the and, you know, or, things you know, again, I'm not exactly sure what we're I mean, at minimum, you
know, a a resume and cover letter, but if there are other things that we want, we need to give them time to gather that and break is always difficult. Yeah. So you're not suggesting necessarily that the applicants will be bound by the school calendar except that their access to have questions fielded would be limited. That makes sense to me. Yeah. AJ? If we're closed on the nineteenth, for Martin Luther King today We're not closed. We could even push we're not okay. I do I wasn't sure.
I was gonna say we could always push it to the twentieth, and then we could have the twenty seventh to review a lot of those. And then if we need to do a special board meeting because we have a lot of, candidates, we could do that even on the third if we needed to that Tuesday, and then we could plan on voting that tenth, that meeting right before the deadline. That would kinda give the two weeks that, you know, that school would be open and then still give us that available time to add a meeting if we need to, but still have a meeting in place to go through a lot of this.
Is that kinda what you're looking at or looking like, is that kinda your thought pros process? AJ, I I would do much better if I saw all this in black and white, the promo That's why I have a pencil and paper. Trying to write down the dates just to kinda see it. So is there any way we can put this together? And, I mean, I don't care if it's another special board meeting. But, so we can think about this and not make a spur of the moment decision. I think your ideas are great.
I respect your ideas. But I I I really like to see this so I can consider it, think about it, and, make a decision that way as as opposed to here on the computer. Sure. Yeah. I mean, I think I like what both Michelle and AJ suggested, but I can appreciate Mark's desire to kinda have it, laid out in writing. I think given our time constraints, it makes a lot of sense. So do we have any additional discussion about the dates?
Anybody else wanna wanna weigh in? Five from what I'm gonna do with those those go ahead, Kimberly. Sorry. I have the echo again. So I'm gonna mute myself and listen off of temps. Wanna weigh in? Mhmm. The dates that I'm showing or what that I put together from listening is you're wanting January 19 as a deadline, the twenty seventh to review, February 3 a special meeting to, kind of choose and sort through or interview or whatever in the tenth
to vote so that I can put this together black and white for later or whatever you guys decide. Yes. That's what I that's what I have, taking Michelle and AJ's suggestions. I like that idea. I do too. This is the timeline that I I mean, I guess, you know This is the timeline, that we presented in the board member appointment timeline in our letter. So Yes. Okay. So how can I not agree with that?
So you've seen it in black and white, Mark? Well, I have, but there were so many other dates flying. I know. Yeah. Okay. I hear you. I hear you. That's why we wanted that kind of thing. So that's why I wanted it in person. Kimberly, thank you for doing that. Yes. Thank you. That looks good. Very helpful. Okay. I think that was Rhonda. Oh, Rhonda. Thank you, Rhonda. Thank you. So I'm doing really well as a team. Yeah. That's awesome. So any further discussion before we move on to section three point o two?
As it sounds like, we can move on from the date. So March o two is discussing the materials required from interested applicants and the structure of the interview process for director district two appointment. So I think I'll just open. Michelle suggested that at a minimum, we're gonna want a letter of intent, and a resume. I would I would agree with that. We also need to verify, that they're in the district, that they're, you know, in that district too. And then, isn't there a submission for the background check too?
Would they need to have that done beforehand as well? So, usually, Stephanie does the background checks through HR. Okay. So we'll have to work with her. I'll have to work with Dola and the county offices to pull I don't have access anymore, to pull addresses to see what districts they're in. I do have the map posted on this agenda along with it's on the website. So a letter of intent, a resume, and why they have the desire to serve on the board because it's not an easy job. I like that.
Yeah. I like that too. I think that's a good idea. That would give us a lot of insight as to what they're thinking as far as Mhmm. You know, why they wanna do it. Mhmm. I I agree. If if you guys I'm writing down what you're saying so that I can help you with a screen tool. So if if you guys can also tell me some things that you're looking for in an in an applicant so that I can make note of that as well. Okay. Before we address that question, do we think that we want references?
And if so, how many? What would a reference be for a school board position? I I'm not putting this up, and I'm just asking what it could be. Character? Character reference. Yeah. And I'm not suggesting that we I'm not proposing that. I'm just posing the question, if that's something that, the other board members think would be helpful. I mean, I think if they're giving us a resume, a letter of intent, and kinda why they wanna do it, that should give us a lot of kinda info at least. But I'm not opposed to kinda adding or adding anything else either.
