001Good evening and welcome to December 11th, 2025 meeting of the LBUSD School Board of Education. The open session is called to order at 603. If you are a student and wishes to speak on an item on the agenda or items not on the agenda, please write student at the top of your card. So you can speak first and do not have to remain for the entire meeting. As public all public comments submitted via the online form were sent to all board members prior to the meeting. Let's see. Um we don't need to do roll call because everybody's here. Um Ivy, will you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance? >> Of course. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one
002nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. I would like to thank the public for all the many emails we received. Um, as far as public comment, I want you to know we do want to hear from you. I want to clarify that the board always has public comment on each agenda item and welcomes the public's input before voting on anything. We do not vote on key decisions without hearing from you. We are listening and we will be looking again at the placement of public comment in January. There may be some new guidelines for public comment coming in January also. So thank you. Uh governance board policies and bylaws board member reports. We have a very full agenda tonight and I'm asking that everyone keep their reports to three minutes or
003less. Per our board protocols. This is an opportunity for board members to comment on the work they have done as board members serving on committees or attending LBUSD and school site events or meetings. It's not a time for discussion or rebuttal to per comments. Okay, Logan. >> Sorry. >> Would you like to give your board report? >> Uh yes. So Ivy, do you want to kick us off? Yeah, of course I can kick us off. Uh, so in terms of Elmoro, they hosted Heritage Day right before break. And so what this was was it was celebrating all cultures that make up the school, honoring past history of our land. Uh, many parent and community members put hours of work into this event and it was a really special celebration for students. The wellness team had
004a wicked themed mental health holiday focusing on how students can use their words and actions for good. There's going to be an upcoming book fair this week, no or December 15th, celebrating their annual hot chocolate day hosted by the Sea Lion Squad on Friday, December 19th. Um, in terms of LBHS ASB, in November, ASB rocks the PBIS student score on November 12th. They also hosted lunchtime gratitude games and tables the week before Thanksgiving, spreading thanks and building excitement for fall break. And now they're switching into winter mode. Uh they had their PBIS student store uh yesterday and coming tomorrow they have a winter themed quad event with games and prizes. And um for the PALS canned food drive, the PAL club is hosting the annual canned food drive to support the Lagouna Beach Food Pantry.
005There's a schoolwide first period competition to see which class can donate the most. Uh the winning class gets bragging rights and some well-earned fivestar points in a donut party. PAL Club is also running peer mentoring during tutorial and peer mentors are helping sixth graders improve their grades and build confidence. The program has been running since the first progress report and has already made a a big impact and so far it's been very successful. Um for the rest of Lagona Beach High School updates, the winter formal uh theme reveal is going to be coming in in the next week and there's winter spirit activities uh prior to us heading to uh to break. Thank you. Board member Hills, you'd like to give Would you like to give your board report? >> Yeah, I'll give a brief
006report. Um trying to sort out some of these cards. Um but um I wanted to um say that uh I used to host the um uh Laguna Beach High School Model UN program when their delegations came to Washington and I was at the State Department and had a real good relationship with Roman Fzen who started that program and um and I recently uh let uh Jonathan Todd and uh Jun Shen know that um uh I have an offer from Cleop Pasco from the foundation for defense of democracy who is a leading journalist uh uh that has a has access at the head of state level all over the uh all over Asia and the Pacific and she's volunteered to come and speak to the model UN group here and so uh they've indicated that maybe
007next semester we will do that but in the meantime I have another good prospect for the model UN program and what I'd like to do if I can Victoria leave these with you there's a copy for each of the student representatives is this is a book by um Ambassador Carmen Caner. Um and uh she um uh was born and raised in May, Puerto Rico. And um she uh worked her way up through government um and ended up becoming the US ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia. And then she uh under the that was under the Trump administration and then under the Biden administration she was appointed as uh the assistant secretary of interior responsible for a big treaty negotiation project project. Anyway she um did her book called uh the ambassador two hats two
008presidents. So this that's for the students and I'll leave another copy for Mr. Shann and mister but I just want to read her note. She said uh Howard glad to hear you like the book. Um, I'd be more than happy to speak to the high school students next time I'm in California. And please let me know if they um come to New York to visit the UN headquarters. I'd be happy to meet with them there, too. Um, and that references to the fact that after ending her career in the US government as an ambassador and as an assistant secretary of a cabinet department, she's now been appointed the head of counterterrorism for the United Nations. So, we have an offer for our model UN group if they come to New York or uh if they're
009here um when she comes to California next to have the current sitting executive director of counterterrorism for the United Nations come and speak to our model UN program. So, I just that's my report. >> Board member Malchesky. >> Um I attended a fantastic thirst PTA meeting. Mr. Vidal talked about the 100 day report and responded to excellent parent questions about instruction with his um consistently great job. I want to thank Mr. Wade for an outstanding thirst and winter concert last night and uh the concert at hospitality night. I'm delighted that he will be representing teachers on the board's new arts committee I've heard and I hope that teachers in all the areas of the arts, theater, music, dance, visual arts, will have sufficient opportunity for input into committee deliberations and I'm sure that D is
010um very attentive to that. Um we are strongest when we work collaboratively with our teachers. I attended the district holiday party yesterday. I want to congratulate Randy Beckley who was awarded teacher of the year and the Zuziak who was recently elected um by the CSEA staff to continue as union president and was awarded the certificated employee of the year. Um, I also attended two conferences in November, including since our last meeting by the district, uh, excuse me, since our last meeting, the annual social science history conference in Chicago, where I, uh, was invited to present the first chapter of my current book project focusing on the history of education and state relations during World War I. I also recently spent an afternoon with an investigator who is looking into a range of issues in the
011district. I don't really know anything about um I didn't know anything going into the meeting about what the issues were. Um I've certainly heard things sitting on the deis and any conversations I had are of course privileged but it was I felt a remarkable waste of my afternoon. Um, I see that meeting as part of an ongoing pattern um of undermining the district. And I mention it here today because in the spirit of the holiday season, I want to leave with some positive acknowledgement of staff. Um, we recently had public record requests that came out. Um, and it includes things like seeking legal advice about whether our staff have first amendment rights at board meetings. Um, we've brought the attorney to opine on whether our teachers needed more bo board oversight and setting the curriculum.
012That was back when we were talking about science. More recently, there are emails that have been put out where board members are speaking disrespectfully to the superintendent and about others, including people on the deis. So, that's all very demoralizing, but it's also really costly. At the last meeting, there was a comment that increased legal costs are due to PE P requests. That's not actually the case. We have in the past year spent an extraordinary amount of money on illegal and administrative costs without full board oversight. The healthc care issue is important. I voted for that um to to have a consultant come and look at that and I think that should be addressed. Um but we also voted to give ourselves an ability to proceed with further investigations without board approval and before Mr. Roy
013Chowur's report. We've actually spent hundreds of thousands of dollars this year on legal, consultative, and investigative costs. We have fantastic staff. They come to work every day to serve the students. And in any organization, if you spend a million or more dollars looking for problems, you're probably going to find some. Um, but is that how we want to operate? Particularly when we have an excellent CEO who is hired to provide leadership and oversight to the staff. And to be clear, for me, this is not just about the monetary costs of this chaos, but the effect that it has on all of the staff. So, in the spirit of the holiday season, I want to thank all of the staff for their hard work and encourage families in the community to extend their thanks and support.
014We're here for our students and that starts with our teachers and staff who come in every day to do the best that they can on behalf of the kids in this district. And for the new year, um I'm really eager to work with D um as a collective to make decisions together and let no individuals act independently outside the scope of what has been granted by the full board. And I hope that in the new year that we as a board um will remember that nothing happens for our students without the support and the collaboration of our staff. We would be wise to work on rebuilding their trust. And so that's my new year New Year's resolution. And thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um, Dr. Kelly, [clears throat] >> thank you, Mrs. Morgan, for
015telling us what we should be doing. [clears throat] Um, I also got um not subpoenenaed, it was I'm going to have a conversation with the investigator next week. Uh, I had no idea what it was about. I sent questions as far as, you know, why do you want to interview me? What what are the questions? Send me the questions. Couldn't get that at all. Our attorney finally sent me an email that, you know, told me that it was just going to be a conversation. And so I have agreed to do to do it. Uh I also uh have nothing but wonderful things to say about our staff, our teachers. I think it's disparaging uh what the new board has done to our relationships and with with the union in particular. It's never happened in the
016six, seven years that I've been on this board. I'd also like to recognize our classified employee of the year, Tessa. Congratulations. That was well well done. Um I went to the holiday party and met with so many of the wonderful teachers, staff, uh and maintenance people. Uh I was joking with them how they left one day and there was no water uh in any of the schools and at 3:00 a.m. the water the rain came from another district in the morning they were right there getting it all up and uh we have just such an excellent group of uh people who take care of us. Um the last thing I did I went to the school power um board meeting. I represent the district. I was very happy to convey to the school power group,
017you know, uh the great support that uh the the district the the board has in them and thank them for all the things that they did. Uh I did give my same uh my same report that Mrs. Morgan was kind enough to uh tape at the uh uh PTA meeting at the high school PTA meeting, which uh I was told that was an illegal act, Mrs. Morgan. Um, but I also said the one thing that I forgot to say was that, uh, one of the points I made was that I had felt sorry for the new superintendent. Uh, if I was he, I'd be looking for a job, uh, with the way that he has been treated in his first 100 days here by certain members of this board. Thank you, >> board member Morgan.
018>> Thank you. Um, I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving break and it was filled with laughter, friends, and feeling grateful. I know I did, and I enjoyed a week in Arizona with all of my kids, my family, and my friends present. I reconnected with my college roommates. It was great. Um, first, my apologies for all of the events the week of November 17th to the 21st that I missed. The exciting rain uh created one of the worst moves I've done, and I'm still unbearing from the water that we also took on, the boxes, and the holidays. Um, as Dr. Glass said upon his move, who brought who bought all this stuff and why'd we move it? Kudos to school power book club. Um, having a larger community come together to explore and
019share thoughts on the journey of parenting is always a a great exercise. It can be a source of information or just tidbits. It can be a reminder of how we're absolutely killing it or how we need to step up a little bit more. This community was created, this community creates one of the great things about coffee. We used to do a thing called coffee break and one of the great things about that is that it created community amongst the parents and it was an independent voice from a book author offering great insight onto the parenting journey. The jazz concert at the high school I hear was really well um was really wonderful and and the family math night and again I'm very sorry that I missed both of those because um my son played in
020the jazz band and those were some of my favorite holiday events. Um I appreciate the new garden at the high school and I'm grateful for Glow and her team for helping facilitate making that happen. Um, I know I was a part of the Thirstston PTA when we when the first plans for a very large garden happened at Thirstston with the same idea of proposed big and it'll scale down to what what fits. And so I'm glad to see that we are um continuing to connect the great effort that we do at the at Elmoro in the garden project and now it's coming through to thirsten and now onto the high school and we can work on creating a continual flow of um education throughout all of our schools. We had the ad hoc committee. It's
021one of the first only things I was able to make on the week of the 21st, but it was Friday morning. Uh the ad hoc ad hoc arts committee, we met at ELCAD right before the Thanksgiving holiday. Um and it was great. The meeting was focused on rounding out the community comm community comm the committee ensuring that various art disciplines and community were equitably represented. I look forward to the great work this community committee is being asked to do and bringing that update forward. We um I'd also like to commend the chamber for another well- attended and festive hospitality night, a local favorite, and I'm grateful I could attend um the hospitality night after a week long at the CSBA conference uh the week of December 2nd through the 5th. I followed that up by
022being invited to the chamber chamber holiday event and I met with sever several good goodness I apologize several chamber members and initiated the contact for the ad h the ad hoc arts committee specifically about the possibility of student art in public places as an element that the ad hoc committee is exploring the CA CSBA conference was my second and I appreciate the opportunity and I was happy to attend with fellow board member and president D Perry her guidance is immeasurable and she is such an asset to this district. I was sorry that Howard and others on the board were not able to attend as it was a wonderful opportunity to be validated in what I understood to learn new things to speak with fellow um board members in other districts to understand how they're supported
023how they're funded how they interact with their community and their staff. It was very um rewarding and eye-opening. Um along with uh Mr. Conland, Victoria and Karen Manoj and Dr. Glass, I think we had a wonderful I even saw um Scott Danforth, our attorney there. Um it was a wonderful experience and um I look forward to bringing what we learned there forward um throughout the coming year. We um I also attended the LBUSD holiday party and thought it was very well attended and our own Dr. Glass dressed as an elf uh was such a nice delightful surprise as we entered the room. Um everyone seemed very festive and happy. Congratulations again to Thesauzuziak. I was thrown a little bit when she was wearing her sash. I thought I thought this I didn't I didn't understand.
024So I was glad I thought I had missed the presentation. So I was glad I was there for that. and also to Randy Beckley, one of my daughter's favorite French teachers, um, for being recognized as classified staff of the year. Um, I also spent time talking with Glenn Warren, our director of digital literacy, and shared again my experience that I had with the Dreamscape Learn program at ASU, which I mentioned at the last meeting as a virtual reality education proc uh, program that was incredible. And I look forward to bringing that program to the arts committee as well to evaluate for the possibilities within our district to support staff and to continue eval elevate the student learning experience. Um, and that's my report. Happy holidays. >> Thank you. Um, excuse me. I've been I've been
025sick so I didn't get to go to the staff party and I also missed the thirst and concerts but I really appreciate a parent sending me some happy music from the thirst and concert and it was great. I did um spend time with our auditor Bobby Patel and that worked out very well. I attended a small district Zoom meeting. I um talked with our with Gray Matters about communication. I appreciate school power for providing uh our book club and a way for parents to talk about subjects that are important to all of us. Um I attended CCA which Howard also attended. the state is now putting more money into careers which is I think really really helpful. And one of the things that I got out of my meeting with CCA is you know how
026on our report cards or at least mine used to have not just a a grade but citizenship. So you kind of had that academic and citizenship and for CCA they're changing that to professionalism which means kind of the same thing but it's are you on time can you work with others uh and relating to a job then it will make a difference whether you will be allowed in your health training to go into a hospital or you will go on a a ride in the ambulance if that's what you're working on. So it helps the students see that those what we call soft skills really are important. I also let's say was went to the arts committee. I went to CSBA and learned about new legislation. I went to classes on student voice, classes on
027careers and what other districts are doing that is pretty amazing. Um class on testing and curriculum. There was a lot of talk about AI that was really helpful and I have some things to share. We're going to be having a presentation on AI coming up in January. Um I think most important was meeting board members from all over our state and hearing about their great programs and what they're struggling with and having more people to call and um really run things by and find better ways to do things. Congratulations to Thesa and Randy Beckley and thank you. Happy holidays. Okay, moving on to government board policies and bylaws. We're going to have a second reading and approval of policies in the zero series. BP0410, non-discrimination in district programs and activities, board policy 0440, district technology
028plan, and board policy 0450, comprehensive safety plan. Thank you. Um Dr. Glass, >> thank you, Madam Chair. Um, at your last meeting, November 13th, um, all of the following policies were brought forward for the first reading. The board voted to move them forward for a second reading and for approval. As a reminder, board policy 0410 is brought forward with changes um from ed codes and government code. Uh, board policy 0440 is brought forward as an existing policy with suggested changes to align with advances in technology. While this policy is optional, the staff find it helpful and useful and therefore we've recommended it for approval. Board policy 0450 is brought forward as an existing policy with some minor revisions. While this policy is also optional, the staff do recommend it for approval. >> Okay. Are there
029any questions from board members? >> Clerk Hills. >> Yeah. I'd like to um talk a little bit about this process. Um first of all, I'd like to comment I was um I was uh not allowed to attend the CSBA um conference up in Sacramento because my doctors would not let me fly on an airplane and I was not at the last meeting when you did the first reading on this um because I was in the hospital. And so, um, I, uh, have some comments and some questions I want to raise about this. First of all, I'd like to state for the record that I think there's a disconnect and a and um, pretty serious substantive problem. Um because I note in the commentaries that we're getting um uh in the documents and the commentaries that
030I've read about the process, we are still operating under the misconception that board law board bylaw 9310 paragraph 7 um paragraph 7 points one through five uh is an exclusive process for amending the bylaws And that's simply not true. Um, and we're continuing to act as if bylaw amendments can only be done pursuant to paragraph 7 1-5. Um, and yet if you look at paragraph nine, paragraph 9 of 9310 says that the board can make exceptions to that process and it can it can choose has the discretion to choose a different procedure or to modify the procedure in paragraphs 7 1-5. So, we're continuing to characterize that as an exclusive process and we need to we need to correct that because it's not. Um, and uh I also want to say that um >> excuse
031me for for just a sec, Clerk Hills. Um you're going to have a chance to do discussion. This is just the question. >> Well, right now my question is for the board council. >> Okay. Um so it raises a fundamental question and I I remember that um uh Miss Shik Sadal when we were talking about this previously she made a statement that um uh the education code section 35010 um does not allow the board to amend the bylaws when the board wants to. So Scott, the question I wanted to ask you is um the idea that a legislative body can bind itself and bind a future uh legislative body um by an act of that legislative body. It's known as the entrenchment entrenchment law model. Um, in other words, that you can you can and
032that's what Miss Shik Sadal suggested when she made her statement that um that um you if you say in a bylaw what her specific statement was, if you put in in 9310 a procedure to change it, you can't change it by any other procedure. And yet 9310 states again in paragraph 9 that you can change it. And also paragraph 19 was added when we did the last um amendments on it. Paragraph 19 says that regardless of that process in paragraph 7, the board can change a bylaw anytime it wants. And that is not only in paragraph 19, but that is fundamental to American law and American legislative uh process. If Miss Shik Sadal was correct, she said, "We're both lawyers, Howard, so we understand it." If she was correct, that would have meant that they
033would after the civil war, they would have to reconstitute the Congress with the three-fifths clauses in order to approve >> point. Can we get your question? >> Yeah. No, >> I I just trying to understand, Howard, >> so once again, we can't have a discussion that's intelligent about this and is informed and and and frame a question for the councils that he can answer. So my question is very simple, Scott. The background can be complicated, but the question is very simple. Can the board pass a by a a bylaw that restricts its ability to amend that bylaw? If it can repeal the bylaw, it can amend it. And I would just like your legal opinion about whether or not the board can repeal any bylaw that the board has adopted and or amend it. and
034that it cannot as an organic constitutional matter restrict its ability to exercise its legislative authority or uh restrict the ability of a successor uh membership of that body to exercise the power of the body. I think the simple answer is that the board can choose to amend a bylaw. It has the power to amend a bylaw. Um, with regard to this particular bylaw, um, that is the process set forth for going forward and amending bylaws, but it does contain sort of an exception at the very end related to suspension of the bylaw or it would require a majority vote of the board to suspend the bylaw to apply some other process. >> Are you looking at um, have you looked at paragraph have you looked at paragraph nine? I don't know which paragraph number it
035is. >> Well, seven is the one with the one through five in it. So, nine is two two one two paragraphs after that says that the board can the board can deviate from the paragraph 7 one through five process. But let me let me um uh let me just ask this. Um this set of amendments that we did that you guys read on first reading at the last meeting. uh you didn't follow after the superintendent said that the paragraph 7 procedure is exclusive and that any amendments or revisions have to be made exclusively through that process which isn't true under 9 and 19. But after after he said that, you all did first reading and you didn't go through the first steps of having the bylaw amendment proposed and reviewed by council and considered by
036staff. You used the California Schoolboard Association recommendations. So you shortcircuited that process and adopted a different process after saying it was exclusive and you relied upon the California School Board Association recommendations without going through the review that that the paragraph 7 requires in the first two points. So my question is this um does the California school is it is it is the California schoolboard association like a a legal entity or has does it have political authority? Does it exercise government authority or is it uh like a private organization? >> Um well it doesn't exercise authority over school districts. I know that I I don't know if it's a public entity. >> Yeah. >> I don't know that. But no, they it doesn't exercise authority in the sense of like the state board of education. >>
037Okay. So my point is this. Here we are saying that this is an exclusive procedure and it requires our staff and our lawyers to develop proposals to revise and that's an exclusive procedure. and yet we decided to suspend that um and instead rely upon the California School Board Association's recommendations and that is they're not elected, they're not appointed, they don't have any governmental authority, they don't have authority and so we've substituted a non-governmental entity's um recommendations for the procedure that we're being told is excl exclusive. So, I just want to go on record that I think that it was improper for this board to do a first reading based on the California School Board Association recommendations. And um uh I think that we're caught up in a inconsistency of saying that this is an exclusive
038process and then not following the process. That said, uh I have a couple of questions about the content. Um so um with respect to the um revised uh it says right here revised per California schoolboard association amendments. So we as a school board that's a a governmental respon a governmental body with responsibility were adopting the recommendations of a a non-governmental entity without reviewing them. But at any rate, um, in paragraph two, it says that this policy shall apply to all acts related to a school activity or school attendance uh and to all acts of the governing board and the superintendent in enacting policies and procedures that govern the district. Do you see that? >> Which policy are we looking We're talking about um board policy 0410, which is the first item in item four um
039uh of of our bylaw amendments. >> That is not correct. >> Yes, I'm talking about that >> and that is already adopted by the district. That's not a change to this policy. >> No, I understand that. But we have adopted these changes and in adopting that change, we've reenacted this. In essence, these are not isolated, bifurcated. These these are organic. It's a it's a as Scott you wrote you wrote yourself that it's a holistic uh it's holistic process. >> So I'm pointing to that paragraph there. And what [clears throat] I'm asking is this, because if we're gonna make these changes, um, uh, we need to understand them and and not just pass them because the California School Board Association recommended them. And >> sorry, Mr. >> Hey, there's a question. >> No, it's a point
040of order. You have a very long commentary that's actually untrue. We reviewed the CSBA rules. We all had an opportunity to comment on it and the attorney was here. >> Yeah. >> So, like I don't even understand what you're trying to achieve. >> I'm asking questions and I'm a member of the board. >> Yeah. You know, you're [clears throat] you're obviously you're allowed to ask questions, but we we did review these. We did we I was led to believe that since the SCA California school board had approved them that lawyers had probably looked at them and so maybe we didn't have to pay lawyer to look at them. But you're right that isn't exactly what we have in what we have written that we are supposed to do. But we did have Mr. Danforth was
041here. Um we didn't just willy-nilly >> No, I fully I fully understand that. I'd just like to say that I've sat through hours and hours of meetings where we've talked about bylaws and I've seen other members of this board ask a series of complicated questions that took a lot more time than I've taken so far tonight. And I don't understand why um I can't ask the questions that I have about these matters. >> I I definitely think you should be able to ask your questions, but maybe we don't. Um, Mr. Danforth is very familiar with all of this. Maybe he doesn't >> He did a great job. >> May Yeah, maybe he doesn't need >> Let him do the job and let me do my job as a board member. >> Well, what I'm saying
042is maybe he doesn't need as much background as you're giving him. Maybe you could just ask the question. >> I don't know that that's the case. Um, so I think a less literate approach might appeal to some people, but doesn't appeal to me. So now if I can get back to this paragraph. My question my question is um this this non-discrimination policy um does it apply to just the board and just the superintendent cannot discriminate or does it apply to all school district employees and officials? And if it applies to all school district officials and employees, shouldn't that shouldn't it say so here? Because right now, if you read it, it says that the board and the superintendent shall not discriminate. Um, but I would think anybody acting under the authority of the board or
043the superintendent who is an employee or an official of the school district, it would also apply to them that they wouldn't be in a position to discriminate. So, it includes everything. I I don't think that there's really any question that it applies to all of the various employees of the district. >> Well, what what is the district? Um is the district the board and the superintendent or is the district something else? Um because right now the only named people are the superintendent and the board and and then there's the reference to the district. But um if there's no reason to name anybody because it says the district, then why name the superintendent and the board? In other words, um I'm just saying that wouldn't it be a good idea to add that that's the superintendent,
044the board, the superintendent, and any officials or employees of the school district? Well, no, because the policy is is for purposes of directing the superintendent and the board who control the district, oversee the district to ensure that none of the programs within the district, any of the acts of the district violate the various statutes under the education code, under the California Constitution, under FIHA, all of those different things that prohibit discrimination, retaliation, and those types of items. So, it's a it's sort of a generalized policy to cover all of those possibilities. >> Well, >> and and I wanted to I wanted to just clarify one thing. Um because this this policy has not yet been approved. It was given a first reading and the approval potentially could happen today or it could be sent to
045another reading if needed if changes are desired. >> That's sort of where I'm going. I think that um I think this needs this and some several other things need further discussion but um I appreciate your I appreciate your forbearance. Um I think when there's a misconception about an issue like for example whether or not a legislative body can bind itself so that it can't then repeal or amend. That's such a fundamental misconception about American legislative law and parliamentary procedure that I think it's worth taking the time to clarify it. Um, and so I'm glad we had a chance to discuss it. Um, >> Mr. Hills, can I let somebody else ask some questions, too? >> Oh, the superintendent. And I know I know board member Morgan has questions, too. Yes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair.
046>> There we go. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, these policies were brought before you following the process outlined in board bylaw 9310, which does include an identification of need, and information gathering, board discussion, and a legal review, then drafting and readings. It is a reasonable interpretation to say that since the California School Board Association has identified these policies as needing change, that that satisfies the identification of need. They've also had attorneys that have reviewed them and they've brightlined and redlined the changes that are recommended and that satisfies the legal review component. You had a discussion on it at your last meeting. So I would put forward that the administration's brought these policies to you uh with a reasonable attempt to follow policy 9310. In your role as president, you accepted them and put them on
047the agenda as such. That's your interpretation as board president. If any board member feels that's inappropriate, the proper procedure would be to challenge that and ask for a board vote on it. And the board majority gets to decide if we followed 9310 appropriately or not. >> Let me get let member Morgan have a chance. >> I just have a couple of qu clarifying questions. I know we went through this last time, so thank you and I apologize um ahead of time, but there is um in the CSBA recommendation um on the second page, it outlines that ED code 260 also require the governing board to monitor district compliance with these state and federal laws. And I believe in here um it talks about the superintendent reviewing him. So my questions are um when is that
048review? And if there's any recommendation that needs to be changed within the um bylaw, is that going to be done through a weekly update or will that be something that's agendaized? That's my first question. >> Trustee Morgan, I missed the beginning of your statement. Can you say that again? >> So, I was just referencing in the CSBA version that came forward that's been approved by CSBA. It talks about ED code 260 requiring the governing board to monitor district compliance, which is fine. I just would like to know when is that review occurring? So, would it be based annually on when we approve it, is it um I know some need to be monitored more frequently like the AI, which we'll get to, but is that update then if there is needing to be an update,
049would that be done week in a weekly update or would that be something that would need to be agendaized and approved? >> There are uh several layers of that review. One of them is CSBA, the other is this small school districts association, another is the attorneys that we have and various firms. They all send us updates noting when there have been policy um I'm sorry, state or federal law changes that impact our policies that require an adjustment to them. And so annually you should expect the administration to bring forward policies that we recommend for review just as we have done with these. >> Okay. So it would be agendaized. Okay. And then I have two more really quick questions. Um the and again I I know we reviewed this last time but I think there
050was with not everybody here I think it's important to bring them back up. Um, one of the things that this policy outlines is the right to students right to free education. Is the athletic booster fees or any amount that people are paying included in that? Some teams ask for upwards of $1,200 for booster support. Um, there's scholarships, but are we complying if we're asking for booster dollars? That's my first question. Then I have a second one after that. >> Um, Mr. Mr. Danfor can weigh in more authoritatively on the legal determination of that, but it's always been my understanding as an educator that that um free education applies to curricular inschool um activities and experiences. Extracurricular um activities uh you may charge fees for. >> Okay. Thank you. And then my last question is that
051this policy also highlights transportation um as something that needs to be equitable. Is our committee work that we're doing on the transportation traport? Goodness gracious, I'm so sorry. Is our committee work helping us bring equitable education across access into compliance? Many of our families, especially in Aliso, um, and even some high school families, um, have left the district due to lack of transportation and not being able to drop their kids off at, you know, they can drop them off but don't want to drop them off at 7:30 because there's no longer a zero period at the high school. Um, as well as rigor. Is this um does this policy help bring us into compliance if we are bringing if we're adding more transportation for those students that that otherwise wouldn't have access to um an
052education within our district and which is in their boundary? >> Yeah. Again, I'll um invite Mr. Danforth to weigh in on uh and comment on my response, but I would say uh equity is not an on-off switch. It's not you're doing it or you're not doing it. Uh there are elements of our district that are quite equitable and elements that are inequitable that we need to work on. um and uh the determination of is something equitable or not. If a law applies and you apply the standard that's in the law, I would say that the transportation committee, one of the lenses that that group has had in its work has been equity and thinking about are we uh providing equitable transportation services to all as all the communities within Lagouna Beach that that we serve.
