GREENBUSH MIDDLE RIVER SCHOOL BOARD PROCEEDINGS MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2024

April 19, 2024

GREENBUSH MIDDLE RIVER

SCHOOL BOARD PROCEEDINGS

MONDAY, JANUARY 22, 2024

1. Call to Order at 7:30 p.m.

ADMINISTRATION: Supt. Barb Muckenhirn, Dan Carpenter

OTHER ATTENDEES: Ryan Bergeron, Brittany Babcock, Darrel Wicklund, Mara Gust,

2.Roll Call: Kurt Stenberg, Brandon Ignaszewski, Joe Melby, Peter Kern, Brandon Kuznia, Allison Harder, SueAnn Wahl, Martie Monsrud

3. Organization of School Board

3.1 Nominations for School Board Chair

3.1.a Minnesota Statute requires the School Board to elect its officers for the new calendar year at its first regular meeting in January.

After all nominations are heard, the Chair will announce that “nominations are closed” and a vote will be taken by requesting “those in favor of Kurt Stenberg for the position of Chair of the Board signify (roll call vote) by saying “aye” - those opposed signify by saying the same sign “aye”. The candidate with the highest vote total shall be elected to the office.

Roll Call Vote – All in favor for Kurt Stenberg (Stenberg abstain)

3.2 Nominations for School Board Vice Chair

3.2.a After all nominations are heard, the Chair will announce that “nominations are closed” and a vote will be taken by requesting “those in favor of Brandon Kuznia for the position of Vice-Chair of the Board signify (roll call vote) by saying “aye” - those opposed signify by saying the same sign “aye”. The candidate with the highest vote total shall be elected to the office.

Roll Call Vote – All in favor for Brandon Kuznia (Kuznia abstain)

3.3 Nominations for School Board Clerk

3.3.a After all nominations are heard, the Chair will announce that “nominations are closed” and a vote will be taken by requesting “those in favor of Allison Harder for the position of Clerk of the Board signify (roll call vote) by saying “aye” - those opposed signify by saying the same sign “aye”. The candidate with the highest vote total shall be elected to the office.

Roll Call Vote – All in favor for Allison Harder (Harder abstain)

3.4 Nominations for School Board Treasurer

3.4.a After all nominations are heard, the Chair will announce that “nominations are closed” and a vote will be taken by requesting “those in favor of Joe Melby for the position of Treasurer of the Board signify (roll call vote) by saying “aye” - those opposed signify by saying the same sign “aye”. The candidate with the highest vote total shall be elected to the office.

Roll Call Vote – All in favor for Joe Melby (Melby abstain)

3.5 Designation of date & time for Regular monthly meetings

3.5.a Recommended to consider earlier meeting time and continue third Monday of the month, 6:30 p.m.

Motion by Joe Melby seconded by Allison Harder to designate the third Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. in the School Library as the official day & time for the regular monthly meeting of the Board unless change is necessitated by unforeseeable events and statute(s).

Roll Call Vote – Fail

3.5.b Motion by Peter Kern seconded by Brandon Ignaszewski to designate the third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the School Library as the official day & time for the regular monthly meeting of the Board unless change is necessitated by unforeseeable events and statute(s).

Roll Call Vote – Brandon I, yes, SueAnn, no, Kurt, yes, Joe, no, Brandon Kuznia, no, Peter Kern, Yes – Passes 4-3

3.6 Authorization of rotation of 2024 Board Auditing Committee3.6.a February 2024 - January 2025

Motion by Brandon Kuznia seconded by Peter Kern to authorize the two-member monthly audit committee rotation as presented.

3.7 Authorization of Board Committee Assignments – as discussed at meeting.

3.7.a Motion by Joe Melby seconded by SueAnn Wahl to authorize the committee appointments for 2024 as presented.

3.8. Authorize membership and participation in state organizations

Motion by Allison Harder seconded by Brandon Ignaszewski to authorize district membership and participation the following organizations:

• Minnesota State High School League - MSHSL

• Northwest Regional Inter-District Council - NWRIC

• Region 1 - ESV

• Northwest Service Cooperative - NWSC

• Minnesota Rural Education Association - MREA

• Adult Basic Education (ABE) - through NWSC

• Minnesota School Boards Association – MSBA

3.9. Special Meeting Notification

Motion by Joe Melby seconded by Brandon Kuznia to post notices of special meetings on the main front entrance, door 1 and on the district web site.