So And then then, of course, the background check is a reference onto itself. Yeah. Yeah. Do you have thoughts about that, Michelle? I do. I think, I I would say that many people include, a list of references, you know, with their resume. So we could just ask that they have, that they include those. I mean, I I don't think that it would I think it would be helpful. And, you know, we could I mean, it we can root it as such that
it could be personal reference, professional reference, whatever. I mean, we as a board decide, but I do think having those if you know, we don't know how many applicants we're going to get and it might be helpful. So you're suggesting just, references in terms of name and contact information, not letters of reference that they obtain and include with the packet. Or we could ask yeah. Or we could ask for a letter of recommendation. It I mean, I think that a list of references or, you know, one or two letters of recommendation, I think that's, you know, I think oftentimes like when people
apply for something, they might include them whether we ask for them or not. So if we were just clear to be fair to everybody, we'd like a letter of of recommendation. One, that would be great. I think that would be helpful. I think resumes are often, you know, I mean, they're very it's it's a list. It's telling you, you know, here's my professional experience. Here's my but, I mean, they're stating why, in their letter of intent, they're, you know, they're stating that they want to be, you know, they want they want to
be considered, for the school board, but then also I think we could ask for one letter of recommendation or more. I'm open to suggestions. Anybody object to asking for a letter of recommendation? I I think one is a good good plan. If we get too picky, if we get put too many requirements down, we will have some people drop out because so good idea, Michelle, but we don't want the requirements to be so intense.
I agree. Yeah. Okay. I'm okay with that. Also, as far as asking them to, communicate why they wanna be on the the board, why they desire the position, maybe we could just ask them to include that in their letter of intent. Good. It doesn't feel like a separate thing. Mhmm. I agree. I didn't know. As far as the letter of intent, does that just like, can we do something like that to where they have to include some of that? Or I didn't know if it was like a blanket, document where it's like, I
so and so am interested in running for the board, and that's all it could be. We can change that and have them expand on that. Right? And why? Yes, AJ. Right. Yeah. I just said a why statement, in my notes to the side. I just said, you know, what like, why would you like to serve on the school board? What is your, you know, experience in school district seventy or the community or, you know I mean. Can I can I jump in real quick? For our district accountability, committee, when we do seek applicants for that, we we we
do ask them two questions to answer. And the first one is just, please provide a statement of why you are interested in serving on the district accountability committee. So it sounds like exactly what you said, and then we ask the second question. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and what skills, attributes, or abilities that you could bring to the district to the county. I love that. Nice. Yeah. Those those are the two things that we ask them to submit when we do collect, applicants that are interested in serving on that committee. Well, as I was running for the board this time, I had to do that
over and over and over. Yes. So so, pardon my ignorance, but this appointment, what is the term of the appointment? It's Two years. For the remainder of Anne's Right. Term. So two years, and then they would be, of course, eligible to run for reelection. And it's my understanding that the two years that that that that they would serve now would not count toward their term limit.
It'll be until November 2027. Right. And and I have gone through that where, the term limit was, I guess, we could call extended since it didn't count. And, I'm glad you brought that up because I had forgotten. Mhmm. So question, just because I was one of those in that special circumstance, because it's a two term limit back to back. Correct? Mhmm. So would that make me eligible to run for another term?
I'd have to check on that because you were voted in. I'm just curious. Right. So I don't I didn't know. I was just curious. I'm just I'm just trying to you know? Yeah. I was just curious. So you then. I'll ask Brad when he's present. Don't send a email or a chance to get your thoughts. So it sounds to me like we've agreed that, we need to verify the the eligibility, that we are gonna ask for a letter of intent. I really like the verbiage that Robert put forth.
We can discuss that some more if we want to, but I thought that was excellent. We're gonna ask for a resume, and then one letter of recommendation. Is there further discussion regarding the materials that we're gonna request? I think that's good. Okay. Good. Yeah. Excellent. Then let's move on and talk for a minute about the interview process. We I guess we need to to talk about how we wanna interview. Do we wanna, narrow the candidates down Three.
Or three? Three? Well, I don't know. Let Okay. Let's not let's not limit, but we can screen in advance. Okay. Yeah. For sure. Yes. We don't we're not gonna limit what comes in. But in terms of who we're gonna interview, I agree with what you're saying. We don't wanna put a number on it, but we wanna only pick the the cream of the crop, the ones that we think are the best. And then I guess we can decide, do we wanna do a group interview? Do we wanna do individual interviews? Oh, I would far prefer to do, as a committee, individual interviews, and I don't
know that limiting the three is that important. There could be more than three outstanding candidates. So thought I heard you say that. So I was repeating what I thought I heard you say, but I think I misheard. So Okay. So and Stephanie can step in and explain this better. Typically, with the screening tool that she creates, there's usually a huge gap between your top candidates and your bottom with the numbers, and that's what we always did. Like, you might have the top three or the top five or there might be top six because they're usually close together, and then there's usually a gap, and that
usually helps fill those spaces. Just a suggestion. So I I don't think we should put a a number. I think we should put a score. If you I mean, if that's yeah. Not a number of finalists, so to speak. That's right. Like, I don't think we should do that. Yeah. I'm in I'm in agreement, AJ. No. I think that sounds good. Okay. Okay. So, and then we'll just we'll narrow it down to our top candidates in a public forum. In a board meeting, we'll interview them. Our packet did include some suggested interview questions.