053So that has been part of our priority in some in the work that we've been doing. >> Great. Thank you for the clarification. No, I wanted to make one clarification. >> I did want Sorry, I wanted to clarify just with regard to the the student fee issue. So, please there are some caveats to when student fees can be charged. Obviously, um this this policy does not directly address that issue. Um with regard to extracurricular activities, um it's not quite as straightforward as that. Um and so it's sort of like a fact specific analysis related to that. So, I'm not sure what your specific question is related to the to the fee issue. >> The the term free education is what's listed in the policy. And so, I'm just asking is the athletic fund the the
054funding that the athletics is searching for from as a booster support is that covered in this or not? And I think you >> So, so no, if it's it should not be mandatory, I should put it that way. um any type of extracurricular activity as far as like a sport for the school that requires a fee. It should be a voluntary fee and then it should be a should be a voluntary donation and if that isn't something that the person wants to provide or they shouldn't have any sort of repercussion for that. That's that's what it comes down to. >> I know we have scholarships and stuff and but some people can't or don't want to because they feel they pay enough. And so that's kind of why I was asking is that if it's
055not required and then that would fall under the retaliation as well. If somebody doesn't pay, they can't be retaliated against or anything like that. >> So that that's why it's say it's very fact specific specific. We'd have to see what the situation we're talking about generalities right now. It's possible to >> Yeah. Great. Thank you very much. >> But it should be Yeah. donations generally are what the booster clubs operate on. >> Right. Okay. Thank you. >> I wanted to make one clarification about transportation. Um, a lot of families that are in our outlying district choose not to come to our district because their schools are closer in the other district. Uh, and the other district also provides free afterchool care through the YMCA. So, it makes it much more advantageous for those families to
056go to these other schools. It is not transportation alone that precludes these kids coming to our district. Okay. So, in trying to move this along, it looks like 9310 we've got a little bit of a little glitch with. And maybe maybe we could say for policies that come through CSBA, we we change the way we do those because they have been se seen by lawyers. Not that we I mean we look at them and we make changes but we don't absolutely stick to 9310. >> I actually agree with what the superintendent said that if they if the if the lawyers and the staff and the members want to take into consideration what the California School Board Association is saying, they can and they should. My point was that we were being told that the the
057the policies as it's set forth in paragraph 7 are exclusive and that you can't you can't otherwise amend the um bylaws. And that is an issue that people in the audience argued about for about three hours. And so if I take 10 minutes to try to clarify that, I'm somehow, you know, doing something extravagantly um whatever. But the point is we just have to have it on the record and have counsel here to confirm that if the board has authority to pass something, whether it's doing it based on CSBA or based on whatever else they want to, the board has the ability anytime it wants through any procedure it chooses. And that's why, as I pointed out last time we went through this, that's why Congress in the United States frequently begins a new law
058with a sentence notwithstanding any other provision of law. So Congress can pass a law saying this statute is permanent and it can't be changed and the next week Congress or the next year a new Congress can say notwithstanding any other provision of law and it's fundamental. And if we have a situation where people in this community believe a complete legal misconception, which is what was articulated when we did this before, I feel that I have a duty to try to clarify that. So I apologize for that. Um, but there are other >> what we're saying is we can change any >> bylaw that we want. >> When I first proposed, >> we all agree and I think we're all agreed to that. Yeah. Well, when I first stated that, member Malesky said, "Well, that's like
059if the Congress amended the Constitution of the United States." Well, that's not true. Amendments to the Constitution of the United States have to be under Fifth Amendment, and otherwise the Constitution is permanent law, but statute law. And so, let me ask you this. Is there anything I'm saying that is just not true or crazy? I don't think so. I I just need to clarify a couple things. So you mentioned that you can change um a border policy or bylaw sort of under any method or anytime you want. That I don't agree with. Okay. What I agree with is that the board has the discretion to amend bylaws and amend board policies as it sees fit. That's true. There is this policy that exists that requires a general procedure to go and that's >> this policy
060does require a general procedure. It does have a clause that allows the board upon a majority to suspend that procedure if they want to do it differently. You can suspend that procedure with the majority vote and do it in a different way. But generally speaking, there is the policy, but you are allowed to amend any of the policies. There's not a policy that could exist where it would prohibit you from amending it. That's the question. >> Well, we were told otherwise. And the fact of the matter is that if you can enact something and if you can repeal it, then you can obviously revise it. And if you have a proceed, if you have a provision that says you shall follow this procedure, you cannot follow that procedure if you don't want to. And you
061can in effect that amends that procedure if you do it by another procedure. >> So again, that that's the point that I think we need to clarify. In order to completely avoid utilizing the procedure, board needs to have a majority vote saying that they're suspending this procedure. We're going to go about amending whatever policy it is that you want through a different process. Well, I then we we need to take more time to address this because um the idea that you have to follow a procedure um in order to amend the procedure, if that's true, then um then a pro a provision saying notwithstanding any other provisional law would not take effect. And so what you're saying is you're taking away the power of the legislative body to subsequently act the way it chooses to
062act. And um so it's like um you know if we if we have to we're going to have to go back and amend the B 9310 again to clarify this. So >> the agenda. >> Well I have I have other questions about this provision. >> Let me just add one let me just add one comment. If the board desires to amend board bylaw 9310, it can do that in so far as it doesn't violate the law, right? It can do that. >> Yeah. >> But if it exists, the board should try to follow the bylaw. >> But what about what about paragraph nine says that the board can adopt a different procedure from the from the one that's in there? So, we're talking about paragraph seven uh one through five as whether that's an exclusive
063procedure. And then paragraph nine says the board can make exceptions to that. And paragraph 19 says the board regardless of that procedure under paragraph 7 can amend anytime it wants. No. You're talking about the suspension of policies provision. There's two paragraphs underneath that. Right. >> Right. >> Okay. There's two clauses to that particular provision. The first clause is specifically referencing the duty of the board to amend certain board policies at certain times of the year. >> Right. >> Okay. It's also saying that the board can choose to amend other board policies just regardless of the time of the year. >> That's the first clause. >> Yeah. >> The second clause is the suspension clause. That's the clause that allows the board if it says we want to amend this bylaw without going through the policy,
064we're going to suspend this policy, do a majority vote. We agree to suspend the policy and now we can address whatever policy it is that you want to amend at that time without going through the process. Actually, >> I got the motion to move the agenda. Paragraph 7 deals with the requirement of an annual review to determine if amendments need to be made and it's that's the only thing that's actually mandatory. The rest of it is all discretionary. But >> excuse me, we we do have a motion to move on >> to what? >> We we have a motion and a second to move the agenda along. >> Okay. Um >> well >> then um >> two have >> so ju just pass the I I understand there are still more questions about this and
065more needs to be >> not asking more questions. I would say if there's a motion that's been moved and seconded to move on, then I would say in the nature of questions and discussions on that motion that um I'm going to be recommending that we not pass this on second reading because there's additional questions that need to be addressed. >> Okay. All in favor of moving the agenda forward? I I >> opposed. Okay. Uh, clerk hills, are there speaker cards for those wishing to comment on on this item? >> Um, Keta Brown and um um Shaheen Sik Shidal are um indicating an interest in talking about 4B. Is that what we're on? >> Yeah, that's what we're on. Uh Howard, this is why our legal fees were over $19,000 this warrant period. And you said
066on January 9th at the January 9th meeting that the CS the CSBA bible, this book is a really good book. You said it's called Call to Order and everyone should read it. So the fact that you are questioning everything that came from CSBA and we have sat here for I don't know what do we think 25 30 minutes. Thank you. >> Hi my name is Shaheen Shake Saddle. I love that I live rent free in your mind. >> Sorry. >> I also love that as a fellow licensed practicing attorney, Mr. Danforth and I agree with each other. Nobody said this, but somebody should have. Any one of you on the Dasis board members should never be calling out a member of the public by name. It is against board policy 9005. It is highly frowned
067upon by the CSBA and just ethical norms. It is a chilling effect on anyone coming up to speak here and it's your attempt to strike down civil rights and first amendment rights that we have. Seriously, Howard Point order. May I have a motion to approve board policies 0410, 0440, and 0450? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I don't. And I both say I >> vote on. >> Three motions agreement. All three policies. >> Well, we only talked about one of you >> then. If you don't think we've had sufficient discussion, then don't >> don't vote for it. >> Uh, okay. Then I would vote no. Okay. Item C, second reading and approval, board policy 113, district and school websites. Dr. Glass. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, also on November 13th, board policy 1113
068was brought forward for a first reading and the board voted to move it forward for a second reading and approval. As a reminder, board policy 1113 was brought forward as an existing policy with minimal changes suggested to define the district's uh suggested to define the value of a district's website and incorporate the changes to government code 7928.205 asend amended by AB1785. that the district is prohibited from publicly posting online the home address, phone number, or or both the name and address and assess parial number associated with the home address of any elected or appointed official such as a board member without first obtaining written permission of that individual. >> Thank you, Dr. Glass. Are there any questions from board members? >> I have a question. Um again in reading this again I would like to
069know because our board policy 1100 indicates that um that outward communication needs to be done with superintendent and board president together. So in the first paragraph um I'm wondering if we need or maybe it's the website content. Yeah, under website content, it says the superintendent or design shall develop content guidelines for district and school websites and assign assign staff to review and approve content prior to posting. Do we need to indicate that that the board president has reviewed it or can we publish the way it is because we have another bylaw that discusses outward communication and to the community. >> Um, so can you read that section again? I'm sorry. It's it's board policy 1100 um communication with the public and talking about I don't I can't get it to come up in front of
070me but um to be specific but it does talk about and as we talked about with it's a wrap that the board president and superintendent collaborate on the the the public facing communication regarding the board and if the website will incorporate some of those things do we need to include something in this policy that mentions that >> board this is board policy 1100 Well, 1100 references it, but this being about the website, do we need to have language in there that indicates that or are we covered by board policy 1100 >> that the board president is also >> well that they they review it? >> Yeah, the board president would only be reviewing uh communications that um address or uh come within the nexus of what the work that the board is doing. The board
071president would not be approving or overseeing other communications that the district makes. >> Okay, great. Thank you for the clarification. >> Any other questions? >> Clerk Hills, are there any questions from the public or comments from the public? Not on this item. Okay. Um are there is there any discussion on this item from board members? We approve. >> Second. >> Now, is there any discussion? >> One comment I'd like to make to clarify. >> Sure. >> Um, my no vote on the last motion was based on a misunderstanding on my part. I thought you were including this and the next one. So, I thought we were moving ahead. I um so that's why I was putting the brakes on, but uh I now get this. Would you want to? >> No, it's >> Leave your
072vote or change your vote or Okay. Okay. >> Just stating it for the record. >> Okay. So, do you have comments on this item, Mr. Hills or policy 1113? >> No, I'm good. >> Okay. Um, let's vote then. Student board vote. >> Logan both say yes. Um board member vote. >> Yes. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. Second reading and approval of board policy 1312.3 uniform complaint procedure. Dr. Glass. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Also on November 13, board policy 1312.3 was brought forward for a first reading. The board voted to move it for a second reading and approval. Uh, board policy 1312.3 was brought forward as an existing policy that incorporates changes to align with education code, updated federal title 9 regulations, and recent court decisions. >> You are there board
073questions? >> Um, seeing none, Mr. Hills. Are there any cards for No. >> No, I don't see any. >> Okay. So, is there discussion? >> I have a comment. >> Um, so one of the things that's been talked about a lot is is the climate of our district. And I think that um this unifor complete procedure is great, but I think that um some of the things that I've personally heard is that um in in the past there has not been a um mechanism for reporting issues without consequences. And so while I don't see that in this policy, I would like to see us work more or find a way to incorporate whether it's that action or there's a follow-up consequence if someone reports an issue, staff, family, parents, um students, what have you, that
074um there's a mechanism for reporting it where there's no retaliation or consequences. >> Thank you. >> Um M president, >> Dr. class. >> Yeah. Retaliation against anyone for bringing forward a complaint or a concern would be met harshly by uh this superintendent and this organization. Um anytime that we have uh someone who brings forward a concern or a complaint, it is investigated and people are afforded due process. And if that is not happening, uh you can hold me accountable for that. >> Thank you. I I'd also like to add, Miss Morgan, there is an anonymous like system called We Tip. We've discussed on the board before where there are like you can do that with no repercussions. I don't know if that's actually an issue that students have been facing. It's not one that's been
075presented to me by any means. >> Thank you. >> Could I add Could I add one quick thing? >> Yes. Um, member Morgan, the the uh policy as defined in here has a specific provision prohibiting retaliation for making complaint. So, >> I know it's been in place for a long time. >> Understood. >> That doesn't mean it's always done. >> So, I just want to make sure we're working on that and brought it and put it on the record. So, thank you so much, >> Trusty Morgan. Uh, if you or any board member has evidence of an employee or a student or community member being retaliated, I need to know. >> May I have a motion to approve board policy? Oh, >> are we still on discussion? >> Um, we can be. >> Yeah. Um
076I just want to say and with with respect to this because this is a context in which um we can incur legal fees as a result of this. People have been making comments about legal fees. So, I just wanted to say um that um I'm recommending to the board and to the superintendent um based on a lot of comments that have been made about legal fees by different elements of our school community. Um that we do a comprehensive report to the community on legal fees. Um, and this is a this this measure right here can generate significant legal fees. There are some of the other amendments that are here involve sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, and that can that occurs and can generate legal fees. Um, and there um uh legal fees are also generated significantly
077with respect to special education. uh program. And so when people um talk about legal fees and isolate one particular legal fee versus another particular legal fee, um they need to see the whole picture. And so I'm going to be recommending that we do a comprehensive report to the community on the different categories of legal fees and the amounts associated with um those different categories of whether they be under this uniform um complaint procedure or whether they be lawsuits uh whether they be property disputes. Um, and that we get it all out on the table so that the community can put the issue of legal fees in perspective. >> I think that's a good idea, but I think it should be brought up at a different time. >> Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, of
078course, there are items when it comes to legal fees that cannot be disclosed because they're ongoing cases or matters of privacy and confidentiality that we must adhere to. But if the board wishes us to um produce the report as clerk hills has described, the proper way to do that is agendaize it and have the board direct it. >> This would be an information item, correct? So could that be done uh next week? >> It it would the proper procedure um Trusty Morgan would be the board to put it on an agenda and discuss it and vote on it as an as an item. You need to direct if the board is is directing the administration to produce such a report then the board needs to take action through a properly agendaized motion act acted on
079by a majority uh to direct that. >> Okay. So can I call for a vote now? >> A motion. >> I move to um approve board policy 1312.3. Second. Thank you. >> Student board member, >> we vote yes. >> Thank you. All in favor? I >> I uh second reading and approval board policies 3515, campus security and board policy 3515.4, recovery of property loss or damage. Dr. Glass. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, on November 13th, board policy 3515 was brought forward for first reading, and the board voted to move it forward for a second reading and approval. Tonight, policy 3515 is revised to align with changes in the education code and government code. Specifically, a section was added in alignment with Senate Bill 9006, which requires any employee or school official uh who has
080contact with middle or high school students who are alerted to or observe any threat or perceived threat of homicide a homicidal act shall immediately report the threat to law enforcement. So, policy 3515.4 is revised to clarify who from the district may seek reimbursement for damages. >> Thank you. Board member questions. No. Clerk Hills, are there any speaker cards for those wishing to comment on the approval of the first reading of board policies 3515 and 3515.4? >> No. >> Okay. May I have a motion to approve board policies 3515 and 3515.4? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Sorry. Student board members, >> I. >> Thank you. Um second reading and approval of board policies 4030 discrimination and employment board policy 4033 lactation accommodation and board policy 4119.11 4219.11 for 319.11 sexual harassment. Dr.
081Glass. >> Thank you madam chair. Also uh at your last meeting, board policy 4030 was brought brought forward for our first reading. The board voted to move it forward here tonight for a second reading and approval. Board policy 4030 is brought forward with changes made to align with government code and other relevant provisions related to non-discrimination in employment. Board policy 4033 is brought forward to implement changes in end code related to lactation accommodations. and board policy 4119.11, 4219.11, and 4319.11 are being revised pursuant to changes in federal title 9 regulations. >> Great. Thank you. Board member questions. Clerks. >> Yeah. Um I wanted to direct a question to council. Um I noticed that this um when it talks about non-discrimination and employment Um, it includes contractors. Uh, it includes job applicants um with and persons
082with an employment relationship. I'm just I'm just um relating this back to the the first non-discrimination which um I thought we needed additional work on and I think we will end up needing additional work on it. But um this kind of lists the various constituencies that could be the target of um but it continues to um it's it I guess I'll just leave it at this. I think this is an interesting model for that paragraph that we decided to leave as it was in the earlier one because um it lists both the people that are obligated to um not discriminate and the people who would be the target constituencies. So anyway, I just wanted to make that comment and uh I'm going to be voting in favor of this. >> Okay. Um, are are there
083any cards for this? I guess not. Um, may I have a motion? >> Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? >> Okay. Okay. Um, let's call for the vote. Student board member, >> we vote yes. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> I opposed. No. Okay. Um G, group two, board bylaw 9322, discussion and possible action. Dr. Glass. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. This is different. Um the first group that you've been working through were all policies that were reviewed and recommended by CSBA for approval and updating. You've now done all that. these this next policy is something that um you madam chair and clerk hills have brought forward for consideration. So we will treat it differently. We will walk through the steps outlined in 90310 related to adopting policies. Um we're taking uh this up
084under policy 93 I'm sorry board bylaw 9310 which outlines our policy development process. So to clarify tonight is the information gathering and issue identification step. No policy language will be adopted or revised this evening. As you may recall uh and has been discussed earlier, board bylaw 9310 pol under board bylaw 9310 policy work happens in stages. The first of those is information and issue identification. That's what we're doing tonight. Second will be drafting potential revisions or options. Third will be a first reading and discussion and draft language. and fourth as you just done with another group of policies is second reading and possible adoption. So that's the process uh 9310 lays out for us. So tonight in in step one, our goals are going to be to understand what policy 90 bylaw, I'm sorry, 9322
085does, to hear your questions or concerns, to receive legal and operational input on it, and decide whether the board wants staff and legal counsel to bring back and draft options for a future first reading. So tonight is not a first reading, and we are not considering drafting specific language tonight. Very briefly, bylaw does the following. First, it sets Brown Act compliant requirements for agenda content, public comment, and the posting and distribution of meeting materials. Second, it establishes that the board president and the superintendent as secretary of the board work together to develop agendas for regular and special meetings consistent with related bylaws to the president 9121 and the secretary 9122. It allows board members and the public to request items, requires that those requests be submitted to the superintendent or designate, and gives the board
086president and superintendent joint responsibility to determine whether requests are within board jurisdiction and appropriate for the agenda with a defined appeal path to the full board for board member requests. It also defines the use of the consent agenda, how items are classified as open or closed session items and as action or information items and how agenda materials must be distributed to the board members and made available to the public. So that's a fastmoving flyover of everything 9322 does. I'd like to bring down councel now to briefly summarize the key legal frameworks that 9322 has to align with including the Brown Act and the statutory role of the superintendent as secretary. >> I think that would be very helpful. Thank you Mr. Defor. >> Okay. So [clears throat] the key point, one of the most important
087key points is is compliance with the Brown Act. Um, agenda creation is pretty much the the primary thing that the Brown Act is is concerned with as far as making sure that the public is aware of what's happening uh and when it's happening. So, agenda creation um is is laid out within this bylaw. Um it mirrors language that is in the education code. Um it allows for a process for proposing and adopting agenda items. uh and and related um ancillary things related to that. So as far as the the mechanism within this item or within this policy that talks about how those are are formed. Um you have the superintendent, you have the board president who work in conjunction with each other. Um they both operate obviously on sort of a a different path. Um
088the board president has the uh interest of the board and the district as a whole. Um and the superintendent obviously has interest of the district but also um is working as in his role as the chief executive officer. So he has sort of insight into other items that might need to be addressed as far as what's going on in the operation of the district on a day-to-day basis with the staff members and everything along those lines. So, it's an important item um to make sure that we're in compliance with um all of the relevant education code and government code sections. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Scott. I'd like to now move to a round of comments from board members um so we can clearly identify your issues and perspectives on this policy. And I'm going
089to ask you each to answer two questions. First, what aspects of this policy 9322 do you think are working well? And second, what aspects, if any, do you see as potentially unclear or an area for clarification or review? And uh member Morgan, I'm going to start with you. >> Excuse me for just a second, but I think we have to ask for speaker cards first. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. >> Are there any speaker cards, Mr. Hills? >> We have um Yeah, we have um Ca President Fasa. I I would add that her last name is Zuziak. So that would be the speaker that we have here. >> Thank you, M. So I have a question. If I'm understanding this correctly, this bylaw and I'm looking I guess at Mr. Dport is in relevance to
090um the setting of the agenda. Correct. >> Am I understanding that right Dr. Glass? >> Madam Chair, um >> President as a practice we don't respond to public comment questions. >> Okay. So my question I guess then that I will just put out there in our comment um as union president we would like to see in added to this bylaw that public comments are at the beginning of the meeting and put it into the bylaw. Um when we've asked why they were moved the response we were given is it was directed by legal staff to move public comments to the end of the um meeting. So, I'd like I guess would like to know is that something that was asked in is it something we can do and you were told yes, it's allowable if
091you want to do it or if it was directed to move public comment and if not, I'd like to see we would like to see it as a union put into the bylaw to keep public comments at the beginning of the meeting in the agenda setting. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, that's all. Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll again um now that I've given Trusty Morgan some more time to get ready, I'll turn things back to you and ask you the two questions. What aspects of of this bylaw 9322 do you believe are working well? And what if any aspects do you see as unclear and potentially need of some clarification or review? >> Okay. Um I um I think in theory the the agenda uh I think that the um I
092think that the policy itself is um relatively solid. I have a couple of questions about it. um that I'd like to um hopefully get some answers to and it's um around the uh consent items. I think one of the things we can improve on is is depending on the consent items and the and the amount. I know we had that one with GG which was I thought excessive um and that was related to contracts and um borrowing. So I'd probably say what we're doing well I think is is the concept of the agenda of the agenda planning. I mean there's a lot of comments about the agenda and um that it's not done right. I mean espe it's gotten a lot better but I know in the beginning of the year there's a lot of
093you know what's going on with the agenda and I think that um some of this has been lack of someone in your role that um is experienced in this situation in experienced in the job that can help guide the agenda. Um, so I I do think that today our agendas are much more um focused and organized. Um, but my concerns, if that's the second question, what's the second question? [clears throat] >> Yeah. >> Concerns. So I'd like to know about um action that involves borrowing 100,000 or more shall be discussed considered deliberated as a separate item of business as it pertains to the consent calendar and what how what's the percentage or average that we have contracts that come in and this is probably better for manoj um that are that exceed that hundred,000 cap
094or is there a lot that are exceeding 50,000 should we lower that to 50,000 and have them be even if can they be lumped together for approval if they're over 50,000 or what what is a good benchmark? What do other districts do as far as how what amount they put on consent? I don't necessarily agree with the idea of putting contracts on consent and just approving them because that's what we've done before because I think a lot of our contracts need to be reviewed. So, I'd like to see something like that that we don't just approve a contract because it's been done before. Um, and I'd like to see a little bit better understanding of the amount that we would include in a consent calendar. >> Thank you. Um, member Morgan. So what I hear
095is that you feel that the policy mostly is uh achieving its goals and aims, but you'd like us to look at the consent component of it and bring back some recommendations on how that could be improved for changed. >> Yeah, if there if it's necessary, but I you know, we we've asked about an amount. So is that is 100,000 reasonable? Should it be lower? Could it be higher? What's the average contract that we get? And then not to just automatically renew contracts because it's what we've been doing. Okay? >> You know, they should have be reviewed and um understood for um performance. >> Yeah. Thank you. And to keep my board members guessing, I'll now turn to member Malchesky and ask you the same two questions. What aspects of this policy do you think are
096working well? And what, if any, things do you think need to be changed or clarified? >> Um, I think we have a fine agenda setting process. I'm completely baffled about why we're having an open discussion about this. So, it's really hard for me to respond. I guess I'll listen to uh President Perry and Mr. Hill's comments about it. Um, any problems I have around the agenda are not the process of setting an agenda, but the problem of how we get through it. And I'm also um going to express my concerns, which is not a bylaw change, but there is no reason that we should have to wait until late Monday afternoon to get information about the agenda. There are those of us with jobs that have a 5-hour meeting to review with lots of materials.
097We used to get it on Friday. that was my Sunday night work. And so I would ask that we take this policy and um apply it in ways that are helpful to board members and to the community. And um please enlighten me on why this is on the agenda. >> U thank you u member Malesky. What I hear you saying is that you feel that the policy itself is fine. um you're not sure why we're discussing it tonight. Although um you have some concerns around the timing of when the board agenda is made public and the number of items that are on the agenda and our ability to get through it. >> I don't know why we can't get through it. That's a separate question. >> Might be a different question. Thank you. Uh and
098I'll turn now to clerk Thank you. I won't touch that one. Um I'll turn now to Clerk Hills. >> Thank you. Um actually um the members questions are good ones. Why are we looking at this? One answer to that is that instead of just amending this as previously proposed as an ad hoc amendment, we've backed ourselves into the corner of this absurd position that we can only amend through the paragraph 7 process. So th this there was a proposal made by me and by others to simply put on the agenda um a simple amendment to uh make a minor modification to this. But what happened is that we got into this process of saying oh we can't just have a member propose or we can't put it on the agenda and and then just decide
099it on an ad hoc basis. it's got to be part of this process, which is just not true. But at any rate, that's why we're dealing with it right now is because we couldn't do it in a fast, efficient, simple way that is allowed by um the state education code and by our bylaws. We had to make it part of this big paragraph 7 process. And so that's why we're dealing with it. There's a couple of other reasons why we're dealing with it right now. Um, and also I I just want to say by the way um that as far as I know several members of this board have jobs and we um I know I have a job and so um I just want to say as a point of order that for one
100member of the board to say some of us have jobs and some of us don't have jobs. um which we've been hearing a lot uh particularly from my colleague who is often because of her job unavailable to attend meetings. So >> point of order that is not true. >> No, >> I'm sorry. I teach classes during the day and have students and I did 11 special meetings last year and probably spend excuse me. Yeah. A hundred. >> Can we have a order restored? >> Make an accusation. >> Can we have order restored? I I never said that you didn't have a job. I said others do have jobs and the implication that um you're the only one that has it. You also frequently talk about those who own property and those who don't own property.
