001Community Schools special board meeting here on December 2nd, 2025. Let's all rise for the pledge. >> I pledge allegiance 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. Welcome everyone. Madam Secretary, please call the role tonight. >> Robert Garcia >> here. Grand >> here. >> Clement >> here. >> Collins >> here. >> Col here. Morris >> here. >> Nichols >> here. >> All right. Do we have any public comment tonight? All right. On to consent agenda. 5A [clears throat] November 17 regular board meeting minutes. Is there a motion? >> [snorts] >> I move that the board of education approve the consent agenda as presented. Second, >> is there any discussion that needs to be held on
002minutes? >> Seeing none, please. [cough] >> Garcia, >> yes. Reo, >> yes. >> Clement, >> yes. >> Collins, >> yes. >> Con, yes. Morris, >> yes. Nicholls. Yes. >> Consent agenda is adopted. And item six, the reason we're here tonight, the 31 AA grant update. All right. Just to give a little [clears throat] just to get a little background information. Uh you've all received uh stuff along the way, but just to highlight a couple things that are going on. Um so um the 31A money was coming to us this year uh with some um strings attached which um include um the district agreeing to forfeit attorney client privilege and uh with some very uh vague and overly broad potentially definition of what a mass casualty event would be that would trigger uh a state investigation.
003it would simply uh was three people injured in the same incident which couldn't have even been like uh a bus stopping quickly or uh any variety of a number of things. So um therefore uh a number of um ISDs individuals uh superintendents um others uh filed a lawsuit both in federal and state court and um so both of those proceedings are underway. Uh the two courts have um worked through this to the point where they um have committed each to have a decision on the merits of the case by the 19th of December. Um there was originally a deadline for us to opt in uh some weeks ago, but they continue to extend that deadline for us to the point where uh that deadline is now uh December 4th, so this Thursday. And uh that's
004what's necessitating tonight's meeting because we have to have a stance on this. One of the other things that uh was done along the way through um negotiation between uh attorneys representing the uh plaintiffs and uh MDE was that um they are they backed off the deadline to the 4th and they are now allowing the district uh all districts in the state to opt in before that date. but uh opt out again with no questions asked by December 30th. So if the court proceedings do not go uh the way that the plaintiffs are requesting, uh the district can opt back out again and is no longer mandated to it. A question came up in some of the FAQs I was looking at. Well, what happens in between the 4th and the 30th if there is some
005sort of mass casualty event that happens at that point? And uh the answer is that that would not be considered under the this rule during that time period because it's it because you still have the opportunity to opt out. You you still covered. So um all those sort of little details are there. Uh a question that's come up is uh within the resolution that you're going to be looking at tonight. Uh just a couple of things that it's uh directing me uh to do. uh you're authorizing me to uh submit us uh as opting in to receive the funds and uh that's to solely get our our check box checked. Okay. And uh so we would do that uh before uh the fourth. And then uh number two on the resolution if you look under
006the action items it says the district's conditional opt out will be automatically rescended without further action of the board. So, in other words, unless one of two things happens, this will automatically you're directing me to pull us out. Okay? And the two things that would need to happen would be that the legislature would have to remove or amend or whatever that language that's objectionable. I don't frankly don't see that happening between now and the time we would need to make a decision. and or that a court, one of the courts, so either the federal court or the state courts would find um as it says here, a court of competent jurisdiction rules that the privilege waiver requirement is unlawful, uninforceable, or otherwise not applicable. So therefore, if if that happens, if they say it's unconstitutional,
007we're good. Our opt-in stays because it can't be enforced. Okay? [clears throat] If both courts, if if the lawsuit loses in both courts, this resolution is directing me to automatically pull our name out is what this is doing. >> Is there is there a [clears throat] world at all in which one court rules one way and one rules another? >> Um, yes, it's possible. uh if that happens, it's out because it's been found either unconstitutional under Michigan's constitution or under the US Constitution. And so either one of those would apply. >> Good question. >> Any questions on what you're voting on and what this process is looking like? So, um we have it kind of teed up. Um, Camela has the district access to this application and so she's already looked it up, knows where