I don't know that we necessarily have to nail those down tonight. We can think about that and read it. But that would be something that we may want to, consider if we wanna have a set list of questions that we wanna go off of. Yeah. I thought the the list of questions I mean, it's pretty extensive. I mean, which is good, but I think we can go through and pick the questions that we feel will guide us within a time constraint. Right? Because I think 25 questions are it was it was long guide.
It was long. It was long. Yeah. So I think it would be questions most appropriate to our own application here. I would suggest that you guys pick what you feel are the most important questions to you, and then you send it to Kimberly to put it together in in one document, and then she can send it to you guys to edit at that point so that you're not having to just constantly talk about it and discuss it. But it will give you that opportunity to review what's important to you, and it will give you the opportunity to see what's important to other people as well.
And we can put it into one document for you guys to all edit. I like that. That's great. You guys feel if we submit our questions to Kimberly one week before our next board meeting? And then she can compile them, get them back to us, and then we can, I guess, approve them or discuss them further at our next board meeting? Does that give us enough time? We could even do so you're saying before the thirteenth?
Yeah. I think that's by the fifth when the when school starts? I think that's plenty plenty of time. Sorry. What's that, Mark? I think that's plenty of time. Yeah. I think so too. Yeah. And then that would give her time to compile them. If she could have them compile then back to us by January 9, that would give us a couple of days to review them prior to our our January 13 meeting. That seems very reasonable. Okay. Yeah. Alright. So now, we'll move on to action item four point o one, acceptance and resignation.
Excuse me. Acceptance of resignation and declaration of vacancy for director district two. So may I have a motion to accept the resignation of Anna Ocho's director district two effective 12/16/2025 and to formally declare a vacancy and the director district two seat on the board of education? So moved. So moved? Correct. I'll second. Okay. Anne Bennett? Aye. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. AJ Wilson? Yes. Motion carried. Okay. Very good.
Okay. So moving on to item four point o two, approval to post the notice of vacancy for board appointment. May I have a motion to approve the posting of the notice of vacancy for the board of education appointment and to accept letters of interest and supporting documentation as, we discussed with submissions due on or before where was our date? January 19. Yes. So do I have a motion? So moved. Thanks. Second. I second it.
Okay. Anne Bennett? Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. AJ Wilson? Yes. Motion carried. Great. So before we, the next regular board meeting, item number 5.01, the next regular board meeting is scheduled for 01/13/2026 at the Educational Services Center, 24951 East Highway 50, Pueblo, Colorado, beginning at 6PM. And before we adjourn, Mark, mentioned that he wanted to have a wanted to make
a statement. Just a brief statement. Thank you, Anne. First of all, I I wanna, address all our current board members and say how much I've enjoyed this meeting and, the ability to work with everyone. So I'm prefacing my letter with that. So thank you all for everything. District seventy is getting statewide notoriety for all the wrong reasons. I'm a proud d seventy employee, parent, and grandparent, and have been for over forty years. I am embarrassed by the recent events and news reports.
I re statewide, by the way, I received a phone call from a well known community member who was furious. He said, this is not our school district. We need to proceed, keeping in mind what's important, our students and our staff, and eliminate eliminate the distractions to the goal. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you for that. You know, I think I think the in the not the interesting thing, but I love the fact that people can disagree and have great conversations and be civil.
And at the end of the day, we can still get along whether we disagree or not. Thank you, AJ. So Me too. That discussion was awesome, and I look forward to many more with you guys. Yeah. I just wanna thank all of you. It was a really good discussion, and I love that we're able to share ideas, to hear each other, to show respect for each other. And, Mark, I'm committed, as a board member to changing that narrative about our board in the state. I I can tell that you are, and it is a narrative.
And we and I'm gonna say we because I'm on the board again. We do not have a good reputation. So I want I want to do the right thing, do great things for everyone, and, people feel comfortable coming to us with, ideas and objections, stated in a kind and supportive way. Yes. I agree. Thank you for bringing that statement. If there's no further discussion, no further business, I may have a motion to adjourn
the special board meeting. So moved. So moved. I second. Yes. It's a race. I think you're in the lead. Anne Bennett? Yes. Mark Emery? Yes. Michelle Erickson? Yes. AJ Wilson? Yes. Motion carried, 06:27PM.