101So, you need to stop that. No, I don't. >> Mrs. Morgan talks about the teachers who own property. >> That's not me. That's not me. So, back to the point at hand before the interruption and disruption occurred. Um the other reason why this is important is that this board for the last 10 to 20 years and many people in the community including the teachers community that we're trying to ultimately is our biggest responsibility to the students and to the teachers. Um uh this board has not uh recognized that there are certain areas of shared responsibility between the superintendent and the board and uh the board president and the superintendent which you just in a few minutes ago confirmed that you understand that and that's really helpful. Um, for example, when it comes to consulting legal
102counsel, the bylaws, see, we have good bylaws, we just don't enforce them. When it comes to getting legal counsel, and everybody's complaining about legal counsel, the board bylaw specifically says, I think it's 9124, that the board president has the power to consult and get legal counsel. It also says that the superintendent has that power. So that's a shared power, but that hasn't been recognized for a long time. This is another area where there's shared power. Both the superintendent and the board president have a role to play in deciding what's on the agenda. That's why we're discussing that right here. The problem is that the current bylaw doesn't provide for you. You say that you act in conjunction with the board president, Mr. Superintendent. That's what you said. But this bylaw does not provide a mechanism
103for you to act in conjunction. It just says you shall act in conjunction. It actually doesn't use the term conjunction, but it just says you are to work together is what it really says. And work together is great when you are working together, but when there's issues that are contentious or difficult or unresolved, you have to have a mechanism for the collaboration to occur. And that's what we're missing in many of our areas where there's shared powers. And for the last 10 years, the interpretation has been, well, the superintendent decides uh any area where there is an agreement. But what most people understand is that if the if there's shared powers and there's not a a mutual agreement that the elected person in that partnership makes [clears throat] a decision, not the appointed person. And
104so, uh, one reason to have this here and why I'm glad we're doing this and we are now, Mr. superintendent doing exactly what you said we should do under paragraph 7 which I I don't like but the point is we are right now doing exactly what you said the first couple of steps we're talking about what members think and want about this so this is good um and the point is that um the amendment that I proposed six months ago several times and couldn't get it um brought forward is that this the and I think it's necessary the in the end there I think there should be an amendment to say that the board president has final decision on what's included in the agenda that is then presented to the board and when the agenda
105is presented to the board at the beginning of the meeting for adoption the superintendent or any member of the board can propose amendments to the um or to uh to change the agenda um the order of the agenda. But my point would be that I think it's very necessary for us to provide for a final decision to be made and if it has to be made by one of the two people that have shared powers, it should be made by the elected person in that party. So that that's what that's what I bring to this uh issue. >> Thank you, Clerk Hills. Uh to summarize, um you noted that we are following policy 9310 in the review of this. You noted that there are shared powers between the superintendent and the board chair and the
106agenda setting process and you've asserted that there needs to be some kind of mechanism to determine when there's not agreement between the board president and the superintendent. And your solution to that is that the board president would have supremacy in the decisions. >> I wouldn't use the word supremacy. I would say that when there's shared power that the elected member has to be able to make a a final decision. really important to note, sir, >> that um that doesn't mean that what the president wants the president's going to get because all that means is that that's what's going to be presented to the board and at that time the superintendent could come in and say I actually would like to do something different than what the president proposed. I >> I'll note I'll note the
107change to final decision. Thank you for clarifying that for me. I would answer the question uh when you ask what happens when we don't agree. It rarely happens when D and I don't agree. we talk and try to find a solution that we're both agreeable to. If we ever got in a place where we didn't, we would bring the issue to the board to decide. The full board uh in my professional opinion would make that determination. Uh I'll move forward to um Dr. Kelly. Oh, should we go to the students? Yes. Go right ahead. Yeah. I'm sorry. I have a question that I would like to direct at Mr. Hills. Mr. Hills, are you familiar with in MUN? There's a very common uh saying that happens during conferences. It's known as decorum. I think that
108there has been an insane amount of unprofessionalism in this uh I I almost just said committee cuz I'm thinking of mu but and dur throughout this meeting calling out members of the committee by name you talked about something that can acrue legal fees. What about a defamation suit? I think that also accusing member other members of the board of things that they just have not said is another thing that's been incredibly unprofessional throughout this year and throughout the previous year. There has been an insane amount of unprofessionalism on the board of education that has been recognized by the community members, recognized by students, recognized by staff, and it is unacceptable. It makes the district look bad. And if it's just for some egotistical meanings, I would please kindly sir ask you to stop. >> But
109but that that wasn't a question about what we're talking about. >> Forgive me, President Perry. Um >> I I'll give you a question then. Howard, would you please stop? That was interrogative, by the way. Um, on another note, I also had a comment that I wanted to make. Um, in regards to the agenda, I want to kind of reiterate Miss Zuziak's point. Um, I think it's unfair that comments are being moved to the end of meetings. I know I've tal spoken with Dr. Glass and uh, President Perry about wanting to get more student engagement and this is not the way to do it. Um, students are studying for finals, students have tests, and they're definitely not going to come to stay all the way till 1000 p.m. in order to make a comment. Um, if
110there's any bylaw that we can do in order to protect um protect comments being able to be made earlier. My question is, is that possible? And what would that look like? >> Yeah, thank you, Logan. Thank you, Ivy. I think on the points you raised that are germaine to the item. Um one uh just a point of clarification is that uh the students are allowed to comment at the beginning of the meeting on items that are not on the agenda. Um board president Perry has prioritized that. Um Mr. Suzak's point was really that other comments uh from individuals, employees or people in the community on items not related on items not on the agenda be moved to the beginning too. 9322 would be a mechanism to do that. You could write the policy and direct
111it to be that way. Okay, Dr. Kelly. >> Thank you. >> No, she had a microphone. >> Okay. I think everything's working well except I believe that we need to put the public comments back at the beginning of the meeting. that was we had no problem for the six or seven years I've been on on this group with this group with having public comments first. I don't know where uh it has come to that we've moved them to the end that for special needs but that I'd like to see changed as far as my other my the second question was concerns. Um I think I'd like to see us with the agenda uh instead of it being the president and the clerk that every member of the uh elected member has a turn at being
112involved in the agenda setting. I don't think it should just be controlled by the majority. I believe that every it should be rotated and and that's basically oh the third thing is if we could kindly uh keep to the agenda and not have these drawn out meetings uh where we spend too much time uh on superflous conversations or people's uh speeches uh that do not have pertinence with the meeting. Thank you. >> Thank you Dr. Fy. um in your just to summarize, you think things are going well. You'd like to see uh comments on items not related to the agenda moved to the beginning of the agenda and ensure that every um elected member has an opportunity to participate in the agenda setting process. The third thing was third thing was keeping to the agenda
113to agenda having >> spontaneous uh talks about the constitution or whatever >> that that may be a a meeting process concern. Um not sure how we would address it in the policy but we can look at it. >> That would be wonderful. I'm glad that I got your attention on it. >> Thank you. >> Dr. Glass can ask a clarifying question. We're going around round robin. So, let me get everybody a chance to talk. And Madame President has had a chance to talk yet and then we'll open it up again. >> Thank you. >> We wanted to give her the the last and final words. >> Thank you. Um I think our agenda planning has worked well. I really appreciate working with Dr. Glass. I he has helped me a lot. I understand about having
114some kind of a mechanism if if there is a conflict. We're we haven't had that. We've worked everything through. But I can see if an if a board president wanted a certain item on the agenda and perhaps the superintendent did not, then it could come then to the whole board, but then you're putting it off for a whole maybe even a month because some of the sometimes we only have one meeting a month. Um it would be nice to kind of specify what that process would be even if it is bringing it to the whole board. I also think that previously we we had if an item was and I believe it was a long time ago like $25,000 then it would not be put on consent. Maybe it was more than that but I
115think 50 for sure and talking with board members from other districts they do that. I mean, I notice in this agenda, we have some pricey items that are new that are just on the consent calendar, and I would like to see those at least a separate item. >> Thank you. I agree, Madam Chair. I enjoy planning the agenda with you. Um, you added that you um supported Clerk Hill's idea of giving the board president the final determination on items on the agenda, and you suggested raising the limit on the consent items. So that really you're giving the administration greater authority to approve smaller contracts and that would reduce the size of your consent agenda. >> Thank you. And I just said we should specify who how a conflict is solved. I didn't say it should
116be the board president would come back to the board. >> Okay. >> But I think it should be specified. >> Okay. Um, I want to open things up if you have any questions for councel while uh we have him here about this uh policy or any of the items that we have touched on. >> I I would like to ask Scott um what's your opinion on if there is a conflict between what the board president wants on the agenda and what the superintendent wants? I think it would be good to have a mechanism of some sort in place to help work out that if there is a dispute that can't be settled. Um the education code discusses um the board having the ability to set the agenda. So um yeah, I would have to ponder
117a little bit more what a good mechanism would be because frankly I have not seen that in a policy before. Um, but I I it couldn't hurt. >> I I have another question for Scott. Um, at CSBA, I went to a number of student voice sections and in other districts, students have been allowed to put something on the agenda. Have you do you have anything to say about that? >> So, any member of the public can request that an agenda item be placed. um they just need to follow the policy, submit the request and provide backup materials or things that they want considered and then it's up to the board president and the superintendent to identify if it's something that would be good for the agenda that's coming up. Um they should make an effort
118to get it if in so far as it's something within the jurisdiction of the school district. Um they should make an effort to get it on an agenda at some point. Um, but a lot of times, you know, when it's submitted, maybe the agenda is already full or it would be a better fit for another board meeting, you know, that sort of thing. >> Thank you. That's helpful. >> Thank you. Another questions for Mr. Danford. >> Clerk Hills. >> Yeah. Um, well, um, I think that Mr. superintendent. Everybody understands that um uh you and the board president Perry work together really well and I've I've that's been my observation and uh I have found you to be a very easy to person to work with. Doesn't mean we always agree on stuff but um uh
119so I don't think that's the issue here. I think the issue here is what happened over the last 10 years. And you know people, it's interesting. I hear people say, "Oh, that guy hills, he just wants to talk about old battles and he doesn't want to talk about what's going on now." But in fact, those same people then often talk about old battles. But the point is this is going forward. This is what's important. In the past, we know from experience that we had a superintendent, we've had several superintendent who have basically controlled what's on the agenda and board members and board presidents plus plus members of the public have in the case of the question about students putting something on the agenda. And I agree with um what Scott said, any member of the
120community has a right under the Brown Act to have an item put on the agenda. And if you look at this bylaw, the only [snorts] time a member of the public who wants something on the agenda can be denied is if the superintendent andor the president decide that the matter is justformational and doesn't need to be agendaized or that there's already a policy in effect and so uh it doesn't need to be an agenda. The point is the public has rights and the students have rights to put stuff on the agenda. And yet I don't know if I remember it ever happening here. Uh and so I think this is an area we need to look at why it never happened. And I think it never happened because um going back 20 years we have
121superintendents that have not allowed it to happen. So that's one point I would make. Another point I would make uh to Mr. Danford because I just want I I want to make a couple points and see if you have any comments on them. U member Kelly talked about um members should be able to participate in an agenda planning meeting. Um, and the thing about that is when there's a president doing an agenda planning meeting and um, there's a the so the superintendent and the president do what they're required to do under this bylaw, which by the way I think is a really good bylaw and generally works very well. um if they agree on something and if the president gets sick or the president isn't able to attend or whatever, the reason for the clerk
122to be participating is then the clerk would then have to presside at the meeting. And so, um that's why sometimes the clerk is allowed to be there. But the point I want to make is that I don't know of any provision. I would like to know if you know of a provision that relates to anybody other than the superintendent and the president being involved in this process. My understanding is that it says that the board president and the superintendent work together to develop the um agenda. Now obviously they can bring in staff for a meeting. They can have they can have any kind of meeting they want to have and have the clerk there or have other members there or for that matter they could invite anybody they wanted to to an agenda meeting. But
123the the idea of us somehow requiring that there be somebody else other than the president or the u superintendent involved in that decision-making process. Um, I think you'd have to amend it to uh to require that because otherwise it would be purely discretionary who they do or do not want in their agenda planning meeting. >> Right. So, I'm I'm not aware of any policy that would allow for another board member to be involved. Um, the one thing I would say is that obviously if there are too many board members involved then we have potential Brown Act issue. >> Exactly. Um, with that said, board members themselves are also allowed to request an agenda item be placed. Um, and they can sort of do that through the same process that a member of the public would.
124Um, so the the difficulty with, I guess, allowing other board members to be involved is that potential Brown Act issue. I think the the thing that I like most about this bylaw is that it's an example in my view of a strong board and a strong a strong superintendent. In other words, instead of a weak board, strong superintendent or a strong board and weak superintendent, it actually has a lot of symmetry to it. Now, the one question I want to ask you is this. It's interesting to me that this bylaw and even the California School Board Association um uh uh their uh call to order manual. Um uh it says that the superintendent participates in the agenda planning process in his capacity as secretary. And in that sense, I wanted to ask you, I read
125I would tend to read that as a limiting um provision because in other words, under 35 035 or whatever it is, the um superintendent is the CEO of the board. He's not the CEO of the district. A lot of a lot of confusion has been called created by saying that the superintendent is CEO of the district. Uh that's not what 35035 says. it says he's CEO of the board and so that and then he has broad powers that are subject to the discretion of the board uh because the board can reassign them to other people than the CEO if they choose to. But the point is when you say that he's there in his capacity as board secretary, the board secretary duties and we're going to be appointing him tonight to be board secretary. um
126the board secretaries duties are primarily ministerial as opposed to policy. And so my question to you is that is that conditionality that's established that he's there in his capacity as board secretary, not as CEO in essence, would you read that as a limiting or would you how would you characterize that that conditionality that's inserted in there? I >> think I would have to look at the statute more specifically. Um, do you have to know what the section is? >> Um, >> I don't know it off hand. >> I I it's it's in the it's it's in the bylaw and um I'm pretty sure that the bylaw is based on the statute, but it would be um Let me see. What would it be? >> While you're looking for that, may I call on Ivy? Did
127you have a question? And >> Mr. Superintendent, I Mr. Danforth and I can pursue that. I don't want to hold up the meeting for that, but I think it's a really important question. >> Okay. And I Yeah, I hope you can figure out the answer together, but I'd like to give I a >> um my question was answered. Thank you very much, President Perry. I just have one um clarifying question and with absolute utmost respect I want to go back to the question about um adding to the agenda and the the comment made by member Hills about uh the attorney fees and again with respect the response was that we we can bring it forward for the board to vote on if we want to have it presented or not but at the end of
128the day what this policy is talking about what all this discussion has been about is who can put things on the agenda and if the general public or a board member requests that we have something on the agenda, then you then the superintendent and the board president can determine if it'sformational or if it's something that needs to come to the board. It would seem that that would that under that context and again with all respect that what I've asked and what has been mentioned is that I would like to see that put on the agenda. It isformational, so it wouldn't necessarily, but because it's of broad public interest, it would benefit all to have a full report of our attorney fees over the last several years brought forward as an agenda item forformational purposes only.
129>> Yes. Um, the policy does allow the superintendent or the board chair to bring forward items for the agenda that we think should be included and considered. What you're talking about is that a board member wishes to have that. So the right process for a the board to direct that is to use the board president and put the item on and vote to direct that report. So if you if you want me to do it, then I mean you're the person asking for it to happen. So you the board needs to take the action. Thank you. Uh I appreciate that conversation. And I know that it was laborious, but it's part this is part of what we need to get into. What specifically in this policy do we think needs to be changed and why?
130This is essential for us to answer. So, I want to clearly explain what happens next. Um, under board bylaw 9310, I will not the staff will not prepare a draft policy unless directed to do so by a majority of this board. The questions before you are, you do want do you want staff and legal counsel to prepare a draft on revisions and options on this policy based on what we identified tonight? And I'll just quickly recap them. You talked about moving consent items or limiting consent items and ways to do that. Timing on release of the agenda. Um the board president versus the superintendent. What happens when there's a a lack of agreement. every board me member getting uh to have an opportunity to participate in agenda setting. We also talked some about um meeting
131conduct. I think you have other policies that address that. So, I'm not sure if it fits in here, but we certainly uh can consider it. So, just in my notes, those were some of the things that I heard you talk about. We can go back and look at the transcript and make sure we didn't me anything. But the question before you board is, does someone wish to make a motion uh to to direct staff to bring back changes to this policy? If you do, now is the time. If you don't, you don't have to make a motion and the uh policy exists as it is. >> I move to direct staff to revisit the agenda specifically focusing on consent items with a minimum uh amount for contracts to be $50,000. Otherwise, I think the period's
132up. >> Mr. Hills. >> Uh, she wants them to specifically look at having items $50,000 or more not on the consent calendar. >> Is that a motion or is that >> just a direction? >> Okay. Well, I would I would move that the board um direct the staff to um prepare um uh to research and prepare some draft um revisions um that would be for the board to consider to address the issues that were raised so it could determine whether or not wants to move forward into the other steps in the paragraph 7 process. >> So just from a process standpoint, Madam Chair, I'm sorry to interrupt. Um, you had a motion. We have not had an opportunity to hear a second on that. >> I didn't realize that that Morgan a member Morgan had
133made a motion. That's why I asked and I thought the answer was that it was like a suggestion, but it I so I withdraw my motion because I didn't hear you say you were making a motion. >> Mine was very specific. I move to to direct staff to revisit this by this bylaw to specifically focus on the consent calendar and the limits on contracts coming forward. >> I second that. So that's all we're voting on, right? That one thing >> you can uh someone could um make a submotion uh which we've done this before. So you could make a submotion to amend the main motion. So we have a motion in a second. Okay, we have a motion in a second. Should we vote on this and then maybe somebody wants to make another motion?
134>> Nope. Um, now if there's going to be a submotion, now's the time. >> Okay. >> You have a submotion, Mr. Hill? I I would have my subm motion would be that that uh that the board directs staff to come up with a proposal on um how to um a proposal on the board president having final um approval of the content of the um agenda that will be presented to the board at the beginning of the meeting. >> Now you need a second. I second that. >> Okay. >> So, the motion has now been amended and it says only what he said. Um, it does not include um >> does not include the $50,000. >> Uh, actually, I need to back up. Yeah. Sorry. Needs to be voted on. Yeah. So, you had a motion
135and a second. A submotion has been offered. You need to uh you had a second on it. You need to vote on accepting the submotion. >> Yeah. My motion was to add that to her motion. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So then it would be both. So now you need to vote on the combined motion. It's the consent item and it's the um uh making the board president the final determination in the event of a disagreement between the superintendent and the board president and setting the agenda. So there's a combined. We have a motion and a second. >> Can I amend that motion? >> Um I I I mean I think that Mr. Hills is Mr. Hills is using this motion to promote what his idea is of how this agenda bylaw should read. And
136I'm not so sure what the best model is. I would like our attorney to look into what the best model is and come back and propose language that's reasonable in terms of what would happen if the board and the the the uh superintendent and the board president disagreed. The fact of the matter is the board superintendent has say because there are all kinds of district business items that need to be taken care of. And you know, you you have the the the board, excuse me, the board or the district superintendent has a lot of knowledge both about what the district what needs to be done for the district and what other board members have recommended because Brown Act violations prevent us from going to the board president to talk about what we want on the
137agenda. It all goes through the superintendent. So, I would just like to amend that to say that Mr. Danforth and you should work together to come up with reasonable language that addresses that very unlikely possibility. But if we need it in there in the unlikely event that it happens, let's find language that is appropriate. >> Isn't that what the motion is though? Because it's directing you guys to to go do that. No, it's saying to change it to say that the superintendent makes the final mean president makes the final decision. And I'm saying let them come back with language to address the problem and not be directed by us what that language should be. >> Is there a good English teacher here who can tell me how this stuff comes together? >> Mr. health. >>
138Well, this is exactly why we shouldn't put ourselves in the straight jacket of the paragraph 7 process, but since we're putting ourselves in that straight jacket, um this is the work of this board that has to be done and um so there should be order. Um the the point is that um member Malchesky just said that it all goes to the superintendent. Um, and that's not what the current bylaw says and that's not what the statute says. The point is that we right now have a situation where it says the bo, the president and the superintendent will work together and accomplish this. And so that's really what um, member Malesky is referring to, which is the current arrangement. And so, um, the motion that was made and seconded, um, as an amendment to the original
139motion on the consent calendar, um, I'm my understanding of the motion is it would be one, you would show us what an amendment to address the consent calendar issue would look like, and you would show us what it would look like to have an amendment that would address the situation of if there needs to be a decision made. Um, and you know, it really is interesting because the superintendent could be sick or absent or something. Um, the president could be sick or absent or something. But, um, the the bottom line is that um, the and this is why it's relevant to know what does it mean when the provision says that the superintendent's acting as secretary of the board. And then if you go look at what the duties are of the secretary of board,
140they're primarily ministerial duties. They're not policy duties. Um, but that said, u I think the motion's very clear. Uh, we're not we're not telling you or suggesting or asking you to come up with a specific outcome. We're we're going through the process the way you asked us to go through it, which is to tell you what our concerns are and then invite you to come back with something that would address it. So, that's what we're doing and now we're being told we shouldn't do that. I think the motion is very clear and very simple. >> I'm sorry. I I feel like I was misunderstood. It's very simple. Rather than I'm just asking you to come up with the best language for that situation and not be directed by the board at this point to have
141specific language that we direct. >> Can we move the agenda, please? >> Okay. Um we have we have um Mr. Danfor here. Uh he's got some uh thoughts on process. What we really need is for the board to provide clarity to me and to the attorney on what work you want us to do. So Scott, >> there's a motion. >> The motion was to look at consent as well as the what added which would involve the two of you doing that work. Correct. >> Yeah. What I was going to suggest because there were two topics that are separate is perhaps have a separate motion for the consent calendar request and a separate motion for the other one so that if there's an amendment it can very clearly be addressed through a vote. >> Right. That's
142what >> so I move to direct. >> So yeah. So, it sounds like it sounds like what Scott's suggesting is instead of a submotion, let's vote on um Sherry's trustee Morgan's first suggestion and then we can vote on clerk clerk hill second. Right. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Can I say what I have and you clarify for me? >> Okay. >> Motion to direct staff to research and prepare revisions to the consent calendar for any items above $50,000 to be a separate action item. Is that what you were stating? >> Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. I guess you have to make the motion again. And I Oh, it's been seconded. Okay. Um, student board members. >> Both of us say yes. >> Okay. Um, board members, all in favor? I opposed. None. Okay. Next. The next
143proposal, >> do you want to read that, Mrs. Weber? >> Motion to direct staff and legal counsel for the board president to have final approval of the agenda during the approval of the meeting. I I didn't know if you meant during the agenda planning meeting or during the board meeting. is not there. The motion is the the motion is for the board of direct staff prepare a draft revision that would provide for the board president to have final approval of the agenda that will be presented to the board. And that's just hitting what it would look like and the board would have to decide whether it wanted to do it. >> Well, I was just my amendment was suggest that the attorney and the superintendent look into whatever might be the appropriate way of dealing