3.10. Designation of School District Legal Counsel

Designate the Law Firm of Rupp, Anderson, Squires & Waldspurger as the School District’s Legal Counsel. The individuals authorized to contact legal counsel include the Board Chair and the Superintendent or a school staff member given authorization from the Board Chair or Superintendent. (John P. Edison, PA has been the specific attorney for the GMR School District)

Motion by Brandon Kuznia seconded by SueAnn Wahl to designate the Law Firm of Rupp, Anderson, Squires & Waldspurger as the School District’s Legal Counsel.

3.11. Designation of official depositories for school funds.

Motion by Joe Melby seconded by Peter Kern to designate Border Bank and the Minnesota School Board Liquid Asset Fund as official depositories for school funds.

3.12. Designation of official depositories for school funds and authorization of Superintendent to invest funds

Motion by Joe Melby seconded by SueAnn Wahl to:

• designate Border Bank and the MN Trust as the primary depositories of school funds;

• to authorize appropriate investments of school district funds by the Superintendent during the year; and

• to continue the use of the signature writer for payment of district obligations.

3.13. Designation of Official School Newspaper

A motion was made by Joe Melby , seconded by Brandon Ignaszewski to approve The Tribune of Greenbush, MN and The Honker of Middle River, MN as the designated official school newspapers.

3.14. Establish School Board compensation

A motion was made by Joe Melby , seconded by Brandon Ignaszewski to approve $65.00 per meeting for attendance at school board meetings, $135.00 per full day or $ 67.50 per half day for attendance at board workshops or conventions; and the positions of Board Chair and Clerk to receive an annual officer payment of $270.00.

Roll Call – All in favor

4. Listening Session

a. No items

5. Recommendation to add items to the agenda from Board members to School Administrators

Motion to approve the amended agenda: A motion was made by Joe Melby, Sueann Wahl seconded.

6. Motion by Board Member Allison Harder seconded by Brandon Kuznia to approve the agenda of the December 18, 2023 Regular Board Meeting as presented/amended.

7. Motion by Board Member Allison Harder seconded by Brandon Kuznia to approve the minutes of the preceding regular meeting of November 20, 2023.

8. Business Services

8.1 Motion by Board Member Joe Melby seconded by Peter Kern t to approve the payment of bills check #40844 through #40943 for a total of $145,966.28 and Purchasing Card electronic payments dated December 5, 2023 and Electronic Funds Transfers as submitted.

8.2 Treasurer’s Report

TREASURER’S REPORT FOR MONTH OF DECEMBER, 2023

Beginning Balance $17,026.79

Receipts $532.254.85

Expenditures $352,279.86

Ending Balance $197,001.78

8.3 Greenbush Middle River School District Budget to Actual Expenditure Report

9. Significant School Events and Communication:

9.1. Sixth Grade Trip - Jess Foss

Information about the upcoming 6th grade self-funded trip to Duluth, May 2-4, 2024.

Motion by Allison Harder seconded by Joe Melby to allow the 6th grade class to Duluth May 2-4, 2024 on their self-funded trip.

9.2. 2022-2023 Financial Audit Report - Brady Martz & Associates

Sara Neimela, P.C., Brady Martz & Associates, will present the 2022-2023 financial audit.

Motion by SueAnn Wahl seconded by Kurt Stenberg to accept and approve the 2022-2023 Financial Audit as presented by Brady Martz & Associates.

9.3. Donations & Gifts

$50.00 Daryl & Lisa Wicklund to GMR Athletic Department In Memory of Arlend Harder

$45.00 Jerel Wieser to GMR School District

Motion by Brandon Kuznia seconded by Brandon Ignaszewski to accept the donations of $50.00 from Daryl & Lisa Wicklund to GMR Athletic Department In Memory of Arlend Harder and $45.00 from Jerel Wieser to GMR School District.

10. Old Business – None

11. New Business

11.1a Hire: Michelle Weber, Paraprofessional

Motion by Allison Harder seconded by Peter Kern to approve the hire of Michelle Weber as paraprofessional.

11.2 Field Trip Requests

Overnight Robotics field trip requests: March 6-9 to Great Northern Regional in Grand Forks and April 4-7 to Granite City Regional in St. Cloud. Requests attached.

Motion by Brandon Ignaszewski seconded by Peter Kern to approve the two overnight Robotics field trips on April 4-7 and March 6-9 as presented.

11.3. Resolution directing the administration to make recommendations for reduction in programs and positions and reasons therefore

Member Joe Melby introduced the Resolution Directing the Administration to Make Recommendations for Reductions in Programs and Positions and Reasons Therefore.