008to check the box and then we >> That's actually exactly what I was going to ask is what is the process? How long is it going to take us? >> It will take >> Well, this is 30 seconds, but you know, depends for Daryl and I finding our login and figuring out Yeah. >> Yeah. But Camela's in there quite a bit. She because she handles so much in the way of the state grant funding they put it under that >> whole general application so she will do it. >> So does that mean make the money how's so we would get the money in December January what does that >> uh the uh money was supposed to be being distributed by December but because of all this I think it may well be >> January >>
009a little later. [clears throat] Uh that's a great question too. If um if the first of the money starts rolling out because they probably have to set it all up uh and then we would subsequently pull our our name out, right? Um like we pull our name out as of the 26th of December. Uh we may receive the money, but again under the no questions asked, we would be just we they deduct it off of a future one and it would just go away and it's >> just happens. And then um we could potentially get more if other schools opt out. Is it divided? >> Yeah, that's a possibility. They have allocated a certain amount within the state budget for it. Um and then yes, that would be divided by those participating is the way
010that those are typically set up. [clears throat] >> So I think the way the resolution is written, [clears throat] we have nothing to lose by adopting it tonight. That's my opinion. Um, it protects us on each side of where this goes. Um, and if you're ready, we can move on to item seven. >> I have one more question. >> Um, sorry. So, you said that, um, we're giving you authorization to opt out if language isn't changed. Right. >> Correct. >> Okay. And so, we won't have to have another meeting. >> We would not have to have another meeting. However, I will just add we will be meeting on the 15th. So, if we want to at that point something's happened and you want to make a different resolution and scrap this particular one, you can
011do that. Um, you know, we just need time to prepare it. We also could do a special meeting again if you want to like Christmas Eve or something. We could do a special meeting and uh come back and reconsider. So, you know, that option is always open. What this is primarily timed for and why we had to do it tonight was to get our name in by the 4th. And I didn't want to take the chance on the third in case something happened and we couldn't get all [clears throat] item 7 A. Item 7 Action item 31A grant resolution. I move that the board approve the 31A grant resolution. Second. >> All right. Any more discussion we want to have on this? [snorts] >> I would just add that I appreciate all of the information
012that you provided to us on this um over the course of the past couple of weeks as it has changed significantly um you know as the information came out and then as the court challenges occurred. And um also kudos to the room for their ongoing communication as well and for putting these resolutions together. I always appreciate our work with them. This is another good example of their work. Thank you. >> Any others? [clears throat] Let's call the question and call the roll. >> Garcia, yes. Rando, >> yes. >> Clement, >> yes. >> Collins, >> yes. >> Cohen, yes. Morris, >> yes. >> Nicholls, yes. [clears throat] >> 31A grant resolution is adopted tonight. [clears throat] Um, on to item eight, board comments. Any comments from board members? >> I just want I just want to
013let everybody know that I will be in February's meeting, maybe January's. I think it's February's. I won't be able to make it to one of the meetings that that month because of the change, which is fine. I just want to make sure everybody knew that I'm going to be in California. So going to be the sunny weather. So >> yeah, >> on that note, if I just could, it's been brought to our attention on those um uh recommended dates. The third Monday in May happens to fall on the same day as Baloria is currently scheduled. So uh that may be another one for us to talk about, but we can talk about that next week at committee of the whole because I know many of you have places to go right now. [clears throat] >>
014Okay. [snorts] I just have a quick uh heads up. I sent an email off to the board members, the trustees this afternoon regarding the superintendent evaluation process. There's some documents in there and some dates. Please uh feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions um about any of the items or the the evaluation tool. And uh next uh week, a week week from Wednesday is our committee of a whole which I believe [snorts] will probably be requested to meet in close session to begin the evaluation process. So be prepared. All right. Anyone else? We'll entertain a motion to adjourn. So move second. >> All in favor say I. Thank we're journ