144with such a situation so that we're not creating language precipitously based on what we want here on the board. I would like to know what best practice is and what that would look like. That was my amendment. I don't care. I can come back when that comes back and question it if I want to. Let's not waste any more time on this. So, Scott, if if the agenda is given to the entire board to determine whether or not they want that agenda, doesn't it have to go to the public at the same time? Because >> the board is seeing it. So, then the public would have to see it. At what point can I release can we release a full agenda to the entire board? >> Sorry, my my light was flashing. Um I don't
145I don't think that the request is that the agenda be placed before the entire board. I think it was just asking staff to with the help of council identify some language that would create or prepare language of a mechanism for resolving any kind of dispute between the superintendent and the board president. Is that the amendment that you were requesting? >> Okay. And so the distinction between Mr. Hills is that you are requesting an amendment language that would have the board president be the one that resolves the final dispute. >> Yeah, it's really pretty simple. >> Um, >> just a comment. I'm sorry. >> The agenda that's decided by the superintendent and the president gets um approved by them working together. and and then it goes to the board at the meeting, but the the the
146the it becomes uh it becomes active when you get to the 72-hour point before the meeting and yeah, so there's the issue of giving it to other board members. The board members will get it at the meeting. >> Your motion said will be presented to the board. So I need to know what the timing is on that so that I understand >> it would be presented at the meeting. >> At the meeting. Yeah. You mean if there's if if this if the board president changes the agenda from what the superintendent says, it would all come to the meeting and when we do a the agenda re motion at the beginning of the meeting, we could all you know the superintendent at that point could point out his problem with it. >> The superintendent does not
147do the agenda. the president does not do the No, you said that the uh when the superintendent does the agenda, >> it's a shared power between the both of them. So neither one of them does it exclusively. The point is and it doesn't even have to be a dispute if it doesn't get >> move the agenda, >> then the board president would be the one to submit the agenda to the there could be a dispute and in that case you would have the board president do it. But it could also be that the president and the superintendent agree and so the president just finalizes it. So um it really uh but the the opposite is to say that no the superintendent does it and the point would be that um the elected person should do
148it between the two. Um but I can't this actually should have been done like nine months ago but now here we are and that's it's very simple. If there isn't an agenda that's decided upon um by the president and the superintendent together, then this president has to make the final decision and submit it to the board and then the board can do what it wants with it. >> I can't imagine it being any more simple than that. >> I'd like to move this along. I think we are we are looking for language from Mr. Danforth on this. Motion to direct staff to prepare a draft revision for the board president to have final approval of the agenda that will be presented to the board. Second. All All in favor? >> Student board members. >> We're
149going to go no. Okay. Mrs. Morgan. >> Yes. >> Okay. Mr. Kelly, I don't know where he went. Okay. >> I'm I'm gonna vote no just because I think we should get whatever language Mr. Vanfor thinks is >> that's what we're that's what we're saying. >> Oh, no. It says that the board president makes the decision, but I don't care. I can edit it when it comes back. It's this is a crazy waste of time. My amendment was that Mr. Danfor presented the right language. Howard saying Mr. They write it to say you make the decision. It probably doesn't matter, but I thought Mr. Danfor should rule on it. That's all. >> Let's just move on. >> Let Let's just move on here. All All in favor? Deborah. Um, are you in favor? >> I'm
150so sorry. I did not hear the motion. >> Uh, no. >> Okay. So, there's four. Yes. >> Thank you. um we have direction to bring back um suggested revisions on those two changes and um we'll we'll do that work with legal review and bring back you uh suggested revision for first reading. >> Okay. Thank you. Um I need to re report from close session. There's no report out of close session. No. Yeah. Um, in close session, a motion by member Mel Chesy, seconded by member I thought it was member Morgan. Um, the board voted to agree to the payment of a liability claim against the district in the amount of $3,766. >> Dr. Glass, do you have have some more board policies for us? I don't. >> Okay. Okay. Well, let's move move along then
151um to reports. Can I please have a report from the CSEA President Basuziac? >> Thank you, President Perry. Wow. Um on a first note, I just want to say I find it very offensive, Howard, that you call Dr. Glass um Mr. superintendent. He's earned his title and he represents these people sitting here. So, if you wouldn't mind, people call you board member Hills. You know his name. You know our name. It would be nice to be called by our names and titles. He's earned it. We've earned it. So, it's very condescending. That's all I have to say on that. First, I want to thank the district office and staff for the wonderful holiday party last night. Um, as always, the decorations, food, desserts, and drawing the uh drawings were outstanding, and everyone truly enjoyed the
152evening. We especially appreciated the Christmas caroling by Dr. Glass. It was a wonderful time to be together. I want to congratulate Randy Beckley on being selected as teacher of the year. I've worked with her during lead summer school, and it is incredibly a well-deserved congratulations to Randy. Um, I also want to sincerely thank all classified employees for the honor of being named class classified employee of the year. I'm humbled because we have so many hardworking, dedicated um, classified staff members that serve our students every day and I believe it's a recognition that goes to all classified, but I'm grateful for them choosing me and I am grateful to be part of such a committed and supportive team. Um, as a union, we are extremely disappointed that the insurance issue is not on this agenda. The
153ongoing uncertainty is creating significant and unnecessary anxiety for staff. This cannot continue. The matter needs to be resolved before negotiations begin in March. So referring the issue out for investigation or whatever it is it's been sent out for um should not preclude the board from putting this on the agenda to take care of what we're going to do for it this year so that we can enter our negotiations in March in the spring with clarity. So we really hope and respect that you and respectfully ask that you put this on the next agenda and make it a priority. Um we want to recognize the staff here tonight who have uh very early meetings tomorrow morning and cannot stay late into the evening. Many of them beca came because they want to be and participate in
154the process. Yet by placing the public comments at the end of the meeting their voices are effectively shut out. This structure prevents employees from speaking at a time when they are actually able to be present and it undermines accessibility and trust. We want to thank board member Kelly for making the motion earlier this evening and member Maleski to move the public comments back to the beginning of the meeting. Staff and community members deeply appreciated that effort, but it is extremely disappointing that three board members chose not to support this change despite the clear wishes of employees and the public. um the comment suggesting that many comments that public comments are cut and pasted. Even if multiple people share similar words, that doesn't diminish the value or meaning of their input. In fact, when many individuals
155express that same concern, it shows the issue is widespread and deserves attention. People are taking the time to participate and lend their voices. And every comment, regardless of how it is written, should be treated with respect. and comments that appear to dismiss or minimize community input are troubling and should concern all of us. Um, finally, um, as a union, we, uh, I know this is coming up later, but as a union, we are endorsing D to please remain as president and Joan to serve as clerk. Uh, a year of marked by conflict and division. Staff are feeling the impact. We need leadership that brings unity, stability, and a collaborative approach. Keeping D in the presidency and adopting and appointing Joan as clerk is the clearest path forward. Rebuilding trust, supporting cooperation, and ensuring the board
156operation remains focused on students. It's time to move forward. Our staff, our schools, and our student students deserve leadership rooted in stability, transparency, and respect. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, no, Laboufa President Scott Whip. >> Thank you. Um, thank you board for letting me uh speak today. I just want to start with the holiday party and how much work and uh everything goes in with the district employees to put that on for us and how much we appreciate everything that they do for us. So, thank you. Um, we I want to congratulate Randy Beckley as well as being teacher of the year. Not only is she a fantastic teacher, um, but she also leads our lead program and does a great job at that and is is definitely a [clears throat] great recipient of
157that. And then to my colleague here who I meet with daily. Um I want to congratulate FaZe on being the classified employee of the year. It's welld deserved. So congratulations. Now on to other things. First I'd like to thank staff for being here. We have a very united staff. We meet with them constantly as groups. I I go around to the different uh sites and meet with them. We're very united. We're very of one mind. And it is, in my opinion, very disrespectful of the board to put the public comments at the end. Um, they have to be back here at 7:30 in the morning for meetings. They can't stay till 10, 11. I've been here till midnight before to make a public comment. It's it's taking a voice away from the teachers. And I
158think it's important for you to hear their voice. I know there is more than one person in there that wants to speak tonight and they're not going to be able to because they need to get home. Some have long drives, some don't. But having it that late is just completely inappropriate. And to blame it on attorneys, I'm sorry, attorneys don't run this board. You guys do. Um, getting advice from them is great, but setting the public comments and saying, "Oh, it's because of the attorneys." No, it's not. It's your guys's decision. And I think it was inappropriate. Um, [sighs and gasps] go on. The other thing too is I was also very disappointed that the uh insurance wasn't on the agenda tonight. I think it's something that needs to be dealt with quickly and swiftly
159and we need to put that to bed so we can move on. The unions, both unions are very much [sighs] want to fix the contract so this doesn't happen again. This hasn't been a a fun thing for anybody and we know that there is flaws in the contract and we are very open to negotiating that. But we can't negotiate that until we fix what we've already got. So, I'm really hoping that in the January one we can work on that and we can get past that. It does cause extreme anxiety and stress on our staff which rolls downhill and we don't want that. Um, we've had many, many conversations and it needs to be fixed and I'm hoping it'll be in January and we can fix it. If there's anything that you guys want to
160discuss with us, we're more than open to that. Um, and finally, we the union is recognizing or want D to keep as board president. We feel like that you've really grown in the job and and are working to make it better. And then we would like you to reach across the aisle and to have Joan as the um clerk and I think that would be a great thing to have the minority and the majority board working together and showing that. So that's our recommendation. Thank you. in order for me to respond to >> No, we can't. No, we can't. Thank you very much for coming and I'm sorry you stayed so so long and you before you got to do anything. Um, next, our school resource officer York. Never had to turn the mic on
161before. That was kind of exciting for me. Thanks. Good evening everyone. Officer York with your school resource officer report. Uh tomorrow, Friday the 12th is our event, Shop with the Cop. We are very excited for it. Yes. Uh Danny has been working or excuse me, Officer Danny has been working very closely with the Family Resource Center for the event and it is finally here. We'd like to thank the Laguna Beach Police Employees Association for their generous donation of almost $2,500 as well as the Laguna Beach Police and Community Foundation for their equally generous donation of $2,000 for the event. [snorts] And thank you in advance to all of our V vol volunteers that will be joining us to make the day a very, very special one. I've also been told that Santa P will be
162joining us for the event. So that'll be an exciting little black lab that will be joining us. And backed by popular demand, grant money from the Office of Traffic and Safety, as well as some anticipated holiday gifts, we will be hosting another ebike safety class on January 3rd here at Thirsten. So, just in time for the holidays and the return of school in the new year. And with that, Danny and I would like to wish everyone a very safe and happy holidays. Thank you all very much. >> Thank you. Happy holidays to you and Danny. Um, Superintendent Dr. Glass. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll do my best to keep my remarks short, and it's not out of disrespect for the board. I just know we have a full agenda, so I'll try to keep
163moving quickly. I'd like to begin by also expressing my appreciation to all the staff and the board who joined us this week for the annual holiday gathering. It was a wonderful opportunity to step out of our day-to-day work, reconnect as colleagues, and celebrate the people who make Laguna Beach Unified such an exceptional place uh to work and and for students. The positive energy in the room was a reminder of the deep commitment that this team brings to the work every day. And I want to also extend my thanks to everyone who helped create the sense of community, especially the staff who put so much thought and attention into the decorations and the food that we all enjoyed. Also, thank you to um Trustee Kelly who brought a bunch of hats from Home Depot. They were
164either donated or we not asking any questions about how he got all those. So, but thank you, Jim. Over the past several weeks, our district and school teams have continued to work intensively on a number of operational and instructional priorities. We are working hard in this semester successfully. It's a time or a flurry or a blizzard maybe is the right word for the time of year of exams, grading, and holiday events. So, it's just a really busy time and I just want to acknowledge everybody that's uh doing that. Also, uh congratulations to Randy Beckley as others have noted that as well. She was one of the first people that connected with our family when we moved here in support of our kids. And I can speak firsthand. She's a terrific employee. And also thanks to
165or congratulations to Thesa as our classified employee um of the year. And Thesa, don't tell the other guy, but you're my favorite union president. So, a couple of [laughter] a couple of notable events from this week. Uh first, the district curriculum committee met on Tuesday to consider new courses and math materials. The board will receive a written update on that process and presentation at your January meeting. You'll get some more information on that this week, but two new arts related courses were proposed as well as a new elementary math curriculum, all of which were supported by the committee. So the board, you'll get much more information on that. Also exciting development, the uh LBHS pool modernization project bid period closed at 2:00 p.m. today. As a multi-prime project, we had 20 bid packages covering various
166trades such as structural, steel, masonry, insulation, plaster, pool, plumbing, sheet metal, electrical, and other work. The project drew strong interests with multiple bids submitted across the packages. Staff and construction manager publicly opened the sealed bids in front of approximately 50 contractors and community members. one bid package. The flooring did not receive any bids, but the district will review options and either rebid that independently or contract independently that portion of the work at a later time. Based on the initial tally, the project appears to come within the uh architect's budget of 25 million. So, that's really good news at this stage. Um, that said, we have not completed a full review and evaluation of the proposals. Again, they were just open today. A 10-day business period is required to verify the bid responses. uh responsiveness calculations
167and allow contractors the opportunity to protest or withdraw their bids within five days in accordance with bid regulations. We anticipate presenting a recommendation for bid awards to the board at the first meeting in January and we are on target for a June 2026 construction start. So all good news. Um I'd also like to highlight an important upcoming event. Uh next week the board will hold a special meeting dedicated to reviewing the district's facilities master plan. Uh this session will provide an in-depth look at our long-term needs, opportunities, and priorities for campus modernization, including avenues for funding those needs. It's an important step in ensuring our facilities continue to match the high quality of our academic and arts program, supporting the learner experience envisioned in our learner profile and that it reflects the values of this
168community. I appreciate the board's engagement in that process and the important treatment that this issue is getting with a special meeting. As we move forward to winter break, I want to thank our educators, classified professionals, administrators, families, and the exceptional staff for the first first half of the year that we are almost through now. This work is complex, but the commitment across the district remains strong. We look forward to carrying this momentum into the new year. Please know that as your superintendent, and as a parent and a resident in this community, I deeply value and respect all of you. Finally, I want to thank the board for your flexibility with the passing of my mom last month and allowing me the opportunity to be be with her and my family. I'm grateful for your support
169and kindness through that process. And as always, thank you, board, for the opportunity to serve this wonderful community and school district. >> Thank you, Mr. Conlin. >> Thank you, President P. Um, as others have shared, we had our annual holiday open house for staff yesterday. Special thanks goes out to Ashley Cole, Brenda Joyce, Connie Burns, Jennifer Dansencio, Kelly Murder, Lawrence Discoll, Liz Yod, Nikki Romano, Stephanie Romero, and Victoria Weber who did the heavy lifting in addition to the rest of the district office staff for leading the efforts to make the event so magical from the food and dessert offerings to the creative decorating and handmade items that transformed the TWWPR into a winter wonderland. We'd also like to thank our generous donors who provided gift cards to be raffled off the staff. And as has
170been shared numerous times, we we celebrate our employees of the year. So the classified employee of the year process identifies winners in four categories with the overall classified employee of the year being selected by receiving the most individual votes. So for 2526 um in the health and student services category, the winner was Chrissy Landra. In the custodial maintenance, nutrition and security category, the winner was Salio. And the clerical administrative category winner is Leanne Hartley. And of course, as we shared, congratulations to Thesusak for being the overall classified employee of the year. And for certificate staff, as we shared, congrats to Randy Beckley. And we look forward to celebrating these winners throughout the year. And especially we'll bring them back for the January 22nd recognition event. Um, and that's my report, but again, I wish everyone
171a healthy and safe winter break and happy holidays. >> There we go. Thank Thank you, Mr. Mr. Conlin. Um, Mr. Roy Chattery, >> just enjoying the holidays and wish a good holiday to everyone of the staff and the board members. Thank you, >> Dr. Mayberry. >> Thank you. Uh, yeah, I would also like to express my uh, congratulations to Randy and Thesa and the other classified staff uh, winners. Just wonderful to see them all recognized this week for their really hard work. I also want to recognize the school staff as Dr. Glass talked about. This is really incredibly busy time of the year uh with different you know concerts going on and dance events uh theater as well as finals and sport winter sports are off and running. So uh I know when I'm talking
172to other teachers administrators they are they are working quite a bit uh in the evenings this during these few weeks here. Um, I also wanted to recognize uh the team that helped put together the grand opening of the new uh Laguna Beach High School garden. Now, all four of our schools have a garden, which is a part of our our sustainability plan, the district sustainability plan, and our garden literacy program. So, we're really excited to get that going last week. Uh, as well as we had two really uh fun and engaging parent education events recently. Uh, one partnering for success for IEPs and 504s. Dr. Keller, our our director of social emotional support, uh Jennifer Moss, director of special education, Jaylen Thompson, interim program specialist, and Grace Jones, school psychologist, all facil facilitated just a
173wonderful engaging event uh for our parents, which is part of a three-part series um in that area to help parents understand IEPs and 504 plans. Uh then we also had another parent recent parent education event in instructional services around digital safety uh and resources and strategies for families as we also roll out the securely home application uh to help our parents. So Dr. Keller along with Mike Morrison our chief technology officer and Glenn Warren our digital media and library specialists presented to families around really valuable resources for them. Uh we're hoping to have another one later this year. So really exciting events going on right now. uh and looking forward to having a wonderful break coming up and a happy holidays to uh to the board. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Okay.
174Now, um on to information items, business services, Mr. Roy Chattery, you can hear the 2025 2026 first interim report. >> Thank you. Good evening board. It's uh close to 15th December. So as required under the education code, we are almost uh into the five month and we are required to complete our report of the first interim which covers the first three months of the fiscal year and tell the CDE and the state as to how we are doing. So we are at that stage. uh today tonight actually I have also Raymond Lee who you have heard from the past the unodated actual he will come up uh just a couple of slides down and he is the architect of the first interim report and all the budget report so you'll hear from him directly so
175this is the time of the year as I said we are in December and we are presenting the first interim the last time the board approved the budget was in June subsequent went to the June uh approval of the budget. The state approved their budget. There were some changes on the state funding and the state regulations. So, we are uh revising our budget that shows the revenues. We have started our school. We know what our enrollments are. We know what our staffing are. So, we are at a good stage where we can project as to where we will end fiscally this year. And uh subsequent to this uh the board will hear from us in March the second interim report which covers the first seven month of the year and then uh we will come
176back to the next fiscal cycle next budget. So as we are getting in the month of December, we hear a little bit about what's going to happen in 2627 based on the revenues coming in from this year and the first inkling that we got was from the legislative analyst office. So before the state governor uh Nuome and this will be his last budget for 206 27 because he's being termed out. Um we are getting a outlook from the legislative analyst office which will provide the base of governor's proposed budget. The state is receiving good amount of income regularly. The state as you can see receives most of the income from state personal tax which are the personal income tax that individuals play pay the corporate income tax and as well as the sales tax. The
177corporate income tax is not that good. the sales tax income is not that good but on the other hand the personal income taxes are coming in at a very higher than what it was projected. So the term that we heard this time around both from the legislative analyst office as well as from the UCLA economics economist is artificial intelligence exuberance. So it looks like there's a lot of money flowing to artificial intelligence companies that are paying very high salaries to uh new graduates and uh those kind of money are flowing back to the state in the form of withholding income tax. So the concern is is this one time or is this ongoing. So what the state projects is that this is a one-time money. So the state LAO thinks that we will have a
178surplus for 2627 budget of about $7.5 billion. That's a significant amount of money. If it is distributed to the school district based on enrollment or ADA, then we get our share. But if it is distributed based on other demographic, then Laguna Beach will not get their share. So we'll fight for that piece of one-time money. But on an ongoing basis, the state is looking at some fiscal cliff come 26,27 and beyond that. The state is projecting that they will fund a 2.5% cola. That does not apply for basic aid or community funded school districts like us. But overall, it brings up the school other school districts economies. Although 2.5% does not meet all the cost increases that they will see based on health care and the cost of living indexes. The other item that's little
179uh interest is for us is the local property taxes. We are seeing a growth rate of about 4 to 7%. All over California particularly for the areas of South Orange County and Orange County. We are seeing a growth rate of 6 to 7%. that says that we will be fiscally solvent for not only this year but also the next few years. So that's why we are glad to present a positive fiscal certification for the first entrim. That means the district will be able to meet the fiscal solvency for the this current fiscal year and also for out years. That's a good news. Uh a lot of school districts are struggling at this point of time. I'm happy to say that we don't have any fiscal distress at this point of time and I'll invite Ry
180at this point of time to come to the podium and go as to what the numbers look based on the comparison with the adopted budget. Ray, >> good evening board, Dr. Glass, members of the community, and thank you Mr. Roach Chowry for the opportunity to speak tonight. Thank you very much. So the next section of our presentation is revenues. So the natural question here is what has changed since June? Property taxes as Mr. Rocher has mentioned is our primary funding source and it came in a little bit higher than expected. We now project 79.5 million which is about $623,000 higher. And to put this into perspective, a 1% increase and assessed valuation in Laguna Beach brings in roughly this amount for our school district. All of this tells us that our local property tax base
181remains strong and resilient and that stability is what allows us to plan for the years ahead. You will also see some increases in other areas. Federal revenue is up about $90,000 and that's because we have now received updated federal grant awards. State revenue is up 1.1 million and that's mostly driven by one-time state grant. For example, the student support and professional development block grant provided an allocation of 682,000 and additional support came through the strong workforce program for career technical education. And lastly, local revenue increased by 394,000 thanks to higher interest earnings and contributions from our local nonprofit education partners who continue to support programs and student well-being. All in all, revenues are in good place. Next section that we have is expenditures. We have seen an overall increase of 3.5 million since last June.
182So what's driving the change? About 1.8 million reflects salary adjustments from completed bargaining agreements and staffing changes. In terms of compensation changes, Laboua received 2% increase with with longevity adjustments. C CSEA received 2.75% plus an additional vacation day and nonrepresented employees received 3%. That's just an overview and Mr. Colin may add anything I may have missed or expand if the board would like more detail. And of course, whenever salaries increase, the benefits tied to those salaries increase as well. Moving on to books and supplies. This category increased by about 765,000. Most of this increase is simply rollover money. Categorical funds and donations from last year that didn't get spent in time and carry forward into the new year. In addition, we opened two new TK classrooms this year. That was exciting. And I'm very happy
183to say that my daughter started TK at Elmoro. So that was wonderful. In addition, we purchased new CTE computers for the high school and I'm sure Mr. Woodop can attest to that. Next is services and other operating expenses which increased by about 1.2 million. This category is not salaries, they're not supplies, and they're not equipment. They're the operating services that keep the lights on, the buildings running, and the work moving forward. When you see this category in the budget, think of it as all the outside services we rely on to keep the district running smoothly. So this includes utilities, software licenses, consultants, student services, legal services, property and liability insurance, maintenance and repairs from outside vendors, transportation, and even things like travel for staff training. So why did this budget increase by what feels like
184a large amount? The simple answer is that now we have more accurate information. After the budget was adopted in June, the real needs of the school year begins to surface. And those needs translate into contracts, service agreements, and program adjustments that were not finalized at the time of budget adoption. And tonight you will see that there were other adjustments. We have uh capital outlay. Capital outlay decreased by about 592,000 and we made adjustments that move some costs into the service category and this in turn reduced the related capital outlay budgets. These adjustments simply ensure that each cost is recorded in the correct category based on the type of work that was done. Moving on to the ending fund balance. After accounting for all these changes, our ending general fund balance is projected at $12.8 million.