WHEREAS there has been a reduction in student enrollment, and,

WHEREAS this decrease in student enrollment must include discontinuance of positions and discontinuance or curtailment of programs, and,

WHEREAS a determination must be made as to which teachers’ contracts must be terminated and not renewed and which teachers may be placed on unrequested leave of absence without pay or fringe benefits in effecting discontinuance of positions.

BE IT RESOLVED, by the School Board of Independent School District No. 2683 as follows:

That the School Board hereby directs the Superintendent of Schools and administration to consider the discontinuance of programs or positions because of a reduction in enrollment, make recommendations to the school board for the discontinuance of programs, curtailment of programs, discontinuance of positions or curtailment of positions.

The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Member SueAnn Wahl and upon roll call vote the following voted in favor thereof:

whereupon said resolution was declared duly adopted.

YES A Harder YES B Ignaszewski YES P Kern YES B Kuznia YES J Melby

YES K Stenberg YES S Wahl

11.4. Levy Shortage

Breakout of totals regarding the levy shortage:

Payable year 2022:

Kittson County should have levied $610.69 but only levied $6.11

Marshall County should have levied $101,718.98 but only levied $1,017.19

Total levy shortage for 2022: $101,306.37

Payable year 2023:

Kittson County should have levied $590.67 but only levied $5.91

Marshall County should have levied $101,862.29 but only levied $1,018.62

Total levy shortage for 2023: $101,428.43

Total for the two years:

Marshall County - $203,581.27

Total levy shortage - $204,782.63

Motion by Peter Kern seconded by Joe Melby to request payment of the shortage in full as soon as possible in one payment, not over two years.

11.5 Resolution authorizing the District to Enter Into a Line of Credit Agreement with a Financial Institution.

Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a regular meeting of the School Board of Independent School District No. 2683 (Greenbush-Middle River), Kittson, Marshall, and Roseau Counties, Minnesota, was held in the School District on January 22, 2024 at 7:30 o’clock p.m.

The following members were present:

Allison Harder, Brandon Ignaszewski, Peter Kern, BrandonKuznia, Joe Melby, Kurt Stenberg, Sue Ann Wahl

Member Peter Kern introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption:

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE DISTRICT TO ENTER INTO A LINE OF CREDIT AGREEMENT WITH A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board (the “Board”) of Independent School District No. 2683 (Greenbush-Middle River), Kittson, Marshall, and Roseau Counties, Minnesota (the “District”), as follows:

1. It is hereby determined that:

a. Upon review of financial projections, the Board has determined that the District may face cash flow problems in 2023-2024.

b. District staff have entered into negotiations and has reached a tentative agreement to establish a line of credit, subject to Board approval and Bank acceptance, with Border Bank (the “Bank”); and

c. The Board desires to enter into such an agreement with the Bank, as authorized by Minnesota Statutes, Section 123B.12(b), as amended.

2. Upon the effective date of this resolution, the District hereby agrees to establish a revolving line of credit (the “Line of Credit”) with the Bank whereby the Bank will advance funds to the District to resolve cash flow problems in the 2024 fiscal year.

3. The amount advanced at any time under the Line of Credit will not exceed $399,000 which is ninety-five percent (95%) of the District’s average expenditure per month of operating expenditures in the previous fiscal year.

4. Each advance under the Line of Credit will be repaid no later than forty-five (45) days after the day of advancement, but in no event later than June 30, 2024, with taxable interest on the outstanding principal amount at an interest rate of 7% per annum.

5. This resolution shall be effective upon receipt by the Superintendent on behalf of the Board of written acceptance of its terms by an authorized official of the Bank, and thereafter shall constitute the terms of the Line of Credit Agreement (the “Agreement”).

5. The Superintendent or his or her designee is directed to prepare or execute such documents as may be necessary to comply with the above paragraphs or any other requirements for this Agreement.

6. The amounts advanced under the Line of Credit are not designated as “Qualified Tax-Exempt Obligations” for the purposes of Section 265 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by Member Sue Ann Wahl, and upon vote being taken thereon, the following members voted in favor of the motion:

Allison Harder, Brandon Ignaszewski, Peter Kern, Brandon Kuznia, Joe Melby, Kurt Stenberg, Sue Ann Wahl

12. Reports

12.1 Principal

- Staff Development on January 15th

- Second Semester started January 22nd

- Spelling Bee was held; congrats to all winter

- One Act Play was held today, January 22nd, we took FIRST! Congrats!

- Triple A Banquet upcoming – Sawyer Strand, Sierra Westberg

- Room changes have been made – addressing safety and liability concerns.

12.2 Superintendent

- Policy 409 discussion

- School Readiness partnership