185Some of the categories they change. Uh non-spendable cash reserve remain the same as at 50,000. Our restricted dollars are higher at $5.3 million. And as I mentioned earlier, we got some one-time state monies from the state. Next, we have uh committed funds that didn't change. We still have 593,000 committed to the district's supplementary retirement plan. Next, we have assigned funds, and that came a little bit lower at 1.7 million. And lastly, we have 1.2 2 millions sitting on a reserve for economic uncertainties, which means the state's 3% minimum and a board policy for an additional 2% bringing for a total of 5%. Next in our presentation, we have the multi-year projections. As we look ahead, our multi- multi-year projections continue to show stable results for the district. These projections reflect the priorities we are supporting
186today and the commitments we are planning for tomorrow. You will see a small dip in 2627 and then a rebound in 2728 and that is because we're built in building the estimated cost of the pool project directly into our long-term budget model. So the board and the community can see the full picture. And I want to take a moment to highlight one key point. In this current year's budget, the model still shows that we're including a $11 million transfer from the general fund into the CIP fund to support the pool project. That transfer is included for planning purposes only. Approving the first interim report does not authorize that transfer. Any transfer of that size will still require a separate board resolution which will be brought forward to the board at an appropriate time after the
187board reviews the bids from the pool project. What this projection does show is that even with the assumed transfer included for planning, the district remains able to meet all of its financial obligations for this year and the next two years. In year three of this projection, the ending fund balance increases because revenues are expected to outpace expenditures. Our poverty tax assumptions are conservative, 5.25% this year, then 4.4% and 4.5% in the years after. And as always, we will update those assumptions to the board at the next reporting cycle as new information becomes available. Next on the slide, we have other district funds. This slide summarizes our other district funds. Combined, these funds hold about $30 million in ending balances. Most of this money is in the special res in the special reserve fund 17 which
188serves as our long-term operating reserve and also we have fund 40 which accounts for planned capital improvements including the pool project. Next steps in the cycle include the governor's 2627 budget proposal in January, our second entry report in March, the governor's may revise, and finally our 2627 budget adoption in June. Each report builds on the last making sure our finances align with board priorities. Our goal is stability today and opportunity tomorrow. This concludes our presentation for the 2526 person terminal report. Thank you board for your time and your consideration. Mr. Roach Chadri and I are happy to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you Remon. Before the board ask a question, I just wanted to share a couple of thoughts. As you can see from our presentation, Sachs information is very dry always,
189right? So if you see all those non-spendable uh acrual and and committed amount why is that? Because when the board is certifying the first interim report if you look and detail the report it certifies two things that your fiscal report is compliant what we call the SAX standardized account code structure. This is a foreign term for non-accountants, but it is what the state uses to compare one district against another. And so the board is certifying that we prepared our accounting based on the SAC structure. And the second item that the board is certifying is we are fiscally positive certified. So that's why I just wanted to share that some of the community members may see as to why this kind of terms we use but this is what we are required. It's a stipulation by
190the state. Thank you. With that we'll open up for questions. >> Thank you very much. Um questions board members. >> Oh questions first. Okay. >> Did you did you have a question? Okay. Comments. Sorry. Oh, >> sorry. Um, is there So, I'm just trying to make sure that, um, I understand this as best as I can. And I know we have not had a joint fiscal committee meeting yet. Um, and I think we only had, as I said before, two earlier in the year, um, which was just about how to read the the codes and then, um, that we were going to be cash positive to the tune of almost or not cash positive, but our budget would be almost 100 million in a couple years. So, I have a couple questions. Um is there
191um how in this budget is the accommodations for the insurance premiums and the difference that was identified this year at being in excess of 850,000? Is that highlighted somewhere in here? Is that something that we should be able to see or is it part of a pre because it was because we were told to approve it so that we could negotiate it. How where is that in this budget and how does that what does that look like? So at this point we are awaiting a board decision on that. So we have not made any budgetary changes based on some of the options that we presented to the board. Once the board decides as to whether we allocate that 1.04 million that I mentioned through the student support and professional development we will make that change
192uh once the board have a decision. So we haven't made any decisions. It's a expense that we already incurred because we overpaid based on the prior two three years. So that that expenditure is already in the books. But now we want to make sure that we want to align the budget to reflect that actual expense. So that's a item we are waiting for the board decision to make. So you will see most probably if we make the decision if the board makes the decision as to how to address that deficit of 1.04 04 million we will reflect in through a budget adjustment and it will be brought to the board through second interim but before that we will also have a separate approval for the same. So it's it's not reflected in the budget it's
193on the actual expenses already incurred in prior years. Okay, that makes sense. Um, is there um because of the history with the insurance, what is different between like this budget and how it was handled before? Like where would that money have shown up in the budget that we were asked to approve this time last year without any I mean any information, any background information. It was just said here, you're going to have to approve this tonight. and when we saw the agenda which was the same time that the public did. >> That's a good question. So it was uh reflected on the budget at the end of what we call the unodited actuals report which is the actuals report but it was not reflected on the budget except for the last year when the board
194approved the 500,000 increase uh around December of last year or November December of last year. So in the prior years the board never approved it on the budget but when they accepted the unodated actuals they technically approved those uh change. >> We technically approved it but it wasn't highlighted or discussed or brought to our attention. Correct. >> That's correct. >> So is there anything in the budget today that we need to that you know I'm like I'm looking for like material items. Is there anything that you can highlight that we need to be looking at or or you know I don't want to avoid any sort I want to avoid surprises right. Um it's been a year of surprises. I like surprises. I don't like these kind of surprises. >> So we are waiting. Again,
195as I said, if the board says we will I'll just give an example. It's a hypothetical. Don't I'm not kind of influencing the board at this point of time. If the board says we will absorb the cost of 1.04 04 million by allocating the student support and professional development block grant of 680,000 and another 300,000 from the general fund. We will make a budgeted adjustment. We'll bring it to the board. We'll get an approval and then you will see the budget revision. In this budget, the uh health benefits amount that you see is under projected at this point of time. >> It's unprotected. under projected because we will not be able to uh meet the actuals with this kind of uh budget because we are paying more for this year uh health benefits for the
196employees than what was budgeted. >> Well, I look forward to seeing those options. Then what is the um development discretionary block grant the student support and professional development discretionary block grant um offered for that? We're considering using that for insurance because it says student services or student support and professional development. So both are super important, but we're talking about taking that money and and as a possible option. So what is that grant issued to us for? >> Right. So the state when they receive a one-time money as I mentioned like this year they're receiving a lot of one-time money because of the increased personal income tax for artificial intelligence uh investments and employee with uh withholding. The state provides this grant to the districts and they will name the grant but they will at the
197end say discretionary. So it's the discretion of the district board as to how to use the fund and one of the cause I mean one of the use uses that it the grant authorizes it just to address the increasing cost. So as the district is seeing increasing cost, be it from tariff increases, be it from just the cost inflation, the state says if the board, your local board decides to use that fund, student support and professional development for cost increases, they can use it. They also said that it can be used to support students which kind of lacked during the COVID time their learning gaps and some professional development. So there are multiple options the state provides or the legislators provided to the state I mean the school board LEA board to use that. Um
198the board did not allocate any of that funds during the budget adoption in May because we did not know that the funds are going to come. It has come to the to us subsequent to the budget adoption. So the board can decide as to whether to apply that funds. If the board says no, we don't want to then we'll have to figure out whether we recoup that cost. As we said, we claw back the cost from the employees. So that's that's what the four options I kind of presented and the board can still decide on which option or a combination of those that they can provide a direction to the superintendent >> and will that be presented again when we go over the insurance so that we can because like what would it what I
199I'm concerned with the statement this would be money for student support because that's not something I mean right this is where these hard decisions and these hard like these hard these very important that we understand but this um challenging situation that we need to look at it because we do have s funds at the same time some are if there's state support or student support the optics of saying we're just going to take student support money to fix a problem is probably not going to land really well so I so I'm hoping that there's a lot of options of how to piece solve this together. >> We can represent those options to the board again if the board so chooses. Uh as I said like one of the recommendation is uh it's up to the
200district board actually that's what the state legislature wants to allocate that funds for. For terminology they called it student support and professional development. and they said that these are some of the examples that this your board can use or allocate the funds. One is for student support, one is for professional development, the other is just to address the rising cost. So probably the health benefit increases for the employees. I mean indirectly or directly all student support all employee comes from general fund. So we can repres I mean represent those options again on whenever the board directs the superintendent. >> Yeah. Um just to quickly add on to that one of the allowable uses is uh teacher recruitment and retention. Uh so clearly that I think would fit uh within the use of those discretionary funds
201as well. >> Okay. Thank you. I can defer my questions at this time. >> Any other questions? Yeah. Um, okay. There's no more questions. Let's go to comments. Mr. Hills. >> Yeah, I have several comments. >> Oops. Sorry. Public comment. >> Public comment. Are there any public comments >> on [cough] [snorts] um item 6A? >> I have 6B. Oh, 6A. Yeah. Um, Erica Hennon rule. Okay. Welcome. >> Hello everyone. Good evening. My name is Erica Rule. I am a top-of-the-orld parent of a TK student. Uh he really loves it. So, thank you for the program. Um I wanted to thank the staff for putting together the financial report. I think do think a positive certification matters and I appreciate how clearly this information is given to us and was presented. Um, and there's shown to
202be a lot of really careful work that's going on. From my point of view, these numbers really matter if the board creates space for staff to do their jobs well. So, when discussions stay focused and respectful, families can understand what's happening and trust the process. When meetings get pulled off track by arguing arguing interruptions or repeating the same points, it becomes harder to see how these reports can actually turn into support uh for students. And so I would like to see um financial stability show up in classroom staffing safety and most importantly student support and programs like the pool. I appreciate the work behind this report and I hope the board continues engaging with it in a way that keeps students at the center. Thank you. >> Okay, now discussion, Mr. Hills. >> Yeah. Um,
203thank you very much uh for your report. And where did your colleague go? There he is. Um, glad to hear your daughter got into prek. Yeah. Uh okay, great. Um congratulations on that too and thank you very much for your report. Um, I have a lot of comments to make about it, but first I want to say you must have a lot of charm and and ability to um ingratiate people uh because I would observe that I I must lack it because um uh you just engaged in a very dry, long, tedious presentation um that I really liked and I really I've done a lot of these um type of reports on financial transactions in and corporations and organizations. This is excellent report. Um but the point is earlier on the agenda we had a
204very uh legalistic constitutional issue that was on the agenda and um I asked far fewer questions than you were asked and I made far fewer comments than you and your colleague made and there seemed to be a real impatience. So, it's kind of interesting that it was a board issue um and it was a board agenda item and this what you presented was sort of a staff position and it's an interesting contrast in the reaction. Um people were very patient with you and wanted to go through and and board member Morgan was able to ask a lot of questions and there was like nobody um sort of objecting to the fact and in my own experience earlier in the meeting um it was a similar discussion of detailed complicated difficult issues and there seemed to
205be a great deal of impatience with taking the time to go through that yet I didn't put it on the agenda but it was on the agenda so it's just kind of interesting the dynamics but um with respect ect to the discussion that you just had with board member Morgan and more broadly um the issue of the insurance premiums. I want to say with respect to both of the um union representatives, I agree with you. I'm really disappointed that the insurance wasn't on the agenda tonight. And I also think that since we're having a meeting on the 16th, maybe you ought to ask whether or not you can get it on the agenda for the 16th because I think the sooner we get to that, the better. And um because of the way this matter
206has been represented um I want to reiterate for you sir um because you weren't there during some of our earlier meetings on this subject um reiterate some points that are really important to be considered. First of all, um needs to be reiterated and stated for the record that um when the facts that there had been an overspent spending came forward because Mr. Conland contacted the superintendent and refor informed him that he had determined that there had been um some an overspend in a couple of uh in in in 25 and then again in 2025 26. Um, I was acting president of the board when that occurred and the superintendent did exactly the what he should have done under the bylaws and that is uh since I was acting board president he called me and told
207me that this had come up. He was very concerned about it. Mr. Con was very concerned about it and they wanted me to know that there was an issue of uh fiscal order that uh good order in our fiscal affairs that had come up. Um what I uh and and um uh the superintendent said that he wanted to move forward and allow the process that had was contemplated by the collective bargaining agreement to go forward including um measures that would prevent the employees from suffering uh uh a a dramatic increase in their premiums. Um and um uh and so my reaction to him at that time was um that I would support that, but I I I wouldn't support doing exactly what had been done uh in the original um decision to go over the
208to go over the caps in the collective bargaining agreement. In other words, if there was overspending and it wasn't properly appropriated, promulgated, and approved by the board knowingly, uh if it wasn't disclosed and if it wasn't approved in an orderly manner that I didn't want us to just repeat that same problem, but find a way to to protect the employees and not have the teachers suffer, but also do it in a way that was correct. And the suggestion I made was that we should appropriate from the general fund and cover that cost from the general fund. Um and and instead what happened is they just went over the they they subsidized the uh employees share and they exceeded the the allowed uh employer share and they did it without uh authority. They did it without
209approval of the board. they did it without disclosure to the board. So when I said that to the superintendent, uh you know, he said, "Okay, let's work on this." And then he brought in the council. He brought in the the board counsel. And the council called me and said that he understands what's going on. And what he said was this, and I've already said this on the record, but because it was discussed tonight, and there may be people here who don't understand it and weren't there, I have to say it on the record again. What the council said was this. He said under labor law, in order for the board and the district to be able to address this discrepancy, this deficiency that you have to approve the collective bargaining agreement because if you don't
210have the collective bargaining agreement approved, then you don't have a framework for negotiating with union. And both the union representatives here tonight have said they want to get on with the negotiations. They want to negotiate through this problem. And that's exactly what I said to them back in July in our meeting. I said to the union representatives, we're going to have to work together on this because this is a serious problem and it can't be solved just by anybody coming up with some kind of magic wand. This is going to require us to all find out who our real friends are and work together to solve this problem. And so what I said when we approved that collective bargaining agreement is I said um I said we will approve it not not based on saying
211we're approving the repeat of the mistake but we're approving it and the way the council put it to me was this. We approve the collective bargaining agreement so we can get back to the caps. If you want to get back to the caps and get back within bounds, you got to negotiate it through the um uh through the bargaining agreement. Um so I just want it to be clear that there's a difference. You know, I've heard somebody say, and I'll wrap this up. I can tell I'm about to get interrupted again, but I'll wrap this up and say this. I've heard it said that well, you know, um there shouldn't be any further uh inquiry into this or discussion of this because the board approved in December uh of last year uh the I don't
212know what it was, $400,000 or something. And then the board approved again in uh July of this year, approved the collective bargaining agreement. Excuse me. I would not like to not be interrupted. item you're talking about the No, you're talking about our agenda item that has to do with the solving health care problem. >> I'm talking about >> the health care problem isn't on the interim budget. >> Well, I'm sorry, but the witness and the member, another member discussed the insurance issue for 10, 15 minutes and you didn't object then. I haven't talked as long as they have and now all of a sudden you're objecting. So, I don't understand. And I'm trying to wrap it up if you would to stop interrupting me. Um, the point I want to make to you that I
213think is really important for you to understand because you weren't there is that we didn't approve the collective bargain agreement on the basis that we were approving the overspending. We approved it based number one that the the overspending had not been disclosed in December and it was disclosed in July but we approved it on the basis of the advice of the council that approving it would enable us to go back in and renegotiate so we figure out a solution and I don't know what the solution is right now. Last thing I'll say is this. There was a statement made on behalf of the district in the it's a wrap that there was a district plan for how to solve this. And you were referring to that. You were referring to the different options for solving
214this. And I just want to clarify that that's not a district plan. That's a staff plan or a proposal. And there won't be a district plan until the board approves a plan. I think you understand that. But I just want to make it really clear that the council's advice to us was to approve the collective bargaining agreement so we could get back to the caps. It wasn't an agreement to repeat the same spending practice that ended up with an audit report saying that we needed to um we needed to correct it. So I just wanted to make sure you and your colleague have that background as we go forward. >> Thank you. Um and that would be good for the discussion on the insurance [snorts] might be on the next agenda. >> Um any more
215comments? So >> just like to [clears throat] thank Mr. Gills helping me with this history of what transpired. >> Thank you so much. We have a we have a new business director since the previous conversations and I think he's entitled to know what occurred or maybe you would occur to prefer to have him make decisions without knowing the background. >> Okay, thank you. Um, wonderful report. Always love to hear that positive certification. Thank you. >> We both have >> Thank you for a great report. >> Yes, thank you both. Uh, moving on to 6B, the ad hoc transportation committee update. Mr. Roy Chattery, we have comments on that. Superintendent, do you want to get us started on this? >> One of the first things that I uh did coming into the district was help organize
216and get started this board ad hoc transportation committee. You have two board members who are serving as co-chairs, President Perry and Trustee Morgan. uh we've looked at a variety of issues and we have brought in interested community members as well as a couple of students. We also have our partners from Durham who have been at the table and district leadership and um we've had several meetings uh so far and I think tonight you're going to get an update on some of the progress that we've made just within the authority that we have on the administrative side and the resources that we have appropriated on the administrative side to address some problems. There will be some other larger scale questions that will require your consideration through the budget process that we'll bring back later, but I'll
217hand things back to you uh Mr. Rocher uh and the members of the committee to talk about the progress to date. Thank you superintendent and thanks to first the two board members who were on the committee as well as the parents who have represented the committee and kind of highlighted some of the needs some of the things that needed to be addressed through the transportation as we saw there were five meetings to date and the meetings are still ongoing so this is an interim report and I'll have some parents and board member come and pitch in uh after a couple of slides. So the first thing I just wanted to give a legal framework as to what transportation is provided by the district to the students in uh the district. The transportation plan the board
218has approved each year the board approves so is required to approve based on the recent uh California code. The board approved a three-year transportation plan uh from 2425 through 2627. It highlights uh it's available on our website. It shows who the transportation providers are. Who do we provide transportation to? Because of the unique geography and topography of Laguna Beach Unified School District and the limited number of streets and parking, we encourage students not only from our uh district uh different sections of the districts to avail the bus services. We provide transportation to general education kids through bus passes and discounted bus passes so that they can get to school on time and in a safe manner. I just want to reassure the community that it's empirically proved that transportation in a school bus is the
219safest way for a student to get in and back from school. Because if you look at the statistics, the number of accidents or the number of injuries in school buses are very rare and they are very minimal if at all. The school buses are the most secure transportation vehicle. They are built with stability and safety in mind. Uh our transportation is provided through a vendor called Durham Transportation. We provide the transportation yard which is in Lagona Canyon Road. They park about 20 buses. We are required to provide transportation to our special education kids that have IEPs that require transportation. So other than those kids, we provide transportation primarily through PK through um grade 8 and then space available, we provide transportation to the high school kids. the there are about as you can see we
220have about 52 routes in the district. I have to look at my notes um because I cannot see the screen from here. So 52 routes we have about 960 plus students being transported every day to and back from school. about 16 of those students go outside of the school boundaries to the non-public schools to the other school districts that provide those are the special education kids that we cannot provide services to. Um about 760 of those kids are PK through 6 elementary school kids and then we have about 204 kids from our 7th to 12th grade uh primarily 7th and 8th grade. Uh some of the transportation cost is recouped through our bus passes which the parents pay for transporting their kids and we offer also discounted bus passes to parents who have limited income
221or who have um other difficulties in paying. Our total transportation budget is about $2.3 million. We are anticipating for this year and this is not on the slide. So about $2.3 million and our revenues from bus passes is about $320,000. So the contribution from general fund is about $2 million to operate the transportation program as is. The next uh slide kind of goes over some of the issues that we heard when I kind of joined the committee and before that they were highlighted. And at this point of time I would also invite parents uh if they want to come over and kind of discuss some of the issues. One of the large u issue that we saw was there was inequity in transportation to what we call the autobon area which is towards the north
222uh of Laguna Canyon Road. There were some inequities as to for late kindergarten students not being picked up from their home. The parents had to drop them off at uh the boys and girls club uh due to certain constraints. But we and I'll go over as to how we addressed this. So that was the first issue that we heard. We also heard about the bus camera system. There are existing bus cameras in the buses that Durham provides but unfortunately that technology is very old. All the bus camera recordings are usually had to be downloaded in what we call the SD drive uh and then kind of uploaded in the system if you wanted to review some incidents. With the technology advances, there are much robust cloud-based cameras that are available and we will let see
223that where are we with those uh deployment the existing GPS tracking system we heard loud and clear from the parents that the Zonar app that BuzzOne uses or Dham uses have deficiencies. It has bugs where parents were not notified on time. There were concerns about what about the maintenance and the safety records of the buses, right? Are those made available or transparent to the parents or the community that want to see what are the maintenance records or what are the CHP records because the buses are required to be inspected by CHP annually. And in my prior districts, we had them all available to the community to come and see. So, uh we made some strides there. There were some needs that were expressed to have bus monitors on some of the buses because of some
224behavioral issues of our general education kids. Uh there were communication protocol request improvements where uh if there was an incident or a delay as to how they are communicated to their parents as well as some rider concerns on the comfort. We heard that some of the HVAC were not operating on the buses on critical um warm days and we kind of addressed that. So uh those are some of the issues and if the board members wants to pitch in on some of the other issues. We also heard some of the other issues like the CTE transportation for the students and we kind of are still looking into it. We have not uh analyzed the issue as to what it will cause or what the cost are. So I did not highlight that but I'm working
225on that particular issue of the CTE buses and then also see if we can expand the bus routes at this point. I also want to kind of share the limitations. We are very limited on the number of buses. Anytime we ask DHAM to increase the bus, it will cost us 70 to $80,000 annually. So that's a significant amount. And secondly, also we are limited on the number of buses that can be parked on our on our busy yard because of the limited space. Um as we addressed some of the issues, uh some of the resolutions and work in progress, most of them are work in progress. the TK autobon area. We have been able to address one of the issue with the TK transportation where we were able to work with the vendor and figure
226out a way where a bus that was idling on the U boys and girls club. We were able to provide send it to the Autobon area and pick up the students at no extra cost for us or marginal extra cost. And this kind of relieved the parents from dropping off their kids in the bus uh boys and girls club. So that was a lowhanging fruit. We were able to get that resolved and it has been operational since October of this year. Uh the bus camera system we are working on improving the signages. There are currently we have put signages that the buses have camera and they are being monitored. So that kind of deterrent for some students if they are trying to uh kind of misbehave on the buses. Also we are exploring with Durham
227on some of the upgrades on the buses to the cloudbased system. The next item we realized that the bus zone application that the existing system has deficiencies. So we asked Durham to explore other system. We have worked or personally I have worked with a very robust system called samsara. This is a GPS bus camera system that has been extensively used in the commercial sector. So companies like FedEx, Amazon um large commercial freight companies, they all use this product samsara and they are rolling into the school district buses. So, Durham was able to get uh Samsara to pilsara is a third party product based in the Bay Area to pilot their operations. So, starting around December, we will install those camera cloud-based camera. It will be rolled out during the first quarter of calendar Y calendar
2282026. So during January, February and March, we'll be able to roll out those cameras and provide the visuals as also the live GPS tracking for those buses at any point of time to the parents and to the community so that they know where the buses are. If there are delays, if they are stuck on a traffic, they'll be able to see it at a real time basis. We have uploaded our maintenance and safety logs. So the CHP logs which is the California highway patrol these are the most robust inspection that uh CHP does for buses. It's done annually for each bus. We have uploaded those logs in our website as well as the durham maintenance. They are regularly maintaining the diesel exhaust or the exhaust on the buses to make sure the brakes have their
229liners or the tires are particularly in good shape. So those are also made available on a publicly available website in our transportation. So those are some of those small changes that we have made. There are some um changes that we need a approval from the board as Dr. Glass mentioned that we as a ad hoc committee do not really have the authority without the board approval to increase the cost uh without kind of bringing it back as a board request. For example, the bus monitor, it will need that we establish that position first. It will be going through HR and probably through a CACA negotiation process and then we'll have to fly this position and see what the cost impact are. But there is a request so we'll work with the board to bring a
230budget adjustment or a request to approve that position of the bus monitor and the board can decide as a whole whether they approve it or they kind of provide some other direction. So that's something we need to be doing. Also, we are installing as a backup of the Samsara system, we are installing GPS system on our school district vehicles. Uh I'm working with our technology department. So we should be able to have a backup just in case the samsara does not remember. Samsara is a pilot plan. If it does not work out, we have a plan B so that we can roll out uh once we see how it works with the district vehicles. uh the bus rider comfort that uh all our buses have AC. Uh that particular incident that was highlighted was a
231day when the bus broke down, the engine shut down and the bus was not able to turn on the AC. So those things happen and we found it to be an isolated incident. But overall we found that the bus's AC are working. It's just the issue if the doors are opened and closed very frequently to drop off or pick up kids, it does not maintain a very kind of low temperature. Um the ambient temperature kind of determines what the temperature is. But we are working with Dham to make sure the maintenance uh of the AC system particularly during the warm weather is of critical importance. With that, I will have uh the board members that were on the committee or the any parent that want to come up and share their thoughts. Miss Bruce, if
232you want to come up or uh >> right have our parent members come up. >> Yeah, share their experience. That would be the better thing. Um, I think all of us also chose public comment because I think we weren't sure if we were going to be able to speak beforehand. So, um, I just want to say thank you so much to President Perry, Trustee Morgan, Dr. Glass. This has been a really effective group. Um, I've had a lot of parents uh, come to me, talk about their issues. is the fact that we were able to resolve this TK issue. The parents were so uh sincere and heartfelt that they actually sent positive emails to Dr. Glass. So, I think it was a really nice thing to do and so simple like um you were saying.
233Uh I really want to emphasize the need of this bus monitor. We don't, you know, we the way the group has been talking about it, we are doing a good job of finding a fiscally responsible way of approaching it, but it's something that if you have a kid on the bus and maybe you're worried about having your child on a bus and so you haven't been allowing them to take it, um this is something that can really help parents uh feel a lot better about. I also want to re-emphasize uh earlier um about how transportation may not be the reason why some students are attending this district and it's not the only reason why students in the Laguna Autobon area are but it can be a reason and it's so important to have our district
234clouds in our district. So, another one of the issues that we're hoping will be a easy solve is the high school connection for Laguna Autobon uh 2, they're the one who's more north. Um allowing their middle school bus to drop off at the high school would really help uh those kids who don't have that uh transportation need. So, that's something I know we'll be working on. I really appreciate the group. I think were very constructive and I again appreciate everyone's time on it. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Erica, do you want to come next Lesie? >> Hi everyone. Um my name is Leslie Bruceamine and I want to begin by sincerely thanking everyone for um this committee. I want to go on record to thank former interimm superintendent Dixon who recommended me for
235this board and or for this committee and board members Morgan and Perry for listening to my many many many concerns and taking them seriously and empowering this committee to do meaningful work and enact real improvements. I also want to thank Dr. Glass for bringing structure, clarity, and forward momentum to what we're doing. Um, I it's an issue I've been deeply invested in for well over a year. And this presentation, I feel, is only a sampling of um of the work that we've been doing. It represents months of problem solving, listening to parents, identifying blind spots, and addressing safety issues that many in our community didn't even maybe realize were happening. Um, our shared goal is greater transparency, better communication, and actual improvements in place. Um, changes that will directly support the safety and well-being of
236our kids. Um, and I want to just, uh, echo Erica and say that with respect, I would just like to be on the record saying that every child in this district deserves safe, reliable access to school and geography does not negate a student's value in our district. Um, transportation is not just about bus routes. It's about safety, equity, students rights, and ensuring parents have peace of mind that when their kid boards a bus that the bus is mel well-maintained and the child is protected, accounted for, and treated with care. And I find myself on this board not because I was searching out to be on a transportation committee, but because um [clears throat] this and it all began for me last September in 24 when my daughter was on a bus that broke down just
237one block from our home. Had I known, I could have simply walked over, taken her to school. Um but families received no communication for more than an hour. When I started looking into policy, I discovered there was a daily 30 minute plus window when our kids get on the bus and drivers had no way to reach the district or school if something went wrong. A breakdown, natural disaster, a closure in the canyon, an accident and like that scared me. Um there was no clear process and no defined chain of communications. But now there is. Um, we have policies, procedures, and a system in which bus dispatch has direct access to administrators and parents who will no longer be left in the dark if god forbid anything happens. Um, I also want to highlight the one
238improvement um that I believe will have immediate and meaningful impact, an upgraded cloud-based camera and GPS system. Um, the one we have, as you said, is totally like archaic. And this system will offer better protection for our students, clearer real-time accountability, and eliminate hours administrators currently spend investigating bus incidents. It will also allow drivers to focus on their core responsibility, which is their job, their road, instead of managing the behavior of some kids in the back of the bus. Um, that alone is significant a significant safety enhancement. It will also give parents the peace of mind knowing where their child is while on our LBUSD buses. I am incredibly proud of what this committee has um been able to accomplish so far and equally proud of the work still ahead. I want to particularly thank
239board member Morgan for taking my concern seriously from the very very beginning. I appreciate it. Um your support has meant a great deal. Um and I think this is the first time in many years that we have had genuine forward momentum on the student transportation in Laguna Beach. And thank you for giving this issue the attention it deserves. our community and our children will be safer for it. Thank you all very much. >> Thank you, Lesie. Pel, >> good evening. My name is Pyel Avalon. I'm the mother of a Thirstston student and I too want to thank you for assembling the ad hoc transportation committee. I'm grateful that you heeded the call from parents for the needed work and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve on the committee. Over the past several months, we
240have accomplished a tremendous amount together. Real tangible improvements that support the safe, functional transportation that our students deserve. So much has already been mentioned tonight, but I do also want to mention a more functional service for high schoolers in the Laguna Ottabon area was also added because of our committee. The added transparency through publicly accessible maintenance logs and CHP inspection reports is a huge win and so many parents side in relief at the mention of the idea of replacing the bus zone system. So, thank you for that. Fixing the repeated issue of AC functionality is more than just comfort. I wanted to point out it's a function of safety, especially as um extreme hot days increase. I want to extend my appreciation to the board me to board member Perry and Morgan, our student representatives
241that serve on our committee who have been wonderful and uh superintendent class and our fellow parents who have contributed many hours in thoughtful collaboration. The progress we've made is significant and I'm deeply hopeful about the work that still lays ahead and I urge us to maintain momentum. Reliable communication and continuous improvements in equipment and safety infrastructure remain essential. The pilot work on GPS tracking tools, revised protocols, and ongoing monitoring discussions are important steps, and I encourage us to continue pushing these forward. Thank you again for creating this committee and your commitment to improving the transportation and safety for our children. Thank you. >> Thank you, PA. And thank thank you to the our three parents for all your help and all of your research. You've been amazing. I have been trying to get this going
242for years and years. And thanks to Dr. Glass for agreeing to have this committee and parent help. We're really accomplishing some things for our students and for them to have safe ter trans transportation is so important and I think um this next year as we're doing construction I'm hoping more parents will feel safe with their students taking the bus which will also I it will help congestion but it will also help our environment and trying to get to um you know zero to um carbon zero. So, uh, [clears throat] uh, Julie Gerston. Oh, okay. Board questions. How many students is this going to help? So we have not as of now increased the student capacity because the number of buses and the number of routes are the same. What we have opened up and we
243do it usually every year around this time of the year in November actually last month. Uh once we enroll our PK through the 8th grade students, if there are space available on an existing route that's going through Lagona Beach High School on the actually the middle school routes that are going through Laguna Beach High School, we allow the high schoolers to uh be on the bus so that they can be dropped off. Typically, we don't provide bus services to the 9th through the 12th grade. The only exception is if there is space available in the middle school buses then we allow the high schoolers to be on that bus. We have not increased the capacity of our uh students at this point of time. >> Many do we know what any type of numbers are
244out there that we should be providing for. >> We don't have any pending request for bus passes at this point of time. So all our bus passes have been um accommodated for. So I don't believe because if you look at the number of students particularly in our uh PK through 8th grade I think we are covering substantial number of students particularly in the PK through 8th grade 2300 students if you subtract 800 uh from 2300 it's about 1500 and we are transporting about nine about thousand students so we are transporting a substantial number of students is just that um because of the policy we don't transport u the high school students that I heard. Uh there might be some requests that might come in in the future. >> Other questions? >> Yeah, I have a
245couple just real quick. If we um the issue with the AC um and then I'm going to actually address some I have comments after that. Um if we had newer buses, would that solve an AC issue? Like if the AC is breaking down because the bus starts and stops and opens the door and closes the door, is that some of that partially due to this the age of the bus? Would a newer bus with newer technology improve on that or is that just a byproduct of how the bus functions? >> So the it's a convoluted answer. I know it's it's a little question, but um the diesel buses and the gasoline buses, they have limitations on the AC, right? So um right now that's what we provide. All the buses by our contract are less
246than 10 years old. So Durham buses are uh less than 10 years old. That's on our contract we specify any buses and typically you see in other school districts the buses average age of buses is about 15 to 20 years average. With that being said, there is also substantial money or funding coming for electric buses and those electric buses, the HVAC or the heating and both the cooling part is much more efficient just because of the battery and the operational efficiencies for those. So we'll be working on those uh with Durham. The uh main idea would be we will have to provide the charging infrastructure. That's the big um roadblock, but we'll have to work with Southern California Edison to bring in the charging infrastructure in our busy yard. So, we'll be starting to look
247into those. Uh many districts throughout the states have already kind of transitioning from those diesel buses and that will also add to the net zero uh goal for the board at some point of time. So we will be looking into that uh both from a comfort but also we have insisted with the vendor to make sure that particularly in the warm days and it's warming up as we can see uh we will make sure that those are HVAC's are tested and particularly uh much more efficient than what we have had before. If I might add, um, just as someone who has, um, had bus fleets in other states and in other contexts, um, the buses that you have here are terrific. I mean, they are they are beautiful. I mean, it we should look at
248them the way my son looks at Bugatti cars. Um, they are they are fantastic machines and but they're machines. Ferraris break down. um stuff happens and there are issues around when we you know we can't sit have the bus idling all the time for environmental and fuel consumption reasons so sometimes they get hot so that does happen and sometimes we have mechanical problems that that happens too but there it's a terrific fleet we should we should be really proud of the fleet that Durham provides and and the standards that this district has set around its fleet >> as a mom with kids with boys that that idolized Bugattis as well I understand what that looks like I have one other quick question and that was um the SIMSAR fleet management. I know that was a
249discussion that we had at one of the meetings where um originally we had asked about a different system that we could try and this is one of the suggestions they made and originally they had said that it was going to be $60,000 right for us to implement it sooner and I think through conversation and negotiations we had asked um and then they revealed that they were piloting it in another district and so we said well why can't we pilot that and I was under the impression and I think others are too that it was going to start December 15th and I thought I heard you September 2026. >> Sorry, the installation of the camera is going to start December 15th. >> Okay. >> But does that does not mean that it'll be operational day one.
250So once the camera hardware is installed, then they have to install the software configuration. They have to test the system. They have to train the drivers as to how to operate the system as to when they are on or when they're off. uh and they have to roll it out to all the 20 buses. So my understanding is they will start the hardware install December 15th but by the time it will roll out it will be the quarter one of calendar year I said so that means January February March of 2026 >> but because we're part of the pilot program now it's not going to cost us anything. Is that correct? >> That's right. So they were able to because they realized that their system as you mentioned is archaic their old SD card system
251because those technologies are more than 10 years old. So they are going to the change all their systems and we are on the pilot and it's zero cost to us. >> Was there any and I'm trying this is more to refresh my memory. Was there any discussion of what the backup plan is going to be while they're installing this new software and how we're going to be making sure there's overlap so that we aren't without some kind of a system on on board? >> So they're uh existing cameras are still going to be there. Uh what they are going to do is uh the existing buses they have two cameras. They are going to install three cameras. They will swap out the two old cameras with the newer cameras and they will install an additional
252new camera. So hopefully uh the transition should be u kind of opaque or transparent to the parents. We will still be able to retrieve the camera either through an SD card or through the cloud-based recording if some incident we need to review. >> Thank you. Can I make a quick comment as well? >> Sure. >> So I just want to thank all of you for being a part of this committee. I know um D had brought up the need for transportation or wanted to examine the the transportation for the CTE students last spring. It was met with a lot of resistance from the board and the community which was unfortunate because it was um not I don't believe some of these the comments came from people that were actually being served by these buses that
253had the issues. And in bringing this conversation forward um um former employee Dixon identified um Mrs. is a mean here who had been working on the safety element of our buses for a very long time and that was information that I don't think a lot of people understood that we had um all of these kind of issues happening on the bus and that became our first focus on on this committee is making sure that our students were safe in their as they were transported to school. So as we continue the work on the committee I'm grateful for all of you. This is transparent. This is students first. this is what we do. Um, not everything we do happens up here. It happens on committee and behind the scenes and then comes forward when it's ready
254to present. So, I am grateful for all of you and this is why I serve is to help you uh make sure that our district is the best that it can be and serving our students in the maximum capacity. So, thank you so much. >> Really grateful for you too. I originally I brought up transportation many times, but it started some years ago when two of my students that lived out in the Ottabon dropped out of school. Once they got to high school, they had no way to get here. They dropped out and I had no know two others that then did homeschooling because they didn't have a way to get here. And when we say every student every day, we mean those students too, wherever they live. And so it's really important to me
255and I brought it up a lot and I'm just grateful that now we're working on it. >> Great point on the every student every day. Even if it's four students, they count. They matter. Every student matters. >> Okay. Thank you. Anything else? Uh Mr. else >> quickly. Um that uh I know that you um uh Madame President um Mrs. Perry um you worked on this issue for a long time and you got stiff armed and and straight armed on it and uh you know you were told that you're saying negative things about the district and you're going to bring everybody's property values down or whatever it was they told you. Um and uh you really were um serving in the trenches on this and I know that um uh when me uh member Morgan came
256on board, she tried to raise it and and it was one of the things that she got um straight armed on, but she was uh persevered and was persistent. And I think the really great thing is that Mr. superintendent, when you came on board, uh it was sort of during your honeymoon period, I think, but it was also you really seized on this and ran with it. And I really commend you for um empowering your board members um to be heard and seen and and to then connect with the people in the community that were most directly concerned. I think it's a success story that you guys have brought this. And you know, everybody um uh you know tends to focus on the controversies and whatnot, but this is something that is a real success
257story. >> Anything else? Okay. On to number seven, action item. Business services approval of positive certification of the 2526 first interim financial support. Mr. for a chattery. >> Thank you. That was the presentation on the first interim. Um so based on that, we request the board to concur with our recommendation of approving the first interim with a positive certification. >> M um are there are there any board member questions? >> Mr. Hills, are there any speaker cards? Don't believe so. No. >> For topic seven. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> May I have a motion to approve the positive certification of the 2526? >> All in favor? >> I opposed. Okay. B. Submission of the 2024 25 district audit report. Mr. Roy Chattery. >> Thank you. So just wanted to share that uh the auditors concluded
258the 2425 audit report which the board approved back when we completed the unodudited actuals back in October. Uh the summary of the report it's unmodified. This is the highest qualification any district can receive. That means we have complied with all the requirements including uh the compliance from the federal and the state program and there were no deficiencies or internal control issues that were identified by the auditors during their review of our process and procedures. Um glad to share the report and the report is available on our website. >> Thank you. board member questions. Yes, >> just to add really quickly to uh Mr. Rotar's uh comments, just want to remark how unsatisfactory it is that the highest possible award you can get is unmodified uh on the reports. >> That's how dry accounting world is.
259>> Not a very exciting term. [laughter] >> Board member questions. I just have one. is the gentleman I spoke to Bobby Patel was that >> so Bobby Patel is the partner for ID Bailey right >> they want to have a channel of communication open with the board just in case anything that >> you feel a concern with you can channel it through the board president and she can ask the auditors and vice versa >> right >> so it's a fiduciary requirement and I asked Mr. Patel if they had that meeting with the board before and he said no and I said like it's critical that we check that box so that we have that um communication channel open from the board directly to the auditors. Remember the auditors actually although we pay them they report
260to the state controllers's office >> so they're responsible to the state >> right? Oh yes thank you. I was I was nervous about detailed questions he might ask me but he was very good and walked me through things. Thank you. Um so any discussion? >> Yeah, clerk >> just wanted to thank you for this report and also your previous one. Um and I also wanted to uh make a better choice of words um about your earlier report. I said it was uh detailed and dry and tedious. I I meant meticulous. I didn't mean tedious. Mine was Mine was tedious, too. But u the point is I was praising your report. I wasn't criticizing. I just want to make sure that my uh choices of words wasn't misunderstood. >> Okay. May I have a motion to
261approve >> all and um >> no students? Okay. Um, >> all in favor? >> I >> oppose. Okay, passes unanimously. Um, we are skipping item eight. Is that correct? >> We're moving on to the consent calendar. Approval of consent calendar items B through N. Are there any board member questions that on consent calendarer items that do not require pulling the item? Do any board members wish to pull an item? Okay. Clerk Hills, are there any speaker comments on this t topic calendar? But I think not. Yeah. No. >> Okay. No speakers. All right. Um may I have a motion then to approve the consent calendar items B through N? >> Move. Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. Vote. All in favor? I >> opposed. None. Now I call this annual organizational meeting of the board to
262order. The meeting has been noticed and agendaized in accordance with the Brown Act and all discussions and actions taken tonight will be conducted openly and transparently as required. The purpose of this organizational meeting is to review and establish board leadership roles and related annual assignments. The board will consider only those items that have been posted on the agenda and no action will be taken on matters not listed. Thank you to all the board members, staff and community members who are still present. We um will go on with this. I I want to say um that I have been deeply honored to serve as our board president. I know I've made a lot of mistakes. I want to thank my fellow board members, the staff, the community um for being patient with me, but also giving
263me suggestions and um forgiveness when I've really blown it. Um at this time in speaking with my family about this, I appreciate the support. I'm really here for the students, but I do not feel like I should continue on as the board president. So, as we make nominations, um don't don't nominate me, please. Um so, uh nominations are now open for the office. >> Take your pardon. You're opening for motions on >> I'm nom nominations are now open for the office of board president. >> Okay. I moved that uh um Sher Morgan be elected president of the board. >> Okay. Um are we doing nominations or we doing motions and seconding? >> Um we're doing it the way we've done before. So I will I will second that. Okay, now we can move on and
264discuss or vote. Discussion. >> Um, >> no questions. Is there discussion? >> Is there comments? >> I have some concerns. Should I Is this the time to Were there comment were there public comment cards first? >> Are there public comment cards? >> Yes, there are public comment cards. I think now that we're at this point in the process, we should uh invite public comments. >> That's what I'm asking you to call. >> Yeah. Okay. Um the uh first comment on this subject is Lesie Elliot. Lesie Elliott. Um community member. I wasn't really prepared for this, but I think I just want to say that I think the last year has been really tough and too many board meetings have turned into long- winded, exhausting battles over old grievances followed by bullying of district employees and
265the spread of baseless conspiracy theories. I thought Howard was want to step up and be the president. Uh, so I wanted to tell him that I think all the noise from you distracts from what we're doing. Sherry, I think you're a close second. I think you're you're winded. You take too much time and it takes away from what we need to do as a district. So, I would like to see Joan be president. I think she's the strongest person sitting up here. She understands. She's highly educated, has a lot of experience, and we need somebody who is collaborative, who stays focused on students, and will move the district forward. So, D, I also want to say to you, I think you rose to the occasion. You grew a lot during the year, and um you
266would have made a great president again, but I would like to see Joan step up and be president. I don't think Sherry, I don't think you're ready yet. Thank you. Um Erica Rule. >> Good evening. Um I want to speak clearly about the leadership expectations for this board because this role does matter especially right now. This president sets the tone and as many as here know they control how the meetings run, how long they go, how people are treated and whether the public feels respected or pushed aside. So over the past several months many of us have watched these meetings become longer, more tense, and harder for families to sit through. We've seen repeated interruptions, confrontational exchanges, and discussions that escalate instead of moving forward. This isn't about disagreement. Disagreement is healthy. This is about
267how that disagreement shows up. So when a trustee regularly interrupts others, speaks over staff or consultants, or turns discussions into confrontations, it slows everything down. Meetings drag on for hours. Public comments get pushed later and later. Collaboration breaks down. Leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It's about restraint, professionalism, and helping five trustees work together as a team. And from a parents perspective, it would be deeply concerning to see someone elevated into leadership when their behavior has already contributed to dysfunction, longer meetings, and growing frustrations in the community. That sends a wrong message to families, staff, and students. We have real issues to solve in this district from transportation, enrollment, staffing, safety. These issues require calm, steady leadership. I'm asking the board to hold the line on the leadership standards and
268not place someone in a leadership role whose conduct has consistently made meetings harder, not better. Thank you. Um, I also want to call on somebody else who has a card here, but I want to comment, um, to you, Fesa. Um, uh, he apparently took some umbrage at the way I introduced you on your last card, and I just want to make clear to you that what I did was you just had Thesa down and I didn't feel that it would be respectful to just say your first name. So, I added your second name and I think you thought that I was being smart or something, but I wasn't. I was actually trying to show respect for you by including your name, which wasn't included on the card. So, anyway, um I just wanted to clarify
269that. And uh you're the next speaker. >> Okay. I was referring to some past times where you've called me Miss President or Miss Union when you know my name. That but that's not what this is about. >> Uh my phone and computer are blowing up right now. Um, to the people who are watching, the the staff who are watching the union, we I we can't support this, we don't feel like we have a working relationship of trust with Miss Morgan yet. And um, this is just going to cause more chaos. It's we are in such a I wasn't prepared for this. We are in such a delicate situation right now with the unions and the board that we have never been in in before. And D, we had just started creating a relationship with you.
270The union has a positive relationship with Joan and Jim. Sherry has proven herself in public meetings and at PTAs not to be able to handle herself in a respectful way that staff would like to be represented as. And we have to work with that person. And I'm getting blown up like uh I I can't even say the comments that are coming through. But this would not be a good collaborative um thing for the union. So, we do not support that. And I'm I mean, I'm sorry to say that. I'm not trying to be mean, but we don't have a working relationship of trust at all. Um there's a lot of work to be done. And if that's what you think you can create a working relationship being president right now, you should decline that to
271show that you want to move forward to create a working relationship. And it should be a majority and a minority to show unity. That's what we are asking as staff and that's what all the public comments came in as. We want public unity and we want a majority and a minority and uh I don't feel that Sherry is ready to be president yet. >> Oh yeah. Um Steve Brown Okay, long long night, a lot of sausage getting made here. Um, I think Sherry uh it's shocking, but I think Sherry, this is uh more than she's got more skills, I think, in uh and more capability than uh uh some are giving her credit for. Um I think I think there's a lot of stuff going on with audience and all kinds of other things uh
272that clearly needs to be cleaned up. Uh and I think you know it's an election year. It's going to be a lot of noise just continuing on and uh you know this is probably the beginning of that. So anyway, I just think Sherry if you end up in that role I think you do a great job. Uh D, I totally understand why you're doing what you're doing. It's been a brutal year. A lot of people have have turned their knives on you and it's it's tough. So, I get it. Uh, but that's it. Those are my only comments. Steve Macintosh. So, um, yes, [clears throat] here we are. Um, I think that I agree with Mr. Brown that I think Sherry has a vast amount of experience. She's been here for many many years at
273board me uh had board meetings as I have and many of you out here haven't and insist on knowing how board meetings should be run but you haven't been there in the past where there was no transparency. there was no way for the for people to communicate and and these meetings uh uh bylaw meetings were taking place at 9:00 in the morning and there was all kinds of stuff going on that you guys don't have any clue about. So here we are. So we've got a situation Joan here has publicly stated many times I can't work with this board these people on this board. So someone who states that they they should not be in a power position. And Jim, same sort of thing, goes to the PTA meeting talking about all kinds of stuff
274like that. It so that that's that's a problem. D, you've done a fabulous job. You've made some mistakes, sure, but you've been pushed to the edge by people that have just been out to destroy this board from the start for absolutely no reason. not letting people do their work and do their own style. And we've seen styles for years here and just people need to let you do your job and then these meetings would be much shorter. And that's why the comments are at the end to make these shorter because everybody's making up issues in order to make these long and create chaos. So stay your course, you know, get along. Everybody work together and D you've done a fabulous job and thank you for your service. I appreciate it. Good night. >> That's it.
275>> I I >> Yeah, this came up late. Thank you. Please. >> Long time. All right. Um, I I want to appreciate you, Sherry, for all the work that you've done on the transportation committee. I I see that you have a real equity lens and a care for the students, and I think that's wonderful. Um, I also think you have a lot of growth that you need to do before you can step into this position. and you have shown yourself to um uh to to be problematic as well in your first year. Um you have elicitly videotaped meetings. You've dropped fbombs at multiple meetings. You've asked serial questions. you just have a lot of learning to do both in your leadership style as well as your ability to just even understand the complexity of the
276district and its finances before you're ready to step into such a role. Um, D, I really appreciate the work that you've done over the past year to to to help this board get on um get to a better place. And today's meeting, I think, was a great um uh example of the work that you've done to bring us to really solid ground. So, I I want to look directly at you and and implore you to please vote for Joan. Um, if you want to maintain the consistency that you've started to build and get us to um to a better place, we we need we need um we need strong leadership right now, somebody with with deep experience and who's been um who's been in in this seat for a a long time and has the
277ability to really help the district get work done. So that that is my request of you to to leave as your legacy. Thank you. >> I don't think we have any others. >> Okay. >> Um I have not in fact said that I couldn't work with this board. I have said that I have no I have said that I'm trying very hard to work constructively with this board. It's not been easy and in part with all due respect to Mrs. Morgan. The there have been very difficult interactions here at PTA meetings. I have actually worked fine with D. I argue with Howard a lot, but I work just fine with Howard. And so that characterization is just not right. I'm not certainly not pining to be the school board president, but I also um think
278that Mrs. Morgan hasn't been on the uh deis for a particularly long time and we don't we have not um created the kinds of relationships both across the board and with the community um particularly the teachers and the parents who have concerns about this. So you've worked very hard this year Sherry. I understand that. So, I'm not trying to be critical of all the work that you've put into this. And D, I'm so grateful that you worked so hard on this this year and um I have really tried to to help you and you've done a good job and I was really shocked and I'm sad that you're not continuing, but I totally understand it. So, I would urge us to move ahead in a way that uh we can find ways for the board
279to work together. It is a really important year this year. >> I agree with you, Dr. Malchesky. Um, we got a comment from one of our community members and he said, "What the community is really looking for, and I agree, is that we are all willing to work in partnership with every member of the board and district leadership to continue to move the district forward for all stakeholders. And we all need to work together better. As Sherry's husband says, she means well uh and um she does. Uh but her erratic behavior that I have observed uh I don't think puts her in position to be the school board president at this time. Um I think she's learning a lot and um and she's developing a lot and I wish her the best but uh I
280could not vote for you at this time to be the president. Dr. Hills like >> to thank um member Mount Chesky for her comments and the the spirit of her comments which I um I find um maybe uh promising uh for a better a better experience and next year I'll tell you I I I wouldn't want to endure another year like the year we just got through and um I think it's significant that several several lawyers that have been um uh involved with us and several consultants and adviserss on school governance have said to me and I think to others on the board they've never seen a board meeting as bad as the board meeting that we had in December of 2004 24 and um if you want to talk about um uh Um, Miss
281Zuziak, if you want to talk about um, our worst moments. We had some good moments. We had some really worst moments and a lot in between. Um, if you talk about how we've conducted ourselves, decorum, demeanor, just go back and look at the January 23rd meeting and your performance on that occasion. And um, no, excuse me. I'm making a statement. Um, see, this is the problem. If you were to take a if you were to compute the number of times a board member has interrupted another board member, um I guarantee you it I wouldn't be the winner of that sweep stakes. But if um I if I can't make some positive comments and also respond to negative comments, that's censorship. And there's been too much of that. And what I'm trying to say is that
282we've all had some good moments, some of our best moments, we've all had some of our worst moments. Um, and so when you point out that we've had worse some of our worst moments, I I agree. But we all have participated and we've all contributed to the best and the worst of it. And um what I believe right now about um the the um motion that's been made and seconded, I think um I think serving as president will bring out the very best in Sherry uh Morgan. And I think that we can all work together to bring out the best in each other because we've been bringing out the worst in each other for a year and it's been miserable. and I would give us all a D+ at best um if somebody were to
283ask me to grade it and that includes me. So if we're going to do better, we got to start doing better right now. And um so I'm uh in strong support of and I'll tell you for those people around here that said, "Oh, the meetings are long and people just want to talk about old debates." Well, if you talk about experience in this school district, uh I've been going to meetings that went on into 11:30, 12:00 at night, uh with Sher Morgan, uh when the comments were at the end of the meeting, um and we got yelled at and shouted down and told to shut up in meetings. The history of this board is one which actually um uh we have an opportunity here with the new superintendent and with the board and with the
284experience that we had this year to actually do a lot better than we were doing 10 years ago or 15 years ago. And Sherry has seen it all. Um, the first time I saw Sherry speak in front of the school board, I had no idea who she was, but and I was pretty sure that we would not agree on anything political, but I watched her and her passion and her focus on kids and on parents and on families and also her the precision of her of her analysis. And I walked up to her, I didn't know who she was, and I said, "You should go to law school. You'd make a great lawyer." I think Terry uh Sherry has an incredible amount of power and I know she has a vast knowledge. She's got a
285higher IQ than I do and she has vast knowledge of this district and the people in it. And I think uh uh the fact that somebody wants to focus on her worst moment and define her that way. I don't think anybody wants to be defined by their worst moment. I know I don't. So um I uh I think we actually have a possibility here and the potential here for a new beginning and a positive beginning. motion. >> We We have to vote on this. >> No, we He's introducing a submotion which makes it possible to respect what the teachers and community members have and not have to go to that vote. >> Is that true, Scott? He she we can do a submotion on this. I'm not entirely sure. I need to look really quick.
286I apologize. >> This [clears throat] isn't a a sub motion. It's to negate. >> Seems like it's a it's a separate motion. >> It's a separate motion. I mean, we could do that >> after this vote. We can do another motion, but we can't >> um >> I I think that the the original motion has to be voted on. >> I think so, too. >> Yeah. The motion is to not approve the first motion. You can't you you can't make a motion to not approve the first motion. >> Yeah. I I just want to add that on this particular >> vote that the hostility toward other board members and toward union representatives and toward PTA members. You know, it's not a one one meeting thing. I personally have endured this all year. They are the
287most unpleasant close sessions I have ever I can't even imagine. And so the issue is that there is an opportunity to learn how to be on the board and be constructive even when you disagree and you don't like what people say. and the the teachers are expressing their concern about that because it has shown up in multiple venues. So again, I appreciate all the work you're doing. I know you're working very hard at all of this. I think it is deeply problematic in this moment and I think it's deeply problematic because of the way the teachers feel the union represent the the union leader excuse me the union members and their representatives have stated and for a whole series of things that have happened over the course of the year and again with all due
288respect I know you're working hard but it's not the right role at this moment may Yeah, >> before we vote, um I appreciate what everyone has said. Um I have been in this boardroom for a very long time. I have watched people like Keta Brown go to go to battle for the community when they stood up and did not want the calendar change. I think you were on that board at that time. Um I adore this community and I adore this district. Um I just graduated my last kid last year. the staff continues to ask about my kids. I um I really am saddened by the effort through the last year to create the chaos because I know when I sat on that when I was elected I was elected and won which we've discussed
289um it was because this community wanted to see a change. They wanted to see transparency, which is like the transportation committee, the insurance um benefits. That's transparent. They wanted to see um all board members have a voice. I sat in this room while D was silenced over and over again. And that's not acceptable because as elected officials, we represent everyone. We don't just represent the teachers. And I adore our teachers. And to the the comment about, you know, their address or whatever, it's like the whole reason I want to know what percentage of staff lives in our community because right now it's only 15% is because there are housing initiatives out there that we could look at on staff that might want to live in town and how can we achieve that? So to characterize
290the efforts that I've gone through as something negative is really kind of unfortunate because I am here. I have met with you when we started this process. I have offered to meet with you all again. I asked to meet with you again and you guys said no. We're going to wait till the new superintendent comes in and then we'll meet with you. At some point people stop asking because the answer continues to be no. But I am here. I would be happy to accept this nomination if it but goes through because my goal is to bring this community together. It's what I ran on. It's what I'm all about. I had support from all sides of the aisle. You can see that by every sign that was out there. It was with Howard. It was
291with um Lauren. It was with Jan. It was with um who else ran? Margaret. Margaret didn't have a sign. But um I'm it's unfortunate that the staff doesn't think that I'm the person for the job because I actually disagree. I love our staff and I will fight for our staff like I have for every year that my kids have been in this school. As PTA president in 2021, I started the um staff mental, you know, the staff wellness by bringing gift boxes that the committee brought together for every single member of the high school staff because I was the high school PTA president. We brought sunflowers to brighten their day. So to say that I'm not about the staff is is unfortunately with respect a false statement. It's misrepresenting who I am. Have I had
292a moment in the PTA room? Absolutely. I had one moment because the effort to unravel unravel me started to become something that people were taking out on my kids. and I will fight for my kids every single day just like everybody in this room with absolutely zero apology. So, I am up for the task. You and I had a wonderful four and a half hour meeting. I thought it went well. We talked, we chatted, I got, you know, yep, I got a little tearary because I'm very passionate about this school district. Close session. That's close session. Confidential in investigations and things like that. We shouldn't be talking about it. I understand the Brown Act. I've probably done more Baron act training this year alone than I think anybody else. I make time for the meetings.
293I take this as a priority. I do have a job and I have never challenged the excuse of I have a job therefore I can't make a meeting. I make it work. Luckily, I'm flexible and that helps. But I am here to prove myself to all of you just like I have this entire year. And so I'm up for the challenge. Thank you very much >> Sherry there I always make meetings too but when I say for example of the hostility on the day when I have said meetings in the middle of the day don't work for me because I have to teach your response is so don't come it is the most uncollegial way of interacting with your fellow board members we have had incident after incident it's not one moment at a PTA
294meeting, it's another PTA meeting where you taped the PTA meeting. I mean, it is a I I'm not trying to pick on you. I'm just being descriptive of the fact that you're working very hard to be a board member and we're also experiencing ongoing hostility from you every time there's a disagreement. >> Um, I have >> Mr. Hill. Um >> yeah, I do I do have an answer related to submotion. So because you all are handling this by motion rather than simply nomination. >> Um the submotion can be made. It would need to be seconded. That is addressed first and then if it fails, it would go back to the original motion. >> Yeah, I call the question on on that motion. >> Okay. So, we're going to vote on the submotion right now, >>
295which is um nominating Dr. Malchesky for president. Okay. >> And well, how are we're going to vote on this? >> We're going to have question and discussion on the motion >> there. Yeah, there be discussion on the submotion. >> Yeah. for their assistance. >> Okay. Um uh I first of all I don't think our bylaws or our um or the uh you know I I wish we had gone through the first item in this uh set which was to talk about what's supposed to be accomplished at this meeting because we could have uh cleared some things up. I don't think our bylaws um or the state code contemplate uh a nominating process and I think it's incorrect to refer to this as a nominating process and I think board counsel has it right. This is
296a motion uh process and it's been seconded. Um and uh so since we're taking this approach um and issues of character, issues of um of professionalism, issues of uh uh community uh uh relations with the community have now been raised in a porative way. Um and we're now going to be voting on this submotion. Um I would I would have to say a few things and first of all I would say that um uh I I told member Maleski um after uh the December 16th meeting and the events of December 17th um in which there were um uh dishonest communications uh emanating from uh the district offices. Um uh and then uh on January 9th and then again on um January 23rd we had very robust debates and and very uh volatile situation. Uh I
297told member Malchesky that I respect her intellect. I regard her as a very formidable person and um a very worthy adversary. Um, and I don't dislike her, but I I have a real problem with her uh with the idea that she's going to be the president of the board. Um, number one, on December 16th, um, uh, she attempted to preside over a meeting when for her to preside over that meeting would have been a violation of state law. Um and this was pointed out to um her and the um some of the people on the staff before during the meeting and um they persisted in it and it was essentially an attempt to um uh to seize control of the board uh without any legal basis. A board a board meeting cannot be called to
298order except by the president or if the president's absence the clerk or if the clerk's absent a president proemp and um member Mountes in my view is disqualified by the fact that she overtly attempted to preside over a meeting without any legal authority to do it. And I would also add that um having failed and this is kind of a repeat of what happened then having a bunch of people uh an orchestrated effort to get elected president were sort of replaying what happened on December 16th and um but this time um it brings out the fact that um having failed to become president then um she uh throughout the year has used Um, you know, Jeff Dixon left and went to a school district where the bylaws say board members cannot engage in nonverbal communication
299with the audience. And we've had a real problem with that also. And um the that that's only the beginning of uh the issue. So, if we want to really turn this into a food fight, um there's a lot more that could be said about uh how um uh board member Malchesky has conducted herself. Um and I think another thing is that she's the newcomer. Sherry's been here for 30 years and um and and she's the see this is example right there. Um we if you talk about who causes disruption and who disrupts the meetings. Um it isn't me. Um so um there's a lot more that can be said. I'll tell you I'll I'll say one last thing and that is this. There are some real problems in this district that aren't even being talked
300about right now. And there's a lot of restraint being showed by some of us um to try to move the process forward in a positive direction and not talk about some real serious problems that need to be addressed because we want to try to get back on a positive track. This thing with the insurance premium is tip of the iceberg and um we're trying not to create chaos. Um and uh so um uh I think that uh um turning down this this motion uh uh rejecting this motion and going back to the first motion um will prevent us from having to have an even more pointedly unpleasant debate. >> I think we we need to vote to extend the meeting, don't we? Can we do that in the middle of a motion >> or do
301we go ahead and finish this? >> Um, I'm sorry that if we appeared distracted, we have a technical issue that we've been trying to solve and that is our um closed captioner is East Coast time and uh we've received word that they may be stopping. So, we've been working through what will happen the meeting, what's the proper thing to happen with the meeting if that occurs. We believe we can continue and we'll caption later. So, I think we're okay. But I I just wanted to let you know that we we were extremely interested in but we were trying to solve a problem uh here. So, I just wanted to let you know that >> I knew you were doing something important. I didn't >> And um uh in terms of do we need to do
302they need a motion to continue? Are they okay? because our bylaws say that we can't go past 10. >> Okay. >> And we have public >> and if I might just from a period is closed >> procedural standpoint. Madam chair, um it's I said this earlier and I'll say it again. You don't have to debate each other into someone winning this argument. You need to vote and resolve the question. >> Okay. we go forward. So, okay. So, the comments are >> answer that. This is an agenda item and I'm not against anybody making public comments, but I just want to make sure that we're procedurally correct. This is an agenda item and we've had um public comment uh dur on this agenda item and um we had everybody that presented themselves for public comment got
303a chance to comment and so now we're talking about reopening uh on the item because there's been a submotion and I wouldn't think that you would reopen um public comment um based on there being multiple motions once the once the public's been heard on the agenda item. No, that that's correct. Um because the public has the ability to give their public comments based upon the agenda item that's already occurred. It wasn't open specifically for the motion previously. We've opened it for the agenda item. So proceed. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, so we're voting on the sub motion first, which is Dr. Malchesky or president. And oh boy, this is really hard. I appreciate I love both these women. Anyway, all all in favor of Dr. Malchesky or do we do a roll call, Victoria? >> Um,
304roll call. Member Morgan. Member Kelly. >> Yes. >> Excuse me. Clerk Hills. >> No. >> Member Wales. >> President Perry. >> Okay. Back to the uh first motion. Uh member Morgan for president. And we will we vote now. Okay. Roll call vote. >> Member Morgan. Member Kelly. >> No. >> President Perry. Member Maleski. >> Clerk Hills. >> Yes. And um >> Okay. >> President Morgan becomes president immediately. >> Right. So, can you please pass this D, I want to thank you for your support and I want to thank you for um your friendship. It's been a long year um but I appreciate you. Okay. The next item on the agenda is um 10 C, election of board clerk for 2026. >> I move that we nominate Dr. Macheski. >> Is there a second? >> We're
305now we've moved on to the clerk position and I've asked for and Dr. Um, Kelly made a motion for member Malchesky as clerk and it needs a second. Seconded by Males by member Malchesky. Are there any discussion? Is there any questions? >> We need to go. >> And if no questions, we can go on to public comment. >> Question. Um um I would make a sub motion to um uh for to elect Perry to be clerk. >> I'd second that motion. So we need to have an we need to have a roll call vote on or we need to have public comment and then we can take a roll call vote on the second motion. I don't think we have any public else and we can move on to the first motion. Is there any
306public comment? >> No. >> I don't see any here. >> On on the clerk position. This is why I'm going to be really happy for D to be clerk. >> Okay. Okay. >> Lesley Lesie Elliott. Uh Fesa Zuziak. >> I think that's it. Well, I urge the board to elect Joan. I think she is the only choice here. I'm super disappointed that it was obviously all set up before. Um I thought you had a little more integrity D than you apparently have. Um, I would also like to point out that that should you deed decide to support Joan, you can still have your alliance with your buddies, but we could be assured of organized fair meetings where we don't have people who are uh picking cards out to put them in special orders, having long-
307winded conversations. We can stay focused and have professional meetings. So you can still have your alliance with your friends, but you can choose to have somebody up here who may offset or support Sherry. Thank you. >> Next speaker >> trying to stay calm again. And the union supports Joan as clerk. >> Should she be speaking from the podium or from >> No, I put it as CSA president speaking as union president. >> That's fine. >> Um, >> we're taking public testimony right now. >> Howard, I yield the floor to me to Desuzia for her comments. >> Thank you. We would like to see a cohesion and by having Joan at least as clerk you're respecting staff. D were so disappointed. I am really disappointed. Um you need to show staff and parents and the community
308that you are willing to work together. That means putting together a majority and minority working together. And to clarify, when we did the endorsement process back last November, Sherry, you received three votes to endorse you. That from both certificated and classified that is not a um call to support for you. And when we did the vote of no confidence and the recall, you were the number one vote getter for who wanted to be recalled. That's from all staff. I don't see that as a vote of confidence that they trust you. So, please do the right thing. At least show staff, if you really want to create that trust, show staff that you're willing to listen to them and put Joan as clerk. >> Thank you. Next speaker. Okay, we can move to vote on the
309subm motion of which was the first submotion was it vote? Was it who was the the first motion was Joan? Correct. So the submotion Okay. So, we're voting on the submotion for D. Perry to be clerk of the board. >> Roll call vote, please. >> Member Kelly, >> no. >> Member Perry. >> Member Maltesky? >> No. >> Clerk Hills? >> Yes. >> President Morgan? Yes. Motion passes 32. Um, may I make a comment? I'm grateful for D. I think D has a lot of experience that she can bring and in a situation if the president's not available, the clerk runs the meeting and therefore that is an partnership that I am looking forward to having. Um, as far as staff, I'm it's unfortunate to hear what you're saying. I don't um I look forward to
310making doing the work to bring everyone together, but it is going to be a two-sided effort and I am here at the table ready to work. So, thank you so much. Uh moving on to the next item. >> Excuse me. Can I make one comment? I just would like to um thank the board. Uh as some I would like to remind the board that um uh when we had the last organizational meeting um I uh so this political demonstration here is interrupting the meeting but um uh on the last occasion when we had an organizational meeting I nominated you for clerk and that didn't work out so I stepped up and did I think that the comments that were made about uh the clerk position were actually well taken. Um I'd recommend uh based on
311my experience that um other arrangements u get made to handle the speakers cards. I don't think a member sitting in the meeting should have to be juggling uh the speaking cards and they're coming in, you know, at irregular uh pace and you don't know what's going on. I think somebody on the staff or somebody should be doing the uh speakers cards so that members can concentrate. I I have found it very distracting particularly since since people hear what's going what's being discussed and they start feeding more cards in when you think you've got your little piles and then of course they um make fun of you uh as if you are some kind of a buffoon. But my my daughters agree though that I'm the least qualified person to ever do anything like that. So,
312um I see that you I know you will do better, but I would suggest that you work with the idea of having staff handle the speakers cards unless you're very comfortable doing it. I think it's I don't I don't think it's appropriate. So, but uh thank you. >> I just wanted to say that for the record. >> That's certainly something we can take under consideration. Um, moving forward to item 10D, appointment of secretary of the to the board of education. >> In the past, it's been the superintendent, correct? Yeah. So, it's always the superintendent. So, do we need to approve that? >> No, you just have to read what's in the script there and it it'll happen. Yeah. >> Her board by line 9100, the secretary to the board of education shall be appointed at
313the annual organization meeting. The superintendent shall be appointed as the secretary to the board. I need a we need a motion to approve that. Okay. >> Because it's action procedural. That's why I'm asking. >> You have a byel. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Moving on to item E, appointment of board representatives to outside organizations and committees. We have six current organizations. We have one, two, three committees and the proposal for a new committee that I brought forward um and I'm happy to see on the agenda. So currently um do we have any should we do comments first or should we we don't need to make motions it's more an action and procedural. So how would you like to proceed? How should we proceed on that? >> Are there comments? >> Do we have any public
314comments Howard on item 10E? No, the last um that I have are for um uh non-aggenda items as as far as I can tell. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Hello everyone. Um, I just want to say really appreciate uh having uh President Morganell and Trusty Perry on the transportation ad hoc committee and I would really like to have uh you guys continue to work on that committee with us. Thank you. So, I'm trying to recall if last year we went through them one by one. >> We all agree with I had real issues with them. >> Well, I'm just going off of the board representatives right now, items one through six. So, right now we have CCA, two representatives, one alternative. In 2025, the representatives were Mrs. D. Perry and Mr. Howard Hills with
315Dr. Dr. John Malchesky as a alternate. Are there any um are there any board members that would like to serve on this committee? I would like to start with with Mrs. um with Clerk Perry and if she'd like to continue. >> I would love to continue. >> And we need a second. Um Howard, is that something that you're still interested in or is there anyone else interested in it? >> This is this CCA. Mhm. I know that you've been starting to do some work with Joan on it or with uh D on it. >> Yeah. No, I I really enjoy it and I I'm very committed to it. Somebody else has a real strong feeling about it. Um but I uh if uh otherwise indicated, I would continue uh serving on that. Uh the last
316meeting that we went down to the other day was a really good meeting and I think it in many respects is some of the most important work we do. students really benefit from it. So if is there an al is would um either anyone like to be the alternate alternate Dr. Malchesky Dr. Kelly would either of you like to be the alternate >> when is the meeting? >> No. Um, next on the 18th we have a meeting at 7:45 a.m. and then usually they don't start until 5. They're usually like 5 to 7 or 7:30. >> So, do I point? >> Yep. No. Uh, call for motions uh for the those three. >> Okay. So, we need a motion to um to approve um Clerk Perry and member Hills as the representatives for the CCA
317with Dr. Jim Kelly as the alternate. >> Some moved. >> All in favor say I. I. >> Motion passes 5. >> The next item is uh 10 Oh, the next the next committee, excuse me, or organization is the community coalition. Um I was the 2025 representative with Dr. Jim Kelly is the alternate. This is the group that meets with um Marcy Mednik and her group from uh St. John's not >> St. Mission Hospital and they do a lot of work in the community with um drug prevention and um a very creating a very positive environment on the campus. I've appreciated that work, but if someone else would like to do that, I would be happy to step down. >> Okay. Anyone Howard or D? >> I did it for quite a while. >> Okay. Dr.
318Meski. >> No. >> Okay. Okay. Then I will accept that. Uh so I need a motion to approve uh myself as the representative for the community coalition. >> All in favor? >> I >> thank you. Motion passes. >> Next item is the district representative for the Orange County nominating committee and Orange count Orange County School Board Association. Uh in 2025 we had Dr. Dr. John Malesky as the representative with an alternative with an alternative um clerk Perry. Dr. Malchesky, I'd like to give you first right of refusal if you'd like to continue. >> I'm okay. You would like to continue. Is anyone else want to nominate anyone? Okay. >> Do I need all those in favor for member? Do I have a Do I need a second? I need a second. >> Second. I >>
319Okay. All those in favor? Hi. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Number four is the Laguna Beach School Power. Laguna Beach Education Foundation school power. We need more representative. >> I'm sorry. Did we get an alternate for that committee? >> Yes. I'm sorry. Thank you. Um, so we do need an alternate for the nominating the Orange County nominating committee. Okay. All those in favor for Dr. Kelly to be the alternate. I >> so moved. Item four is the Laguna Beach Education Foundation School Power. We need one representative and one alternate. In 2025, the representatives were Dr. Jim Kelly and the alternate was uh M was member Howard Hills. >> Would you like to continue? >> Would anyone else like to be the alternate or Howard, would you like to uphold that? >> Yeah, I would be
320glad to continue it. >> Is that how that's acceptable? Right. The >> the alternate. Yeah. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So, all those in favor of Dr. Jim Kelly Oh, we need a motion for Dr. Jim Kelly to be the representative and member Hills to be the alternate. >> Second. >> All in favor? I. >> Thank you. Item number five. Item number six. Five. Oh, this is a different one. Okay. Sorry. The Laguna Beach Education Foundation School Power Endowment. Uh, in 2025, the representatives were Dr. John Malesky and the alternate was um uh sorry, can I ask a question? Is it appropriate to refer to as member Dr. Chesky or is it member Malchesky or is it Dr. Malchesky? All she's okay. >> Okay. Well, whatever you thought. >> Yeah, it doesn't sound
321right. Okay. So, [laughter] that's what I was asking. Okay. Um, so the 2025 representatives were Dr. John Malchesky with an alternate of member um Howard Hills. Dr. >> Okay. Terrific. Um, >> I I have a jurist doctorate, so I'd like to be called doctor, too. >> Member Hills, would you like to continue on the school power endowment as an alternate? Member Hills, would you like to continue on the school power endowment as an alternate? Okay. I need a motion then to approve. Dr. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. The last item is the joint fiscal management committee. We need two representatives and one alternative. In 2025, it was myself and member Hills with um member uh clerk Perry as the alternate. Um, I would like to stay on this and as
322the fact that we only had two in the beginning and they didn't have a whole lot of substance to them, I'd like to try this again. >> Mr. Hills, would you like to continue on that? Okay. >> And as an alternate, would you be the alternate? Are you interested in being the alternate or is anybody else like to be the alternate >> joint fiscal comm? >> Yeah. Okay. All right. So, I need a motion for myself and Howard Hills to stay on the uh JFMC >> with Clerk Perry as the clerk as the alternate. Okay. All those in favor? >> Thank you, >> Madam Chair. Um we'll need a motion to continue the meeting at this time. >> I need a motion to move to continue the meeting. >> All in favor? I >> Thank
323you. revised to the facility master plan for 2026. In 2025, the alt representatives were myself and Mr. Howard Hills with D. Perry's an alternate superintendent's recommend recommend recommended motion is moved to create an ad hoc facilities master plan committee which will provide governance level oversight of the development and refinement of the district's 2026 facilities master plan. The committee will review project priorities, timelines, and alignment with board adopted goals, receive updates on budget implications, and community input, and bring any recommendations to the full board. The committee will not engage in operational decision-making, contracted direction or construction management. The concluding will the committee will conclude its work and dissolve no later than December 2026, appointing members appointing board members A and B to the committee. Uh, this is another one of those committees that we started last
324year, but we really didn't have any meetings. We had one on the pool and that was it. and it was more of an update, not really any constructive input. So, um I know I would like to stay on the committee >> about this. Okay. >> The first is that the pool committee was a isolated committee to do the planning for the pool that involved a whole lot of work that was brought to the board tiles meeting with the district. It was done by the time you guys appointed yourself last year at the organizational meeting. There there was no need to continue that meeting. So that wasn't that committee. So that wasn't really a committee >> that was evidence. >> As for this one, I'm somewhat confused about this one and um the uh because it
325is kind of a new committee. It doesn't really belong as an assist existing board committee. The pool committee was done last year and so that's why it didn't continue to meet. So, this is actually a new committee and the concern I have about it is that as a we're a really small district with a small board. I'm not comfortable seeding responsibility to board members to have discussions about a facility's master plan or um with the other one governance decisions and then bring them back as their recommendations to the full board because I would like to be part of all of those discussions. I don't want a facilities master plan that's organized by two people and you know those two people have the facilities master plan isn't just the design of a pool. It is a
326much more comprehensive set of discussions and so for that and governance there's no reason that we need a subcommittee. There's only five of us in a small district. >> I I would think you would be great to serve on those committee. Um, I think that it we haven't talked gotten to the governance one yet, but I think it would be great to have a governance committee and and hash out some of these things beforehand. >> An incredibly terrible use. >> Member Hills, do you have a comment? Your light is on. Member Hills, do you have a comment? Your light is on. >> Your light is on. >> Yeah, I just mentioned you were going to make So, so um Dr. Glass, can you provide some insight onto these committees and how they would be formed?
327Because at the end of the day, my understanding of it is that it's not two people. And what we understand from CSBA is that when you have that every district has a joint overs a joint or has a um what do you what are we calling it? an ad hoc facilities master plan committee because determining what projects need to be prioritized is something the board has oversight on and in doing and this would be a committee that works with staff to help determine the needs of the district in what order so we know how we're funding it. Is that correct? >> That's that's right. So, you'd be appointing two members um to an ad hoc committee and then those co-chairs would then be working with me to identify other people on staff or in the
328community to also round out the committee. So, you have a representative group. Um their charge of what they would be working on is spelled out here and so it's from a governance level um and not getting into an operational level. So, there's a clear demarcation of what the committee would be working on and not and they don't have any authority. Uh so, all they can do is bring back recommendations to the full board. Thank you for that clarification. >> Yeah, I um I think that uh a little bit of revisionist history going on here. Um uh we met with this group um uh after we came on board. The group was not disbanded. They were still talking about the pool. They didn't know how much it was going to cost. They didn't know what the
329final design was going to be. and uh we worked with them and uh uh the um cost has gone up quite a bit since I think it was 19 million then now it's 25 million or what or it might be um based on what's determined um I think that um I think that uh you know if you don't want to have committees if there's members that want to um be involved in every issue and not have committees then uh you know you have a situation where uh sometimes this sometimes the people that are doing the master plan have to have meetings in between board meetings. So you you know um you can't you know so the idea is you got to have all five people involved. Well that's not the way the schoolboard system works.
330Um so if you want to have a situation where you don't trust a couple of people to be appointed to a committee then the alternative that the state education code gives you is to appoint an executive committee. uh and have an executive committee that handles all uh uh all issues that come up um all tertiary issues and and um uh and then acts on behalf of the board and then reports back to the board um uh and then the board ratifies or doesn't ratify what the executive committee did. That's actually provided for for by statute. Um and we we haven't done that for the very reason that we use committees with a couple of people representing uh on the committee. But it's the same thing in the end as you say, Mr. Superintendent, they come
331back and they report to the board. They don't have any ability to make decisions for the board. And so if there's a board member that just wants to be involved in everything, they can come to the meetings if they want to. >> Thank you. Members, >> are we approving these committees or we >> both? That's right. Um so um just to create some clarity um the pool committee was an ad hoc committee or maybe it wasn't an ad hoc committee. Part of our problem is we it's we have ambiguity around that. And so what this part of what this is intended to do is to clarify that and to set this new committee up with with a clear charge and a clear timeline and a clear purpose. So if we didn't have those things before
332that's part of why we're struggling like did the committee end or not. So, we're we're trying to give this this um ad hoc committee a reset and an end point. Um it's really it's really up to the board to decide if you want to have an ad hoc committee to do this work or if you want to bring it back before the whole board. We can do this either way. It is a common structure for school districts have an ad hoc um facilities master plan committee to to do that work. So, we're we're from the administration standpoint, we defer to the board to decide how you want to structure this. Do we need to make a motion to have to restructure the committee and then appoint >> the the motion the language that you have
333here that we provided as a model is what you need. >> Okay. >> So that's our recommendation. >> Okay. So I need a >> good question. Um so does this I'm sorry Wyatt. Um, does this uh if if there is a bond vote next year, does this committee have anything to do with the facilities master plan around the bond vote? >> Um, they would uh a decision around a bond is not part of the scope of this committee. Um, any bond determination would have to be made before the full board. Um there is an intersection between the bond is used to it's one of the funding mechanisms you can use to pay for your facility's master plan. Um it's probably the the largest funding s it is the largest funding source available. But this committee
334would be working on the facility's master plan not working on the bond. >> Right. I mean the the question I'm asking is will there at any point be decisions in the facilities master plan about things that might be funded with the bond because >> yes because your bond is going to be used to fund the facilities master plan and your last FMP was completed in 2023. We're going to need to update that because things have changed needs of the community have changed and we have to consider if the board is interested in going before the voters. um we have to think about what is the package that gives us the highest probability of success and is tuned into what the community wants and the school's needs are. So this this committee would be working on
335the facilities master plan that potentially would be funded by a bond if the board made that decision. >> To clarify, this is not an committee that's focusing on the bond or prioritizing a project so that it can go into a bond. It's based on what the facilities need and what the priorities are and then the discussion of how to fund it would be an extension of that that would come back to the board. Correct. >> That's right. >> Thank you. So, we need a motion for I would like to stay on this committee in its new form. Um, and I'd like a motion or I'd like anyone else that's interested to >> we make committee first and then >> do we need to make a motion? You've said here that we can read this superintendent's
336recommended motion move to create an ad hoc facilities master plan committee which will provide governance level oversight and of the development and refinement of the district's 2026 facilities master plan. The committee will review project priorities, timelines and alignment with board adopted goals, receive updates on budget implications and community input and bring any recommendations to the full board. This committee will not engage in operational decision-making contractor direction or construction management. The committee will conclude its work and dissolve no later than December 26, 2026, appointing board members A and B to the committee. >> So that motion >> moved on the committee. So >> you need two members. >> I need a second on the committee. We need to approve the committee and then we need to have two on it. >> You can do it all
337in the same motion. >> All in the same motion. Okay. So I would like to Is there anyone that would like to be on this committee? I know I would like to stay on the committee based on what I thought it was last year, which was this >> Howard? based on my desk. >> Anyone else as an alternate? >> Okay. So now >> I need a motion to >> just for a motion and a second. >> I need a motion to approve the committee and you'd like to be the alternate with Howard, myself on the committee with Dr. Jim Kelly as an alternate. >> Okay. Is there a motion? >> All in favor? >> So move. Okay. Transportation Ad Hoc Committee 025 representatives are myself and um Clerk Perry, superintendent's recommended recommended motion move to
338continue the transportation ad hoc committee which will examine the district's student transportation needs, service levels, and long-term planning considerations. The committee, excuse me. Can we have order, please? Thank you. The committee will review options for improving safety, efficiency, and community communication and will bring recommendations to the board. The committee will not manage day-to-day transportation operations or direct vendor or staff actions. The committee will dissolve upon completion of its final report to the board no later than June 2026. That's ambitious. Appointing board members A and B to the committee. I would like to continue with that as well. >> And I think we're making good progress. >> All in favor? Signing a second. Thank you. All in favor? >> I thank you. Um Arts Ad Hoc Committee approved September 11th, 2025. 2025 representatives are myself and
339clerk Perry. Superintendent's recommended motion move to continue the arts ad hoc committee which will explore opportunities to strengthen arts education and arts integration across the district. The committee will review community input pro programmatic needs. Program that's not the right how do you program. >> That's right. You got it. >> Programmatic. >> Sounds like a mouthful. In alignment with board goals and will bring recommendations to the full board. The committee will not oversee curriculum or direct instructional decisions and will dissolve upon submission of its final recommendations no later than June 2026 appointing board members A and B to the committee. Also an ambitious date. All those um so I'd like to stay on that committee and member Perry would as well. Do we probably need an alternate? Do we need an alternate? >> Up to you.
340It's up to you. >> Would anyone like to be on alternate? I mean, it's primarily committee work. >> Huh? You want to be the alternate? Okay. With Jim Kelly as the alternate. Um, all those in favor? >> I. >> Was there a second? >> Did we have a motion in a second? >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> With Dr. Kelly as the alternate benefit from improved alignment in statute according to the CSBA models and board adopted governance expectations to support this interest while maintaining appropriate board superintendent role boundaries and to ensure that any bylaw revisions continue to follow the formal process outlined in BB 9310. The superintendent recommends forming a time limited ad hoc governance committee with a focused scope. The committee would review governance processes at the system level including Do you need me
341to read all this? It's >> up to you, Madam Chair. >> Negotiation. >> Okay. Overall organization and clarity of board bylaws, alignment of governance structures with CSBA models and legal requirements, the board's ongoing cycle for policy and bylaw review, governance norms, trustees onboarding process and expectations for board conducts, transparency and communication practices related to governance. opportunities to strengthen board superintendent interaction protocols and role clarity. The committee may identify potential process improvements for the full board to consider. The committee would not draft or negotiate specific bylaw language, conduct line by line or serial review of individual bylaws, direct staff, or work to engage in operational managerial activities. Any recommendation from the committee would be brought to the full board for discussion and possible action through the established procedures in BB9310. to ensure that the committee remains
342an ad hoc body and not a standing committee subject to the Brown Act. It will dissolve upon submission of its written summary to the board no later than June 2026. Superintendent recommended motion move to establish the ad h governance committee which will review the board's governance process as at a system level including clarity, organization, and alignment of existing board bylaws with CSBA model, statute, and board adopted norms. The committee will focus on the governance process improvements and may bring recommended adjustments to the full board for consideration. The committee will not draft or negotiate specific bylaw revisions, conduct serial review of individual bylaws, direct staff work, or engage in operational managerial activities, and will dissolve upon submission of its final written summary to the board no later than June 2026, appointing board members A and B
343to the committee. >> I'll be voting against this. >> Did you read that again? >> No. So, I heard that you will not be supporting that. So, >> I believe it should be >> I agree. May I make a comment? Is there any comments? I have a comment >> and the public has been very involved in listening to them and none of those conversations should happen in a subcommittee and come back come to us with a >> thank you member Dr. Meski Dr. um um member Hills. >> Yeah. Uh well, you know, the thing about it is is that I think tonight's meeting was a good example. Um uh you know, these issues require uh careful careful discussion and deliberation. Um and they most usually require uh board counsel um because no board member should
344be giving legal opinions. Um and uh yet there's this very palpable impatience with going through the painstaking process of talking about legal issues. And so the superintendent has proposed something here that would create some discipline in the process because it puts it back in the 9310 context and the the committee. In fact, it's really overwritten, but it's okay. You know, the committee actually can't do anything um except uh uh come up with ideas and and share them with the superintendent and the staff and then the superintendent and staff figure out what, if anything, they want to do about it. And the board um that nothing's going to happen without the board knowing about it. And if if the what will be the real test of the efficacy of this is whether or not the board
345actually wants to go through the effort of understanding what the committee proposes um with the support of the board council. Um but this doesn't even let this committee come up with any proposed revisions. This this only excuse me. We are trying to have a conversation and you guys you're elevating your voice. I'd like to give you one more one warning. Um, per bylaw, we and per California law, disruptions to the meeting, you get one warning and then I can ask you to leave. So, we're trying to conduct a meeting. Please lower your voices or step outside. Thank you. That's your last warning. >> So, you know, and one of the reasons it's hard to deal with these issues is because you get um a situation where it becomes [clears throat] a um becomes a a
346unstructured public debate. But anyway, the point is the way this is written by the superintendent, this committee cannot even write a proposed revision and propose it. It has to go to the superintendent, if I am, if I'm reading it right, and to the board and say, "This is the thing that we think needs to be addressed." Um, so I think that's kind of overdone, but um I think that it's a really good idea. um then people wouldn't have to listen to me because the committee would go through the process of talking these things through and um it' be a relief for me and for others. But the only thing I would say that needs to be changed here is that everywhere where it says bylaw, it should say bylaw or policy because 9310 covers both
347bylaws and policies. And in fact, 9310 actually covers policies and then it has a subprovision in it that says the same procedure for amending policies applies to bylaws. And so um uh we're making the tail wag the dog um because it's really policies that are covered by 9310. >> Thank you, Member Hills. Um >> if I might respond um um I want to um clarify that this committee would be reporting to the board, not to the superintendent and the staff. So it doesn't come I'm not a gatekeeper of what this committee decides and brings back. It comes back to here. That is that is a clarification. A second point in um affirming what um Trustee Hills has just said, this is intentionally designed to keep this committee from uh getting into the work of individual
348policies and bylaws and um rewriting or negotiating them in an ad hoc committee. The reason for that is because you have a policy or you have a bylaw 9310 that is established to do that before the full board and before the community. So it is intended not to create a sort of shadow ad hoc committee that does that work um separately. So it's the the design um it's it's not a flaw it's a design um the way this is structured. And the final point is I completely uh agree with what Trusty Hills has said around the need to revise this to include policies. That's an omission or an error on my part that uh is could be corrected in the motion. If I can add with all respect, I actually brought this idea forward because
349of the conditions of our meetings and because of how I do believe that our discussions on policy and bylaw does create a lot of chaos. I know that I've sat in many by bylaw and policy meetings with member with um past member um Brown who's in the audience where it was in the boardroom at the district office. It was open to the public. They went through policies and had blocks of policies that they worked on, which before I saw this, that was kind of more what I had in mind. And with all respect, I thought the perfect people for it would be um Dr. Malchesky and member Hills because of the fact that they both are very passionate and knowledge knowledge knowledgeable about policy and have a passion and are are concerned with some of
350the processes that member Mount Dr. Malesky has mentioned. I thought that this would be a really great opportunity to take some of this pre this work ahead of time and work it out on what policies need to be addressed, how we need to address them, and then bring them back to the board. This is a little different than what I thought, but I will follow your guidance um if this is what you think is best or if the board would like to amend the motion. Um but I think out of respect for you, I think this is something that he would began great for. >> President Morgan, excuse me. What you're asking me to do is to sit in a subcommittee meeting with Mr. Hills on a regular basis. And with all due respect to
351Mr. Hills intellect, he and I agree on nothing about the bylaws. So the request is that I duke it out with him for hours, hours, because we see how these conversations go and he and I simply do not have the same conception of board governance. And then we're supposed to come to the board and I'm supposed to do that again. That is a really bad waste of my time. It is just not a good use of my time. And that has nothing to do with Mr. Hills. It just has to do with how we spend our time and what's efficient. If we're going to have to come to the board and have those same conversations all over again, why would I do it in a subcommittee meeting? >> The idea would be that you would
352have legal counsel on the committee. You would have the superintendent on the committee. Um, and that's the extent of it. And the whole idea is to avoid the chaos that has been created on the board by taking it into the preliminary form forming and discussions of the policies and then bringing them to the board because the goal is to minimize the chaos. That was very clear in all of the comments that were made in public comment over who should be president or clerk. And here's an opportunity that I think would be great to help minimize some of that so that we can keep moving forward with policy because it is our obligation as a board to review our policies to update our policies and to keep them current with the changing in of education with
353the changing of our times with new rules and laws and regulations. This is exactly what you've been arguing about and saying that we need less chaos. It's the things that you question the most and so I think it's a great opportunity. >> No, I'm asking you to be a part of a committee that's that's coming together. >> I'm happy to discuss meeting. >> We do have this committee. Is there anyone else that would like to serve on the committee? >> Well, we didn't vote on whether we should have the committee. >> Okay. So, we need a motion for the committee. >> That we approve this with the change of adding policy in. And um uh I move that um uh well um I I move that we I I think the superintendent has done a
354really good job here on creating something that creates a a disciplined process and um so I I I move that we approve it and I'm willing to and interested in serving on it. >> Okay. We need a second member of this committee. Is anyone else interested? De Jim? No. Okay. Do we need two when we need two people on the committee? [laughter] >> This is like when I didn't get picked for basketball. >> We're um consulting with council here. Just a moment. >> Okay. >> Um um Mr. Danfor believes you can do it with one. So um if clerk kills is willing to serve then. So what perks is going to go through all the bylaws and policies and write a report to the board? >> And write a report to the board on what
355I recommend. >> No. >> Right. >> No. No. That is not what your motion says. Uh your motion says, and I won't repeat the whole thing, but it is to look at the overall organization and clarity of your board policies and bylaws, alignment with CSBA models and legal requirements, board's ongoing cycle for how you look at these, including the questions that you've raised around um do these happen in this meeting, do they happen in a policy workshop, in what organ order are they considered? Um that is the scope of this committee. Again, it is intentionally written not to create a shadow group that allows a subset of the board to go through your policies and start amending them without the public process that is required in 9310. >> So, member Meski, I'd like to offer
356it to you again. >> No. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Yeah. I think um I I would recommend if you want to do uh something different, you need different motion than what I've provided you here, but you have a you have a motion has been made. So >> it's seconded if I >> Oh, I I'll second it. >> Question. Can we add a member later? >> Thank you. Um, yes, I think so. The board just needs to formally do that. Yeah, you can't um kind of um uh appoint one unilaterally as president or somebody just show up. The board together needs to decide who that member is. >> Can we appoint can we ask if executive cabinet would be interested? >> Executive cabinet meaning my cabinet. >> Anybody? Yeah. as a
357second person. I think the concern >> I think the concern I think the concern is that there's um >> some mal intent and there's not and I think if there's two then that would hope I'm trying to find a way >> well I'm trying to find a way to work with you to help you ease your concern that there's some that there's going to be a runaway or this or that or >> misinterpreting my comments. I >> misunderstanding not misinterpreting. >> Yeah. I I mean I don't need to say anymore. I I am perfectly fine working with Mr. Hills, but we don't agree on these things and I'm going to have to have the same conversation in the board. It's not a great use of time. >> Well, but I don't think I think the
358whole idea >> there's no argument here. I'm just telling you I have no ill intent. I I don't believe there's any ill intent. I'm not criticizing Mr. Hill. I just simply don't think it's a good use of my time to work on this committee and then do it again in the board. I'm not interested in doing that. >> Okay. And with respect again the goal is so that what happens here in the boardroom such as this evening does not continue. >> I get it. >> So that means that you are relinquishing the opportunity to do the work ahead of time. >> I Yes, I >> and so if you're >> Do you want me How many time How many ways should I say this? >> I'm just making sure that you thought that's all that
359I've get presented it to you in all the different options. >> You did move the agenda. >> Okay. So we have a second. All in favor for member Hills to be the um first position A with the ad hoc uh governance ad hoc committee and the formation of the committee. All in favor? >> I John. Yay or no? Nay. >> Oh sure. >> 5 0. Thank you. Next item is item 10F. Setting meeting dates, times, and place for 2026. The proposed schedule of the 2026 board meeting dates listed below are for the board of education to review and discuss for approval by a board majority vote. The dates in pink are added dates for board to consider to add five as needed scheduled dates for governance, bylaw, policy, and other topics. The open session will
360be scheduled for six o'clock. Closed sessions and study sessions will be scheduled as needed. Regularly scheduled meetings will be held at Thirstston Middle School Library, 2100 Park Street, Lagouna Beach, California. We just did the regular meeting. >> Anything that they want to schedule regularly includes the additional five. >> Yeah, we need to finish this conversation and then we can with all the meetings at the same time. And um madam chair um we have discovered that there is on May 20th um where there's the elementary recognition event we have a another event that conflicts with that that night that we found. So this uh in terms of the staff recommendations you see that one's got the double asterisk by it to say that was a recommended addition. We'd like to strike that and instead add June
3613. >> June 3rd >> as a recommended elementary recognition event meeting >> with the secondary recognition on January on June 4th. >> June 4th. Yes. So elementary on June 3rd and and secondary on June 14th >> and then the items in pink, those can also be at the district office. Is that correct? If they're okay. Okay. Were there and then what is the process? You'll have to remind me please that we're do you want to go through these date by date of saying yes or no or are we looking to say how many are we adding? >> Yeah, you you can do it however you'd like. Um we have u Victoria I should say has put together this with the black ones were the close to the regular meeting dates you have before you have
362the ones with asterisks by it. Um, former President Perry asked us to add five more dates. Those are the double asterisks. That's what we did there. And then there are some other dates that were added as well for you to consider. And so you can adopt the meeting schedule that you had before. You can adopt the meeting schedule with the with the five additional recommended dates. You can adopt it with all of these dates. You can do any of those things you want. I think the whole point of this was because we've had need for special meetings because policy has been entangled with our regular business meeting has created some of the chaos and so the idea was to add these dates so that we can pull the policy work out as well as the
363governance committee pull the policy work out have them have their own special meeting so that it's already in the calendar so people can plan ahead so we're not um having situations like we did before where we were trying to get a meeting after a November meeting and the only and there was no opportunity to get everyone together for um seven weeks. Um I think member Malchesky and Dr. Kelly were very busy and so this is an opportunity to have these dates in the calendar. That way they're public. That way they're known. And if someone can't attend, it is not because there's some conspiracy that we're trying to meet together without the rest of the board. It's just a board member can't attend because these are already on the schedule. >> Confused about these dates. You
364said there were five extra meetings and they were in pink. But in pink, I see one, two, three, four, five. six, seven, >> if I may. >> Yeah. >> The ones that are recommended have the double asterisk by them. The ones in pink are new, >> potential new. So, the ones that we re that we recommended adding, if you're going to add five more, have the double. >> Oh, so if they don't have a double star, it means that they're they've been proposed, but they're not the ones that you recommend. >> Correct. >> So, I would like to say um about these recommended dates. You may not realize this, but there's a blockout period for um meetings and sports the two weeks when you leave school because kids have to be here all summer to
365do sports. And so if you do Thursday, June 18th, I have a high school kid next year who will be playing sports, it means, you know, like that's my only two weeks of the summer that I can go on vacation because there's a blackout. So we usually do not have board meetings then. It's typical that boards don't meet. They only meet once in December. You only meet once in June and July. That's um fairly regular setup. Uh we were asked to add five more dates. So, >> you're asking you're adding a group. >> You're uh the board is free to add them whenever you wish. >> Where is the When is the um I'm familiar with blackout I mean I've got four kids that have played sports all over the place. Um, and I'm familiar
366with a blackout period in August um, for sports prior to the start of the school year, but I'm not, excuse me, but I'm not familiar with the blackout period in June. Can we get legal or not legal, but is there some ED code statue on that? >> Every district chooses their own. Ours is June after school ends for two weeks. >> Okay. >> So June 13th, we graduate the 11th and >> so it's that next two weeks. >> Okay. So, we probably should strike then. >> Well, and we have had like last year, one of our board members brought that up and could not come during that time. >> Well, I think it's >> I think we should just go through and have each person tell the meetings they can't come to and see if
367we have enough that everybody can come to. >> Well, I think we need five to add. That was what was recommended was and requested was to add five and then I think if there's I mean we can approve all of them and then cancel as needed too. >> I I actually we're we're assuming that it's a good idea to add five meetings and like I really find it deeply problematic. We waste an incredible amount of time at these meetings. These meetings don't have to be eight hours long. We have had meetings that go on and on and we're inefficient. And then you're saying, "But we want to do another eight hour meeting." I mean, if if we were efficient and actually did what we were supposed to do in a meeting, we wouldn't need any
368extra meetings. So, it is just such a waste of the of time for people in the community, for teachers, for the staff who have to plan all these meetings. It is craziness. It's one thing to set aside a couple of dates and say we may need a special meeting and then it's there, but to just add all these meetings to the calendar when we're not actually efficiently running meetings doesn't seem like a great idea to me. >> Thank you for your comment. Um the floor recognizes member Hills. >> Yeah, I'm kind of getting tired of the suggestion that um you know there's some standard or model for what's a good meeting and what's not a good meeting. Um, nobody likes long meetings, but um, it's structural and it's also uh, what it is, it's been
369it's been institutionalized. Um, there's and one of the things that we're trying to do this week, um, this meeting tonight could have been a lot longer if we hadn't split it up into two meetings. And we and we had a good discussion at the agenda planning meeting with um, uh, Dr. glass about the fact that um there's a a duality um where you you have board meetings and you have board agendas that are basically staff driven and then you have other board meetings and other board agendas that are basically board member driven. And what we do is we put them all in the same in the same pot. And it creates competition for time and resources uh between the uh staff driven and the and the meetings that are in the voice of the uh
370elected u members of the board and the voice of the staff. So we're trying to uh develop a model and Dr. Glass pointed out that at the last district where he was superintendent, they did that. They understood this structural problem. So, a lot of what you're complaining about is um is is been institutionalized and is structural, and we got to figure out how to deconstruct it so we can have meetings that are more efficient and um and don't take so much time because it it's a it's a this this problem that we're having is a creation of the board itself. >> Thank you, member Hills. So, I'd like to um recommend that we go through and and find these five dates. If there is a dark period in June, then I think we should um
371not consider those dates that would coincide with that >> and I >> I'm going to be out of country and I will not be available for 27 >> what month? >> May, June 4th, June 8th, and June 3rd. All the rest of them are open. >> Yeah. I'll say that again. >> Available on the 28th. I'll just give mine not available. >> Okay, hang on. So Jim, you're not available on the 27th. >> The 27th. June 4th. June 3rd. June 4th or June 8th. >> June 3rd. We don't have a June 3rd. >> Yeah, we added that. Uh we just added it. >> Oh, right, right, right. Okay. Sorry, sorry. Sorry. Okay. But that's a recognition. So that would I mean, as much as I know you have to be there, that would be okay.
372>> I'm just letting you know that that week I'm gone. Okay. Would you how would it be acceptable to have those June 3rd and 4th? >> I think it's all fine. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you so much for your cooperation. >> Um D, you have you had mentioned something about a trip to my niece and nephew. Um I won't be gone April 6 and April April 5th and 6 and 27 28 >> May 27th and 28th and because we already took off May 26th. >> Yes. They made it June 3rd. >> Okay. So those those four dates >> May 27th or 28th you said, right? >> Right. >> Okay. Um is the 27th theater performance Elm O27? Is that a high school? is that Elmoro has a theater performance. >> That's open house. >> Oh,
373open house. >> Okay. So, the 27th is not an option. So, if we do cut those in May, then we only have May 7th joint meeting with the city and then May 14th, a regular meeting. Um, I went through and noticed that we had two options and we only had one, two, three, one, two, three. We had four months that had two regular meetings and all the rest had one regular meeting and I think with all the work that we have to get done I think we need to have we need to uphold the idea of having adding five more. Um it sounds like everybody's good for March 2nd or February 26th. Correct. So you're recommending the 26th. So in addition to Jul J January 8th, the 22nd, the 12th, and the 26th, that gets
374the first two months taken care of. Right. >> Right. What are the dates? >> Well, the reg the proposed dates were that were that were I'm assuming because I know that you and Victoria worked through these earlier this year based on your your conference schedule. January 8th, the 22nd, and the 12th are all acceptable. February 12th are all acceptable. February 26th is added as a second as an as a second option for February. Um, which with two stars. So, we I think we should accept that. >> March 2nd. That's okay. Go ahead. >> In March, we have two March 12th and March. >> Yeah. >> March 12th and and um 26 are the two regular meetings, >> right? And if we've met the 26th, that's just two weeks later. So that if we don't do
375the second because that would be a lot right in a row, >> right? >> Is that enough? But we what we don't have is a policy. D can't be there the sixth, but we could keep the six if D if you're okay with that >> and then keep the So for April, we could keep the sixth. Oh, you recommended the 9th or the and the So the 16th is fine. April 16th. So let's back up. Um, you recommended the 9th and the 30th. So, should we go with those two and scratch the 6th and the 23rd? >> Um, the 30th. Turns out that the talent show for Elmoro is now on the 30th. >> Okay. So, keep the 23rd. So, do the 6th, the 23rd, and the 9th. Oh, no. That's that's four. Okay. So,
376do the you suggested the 9th. The regular meeting is the 16th, but one of those would be a policy. So if we add the 23rd, that gives us some flexibility because we can always cancel, right? So the So what do we say that the 9th, the 16th, and the 23rd, >> right? >> Victoria, you'll send this back out, right? >> Yes. [laughter] >> Okay. And then May 7th, we have the joint meeting with the city. May 14th is a regular meeting. So we're going to add May 20. No, we're not adding the 27th or the 28th. >> Now we have to talk about May because that's generally when we do the first meeting for the LCAP in the budget. >> Yes. So we probably need another one. >> And then June is a very tight
377timeline. So if we don't have a meeting in May, that could cause problems. >> Yes. So we have the 14th. So we need to add and the seventh is a joint meeting. So that's not really our business meeting per se. So we need to still add another day for May, >> right? >> Okay. So what if >> nobody's they've got two people gone the 27th and two people gone the 28th >> and the 27th is a theater performance some so that was out for some for something we could do May 20th. >> Let me look at the city council >> on the 20th. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. So not the 20th. What about uh the 14th? What about the like in between the 7th and the 14th? That's only a week, but
378we need another one in May. >> Well, the 7th we have the joint meeting. We could do the joint meeting and then come back up here for our regular meeting. >> That's usually pretty quick, right? >> Done it before. Have an hour with the city and then pack up and come here. Hold on. These guys need >> So for the LCAP and the budget, the May revise comes around 11th or 12th of May. Now we need some time after the 12th of May to create the LCAP and the first budget. So I mean anything before May 20th will not work possibly. >> So it can be postponed in June. We can have two meetings in June. board has to have two meetings to hear the LCAP and the budget and then in a subsequent meeting
379adopt the LCAP and a budget. So the budget and the LCAP has to be adopted by June 30th. We can probably add >> later >> or later in May. >> No, it cannot be later. >> So later between May 20th and June 30th, you have to have two meetings. We're all I know we're all getting tired. Sorry. Yeah. Okay. >> So, we have >> we already have June. >> We don't have June 3rd. Oh, June 3rd is a recognition. Okay. Well, because we could do something after that, right? That's the whole That's just elementary because last year we did all schools and we were done by 7:30 with a five o'clock start, right? And that was all and this time we're splitting it. So we could have a business meeting after that. Do either of
380those dates give you guys enough time or am I am I still are you telling me the same thing and I'm just not catching it? >> Can you share repeat that now? June >> third. >> Yes. For the first meeting. >> Uhhuh. Yes. >> Okay. So, we're going to add a business meeting after the June 3rd recognition event because that's elementary. Do we usually have more recognitions at elementary or secondary? >> Yeah, it just depends. I think either meeting is fine. >> Okay. So, we have June 3rd and June 4th and then a regular meeting on >> and the next night we're having another board meeting. Did you >> We could just do We could just add business to one of those. >> Yeah. I'm not coming two nights in a row. That doesn't >>
381Well, it's already split for recognition. >> Yeah, but you you just said you were going to add to the recognition night. I'm confused. >> Right. on the third and then another meeting on the fourth. >> Thank you, Scott. Which is just a >> The third would be the elementary recognition. The fourth would be the secondary recognition because it on the 20th. >> I see. >> And then add a board session, not a not a full agenda, but for LCAP and budget on on one of those meetings and a few other items probably. Then we have a meeting on the 8th, so it wouldn't have to be many other items. What if we do because then that the eth and then we're still outside of that dark period, right? >> Or before and but that's the
382week of graduation and promotion. So we can't have a meeting another meeting that week, >> right? No, I'm not proposing that. But I'm just saying that that fulfills the the requirement that Joan brought up of the dark time between January June 11th and so two weeks later would be the 24. No, not looking at my calendar. >> Looks like it goes through the 26th. So, the 29th is a Monday, the 30th is a Tuesday, but I would have to verify that for sure. >> Okay. Um, when are you at a tangent? Okay. >> I have to go to a wedding. >> Oh, you get to go to a wedding. Those are fun. Okay. So, June 8th is good, right? So, we're we're through June 3rd, June 4th, and June 8th. Wow. And then graduation. Then
383there's a dark period. July 16th or the 23rd. I'm moving forward to July. Um, is that enough in June? We don't we wouldn't do a policy necessary. We wouldn't do a any policy or anything like that. But then we could move into July. One in July, one in August. Do we need a second one in either of those months? >> July is really hard to get two meetings in with everybody's vacation. >> 16th or the 23rd then? Does anyone have issue with the 23rd? >> Yeah, I've checked all these the first time. Okay. So, let's do the 23rd. Okay. And then August the 13th before which is before school starts and then having one right after school starts. That's that's another one that you all have recommended. So the 13th and the 27th, September 10th
384and September 24th, 8th and the 22nd. Um the 12th or the 19th. When is Thanksgiving that year? That month? The 26th. Yeah, it's the 26th. So, the 12th and the 19th are two weeks apart, I think. Um, that's a week apart. Yep. Thank you. Okay. Well, you have both or both dates added for review. We could put both on the schedule and if we're in a good spot, we can cancel one of them. And then the December 10th regular meeting and the election is November 3rd. I think we said both in case because it's the end of the year in case there's anything that needs to be wrapped up. >> Yeah. >> And then CSBA is going to be okay. So the 12th, do we want to do the 5th and the 12th? Those are
385back toback also, which was what was proposed. And we can always cancel one if needed. And then December 10th. >> Motion to approve those dates. [laughter] >> I don't have to repeat them. Do I? >> Can we get them all printed out and go through them one more time at the next meeting just to make sure? Oh, you do. All right. >> Well, I'm not entirely clear, but I hope it works. >> Okay. So, Joan, just for what I think I have and maybe Victoria, you can look. >> Okay. So, a motion to approve the dates as listed as as agreed. How How do we need to do that? Motion to approve the dates as agreed. So, as discussed, I need a second. Thank you. So, all in favor? I Howard jump. Thank you. Okay,
386good job everyone. Um, annual reminders. Item G, 10 G. I don't know what the annual reminders are. Okay. The board of education is reminded that the district has the opportunity to oh to purchase the Aliso school property in the year 2041 for $1. The special notice to remain a part of all annual organization meetings until said purchase option is exercised or expires. A $1 bill is on file in the business office as a reminder to future boards of education. This dollar bill may be used to exercise that option in 2041. The first amendment to the option to repurchase effective December 11th, 2020 enabled the district to enable a trust account to hold that holds the deed to the property pursuant to any default by the current property owner. The district may record the deed by
387satisfying the existing loan upon any future default by the current owner. How are we recommending to proceed? I don't um I'm not clear on what >> that's all I have to do. Okay. So, this is procedural, not an action. Okay. And then resolution number one. 01-02 facility repair and replacement. The board of education is reminded that by adoption of the resolution number 0102 on February 27th, 2001, the intention and desire was to continue this program to ensure future repair and replacement of the district facil facilities. Okay. Item moving on to number item 11 a public comment items not on the agenda and within the subject matter jurisdiction of the board. Um member Hills, who's still managing the cards? Are there any comment cards? Oh, you have a new clerk. >> No, since it's since you're
388Yeah, you assume the role immediately. Yeah. Yeah. New clerk. >> Okay. >> Uh um um Warren Routtle. >> Uh hi, my name is Warren RLE and I'm a sophomore at the high school. I just want to start off by apologizing for me and my peers if we were disrupting the meeting. We don't condone that and we want to uh support a orderly meeting environment. Um so I will try and keep this as quick as I can because it's very late and um that's actually what I wanted to address. Um because I think that moving this p non-aggenda public comment section uh to the end is um an incredibly inappropriate decision. Um, I won't assume your intentions in making this move, but to me and the rest of our students and staff, it seems like an
389indirect attempt to suppress our staff's voice. Um, it also seems like a violation of their first amendment rights in freedom of speech. Um, moving the public public comment to the end forces not only them but many others to leave as these meetings run late into the night. Although it is unfair to move move the public comment portion to the end for everyone, I would like to focus on the staff and teachers. Uh we have one of the best staff in the country who worked tirelessly day in and day out to get the best for us as students. They're the backbone of our district and I know it was a long time ago now, but that what they had to do walking out um is incredibly embarrassing for this board and our district. Um I strongly
390urge you all, whoever sets the agenda, to move the public comment section to an earlier hour. So, anyone who wishes to give their input is able to. Uh, unfortunately, I find it very ironic that you are bringing up censorship within the board when you guys are actively promoting censorship towards the public and our staff. Um, I want to keep this comment centered on moving the public comment up, but I also believe that it is incredibly uh disappointing to see the reaction brought up by Miss Zuzak and Mr. Wit cop um from the teachers about the election of the new board president. Uh I think this shows a lack of proper governments and staff support within this board. Um no matter how grim it may seem, I will always continue to assume that you all have
391the best interests of our staff and student students in mind. And for that I thank you. Um I wish you all a very happy holidays to everyone here. Thank you. Dez, can you please check your email? >> Hi, my name is Simeia Sudle and I'm a sophomore at LBHS. I hope that this comment isn't too disruptive and I'm going to keep it brief as it's very late and I have a final to take tomorrow. Although I've throughout this year I've been able to see the functionality of this board and during the duration of this meeting I felt a great deal of anxiety and anticipation for the results of this election. I am sad to say that I feel extremely disappointed by the actions of this board. On behalf of my fellow peers and from what
392I've learned from the staff and teachers, the election today made me feel like it was a huge letdown. I also sincerely hope the future meetings will proceed with more decorum than they have in the past. And just as you have asked for order from us students, I ask the same from you all tonight. even though tonight you refuse to listen to us as part of the community. Thank you. >> Are there any other comment cards? >> Oh, >> please come. >> Come on up, Ka. I didn't get your card. [clears throat] >> Doing it the really cool way on my phone. The certificated classified staff who were here earlier asked me to tell the board that many of them would have liked to speak on the organizational meeting and non-aggenda public comments, but because of
393your blatant disregard for their time and participation, they had to leave in order to be ready to tackle their real jobs. They were dressed in black to show solidarity for each other and in protest of your disrespect. As for me, I noticed there's no PTA rep on your committees. How sad that fourth district PTA has forbidden LBUSD board members from informing our local PTAs with their reports. Whoever made such a stink to cause this action should be ashamed. It's pathetic. In regard to the board committees, no matter the charge, these will create nothing but a time suck for district staff and further erode teacher morale due to the board members who are involved. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Okay. and I'll try to make sure we don't go to midnight. Um,
394so I just wanted to mentioned that I'm well aware that the uh school board has every right to put the agenda or open comments at the end of the agenda, but it also has the right to kind of put it wherever it's needed and it doesn't have to be in one block. So, I do think there's an opportunity to maybe have an earlier block that is, you know, maybe a very short amount of time, but available for our students and our staff so they're not here so late. Um, and allow them to have some comments and then if there's anyone who, you know, extra toward the end could do that. So, I think there's an opportunity to still give uh meet the needs of um our students and staff. Thank you. Thank you for your
395comment. Are there any other comments from the community? Okay. Okay. Then our next regular scheduled meeting is a special meeting next Tuesday on the 16th at 6 o'clock here in the boardroom. We have an agenda coming soon. Is there an agenda planning? Is there an agenda coming? Is there Yeah, we're 24 hours. Okay. Um and then the last item is adjournment. I need a motion to adjurnn. Oh, I'm sorry. Member member Hills. >> Folks, we're um expressing the desire to have the um insurance premium issue on an agenda as soon as possible. I don't know if it's possible to add that to the agenda for the 16th, but um they certainly seem to be interested in that. Um and so I just thought I'd comment on that. And then also uh before either now or
396in discussion of a motion to adjurnn, I have one statement I wanted to make for the record. Um uh because of some of the things that were said tonight, I want to emphasize or go on the record. Number one, um bylaw 9005 is aspirational. It's not mandatory. And some people have fallen into the habit of reading 9005 as if it was a mand set of mandates. It's purely aspirational. It's like the protocols of the board that are uninforcable and and aspirational. Number one. Number two, when I I I checked on this before uh tonight. When a board member is addressed by a member of the public and that member of the public states um or attempts or purports to state what the board member does know or should know, the board member has a right
397um to clarify for the record that statements attributed to him or positions attributable to him or her uh are not correct as a matter of record. And so, um, I didn't interfere with anybody's, uh, first amendment rights or any other rights by, uh, correcting the record that had indicated that I was in agreement with a legal position that I wasn't in agreement with. So, I just wanted to state that for the record.