001That's what I That's what I thought. Virginia, right? I like presid. [Music] >> Good evening. I'd like to call our meetings this uh evening to order. Um, we'll uh rise for the pledge. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I'd like to ask board members to review the consent agenda items. Making a note of what is there. And seeing no one wishing to pull any consent agenda items, just checking. Uh then we'll uh proceed to approval of the meeting agenda. >> I'll make the motion to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second to approve the September 22nd 25 2025 regular board meeting is presented. Any discussion?
002Seeing none, all in favor of approving the agenda, raise your hand. Any opposed? All right, motion carried. Do we have an approved agenda? Uh that brings us to our first opportunity for public comment. And um uh before I read my remarks, I just want to thank you all for the very orderly meeting we had last time. I'll read this again and then in future I'll just read a uh a much abbreviated version of this um just to uh just to jog your memories but uh again I appreciate your cooperation. Uh so um according to our uh board policy uh we ask that individuals addressing the board uh state their name, address and or group affiliation. That they should direct all comments to the board not staff or other participants. That they shall not make personal
003attacks against a school board member uh or school district employee by name. They shall be limited to 3 minutes duration and shall not speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard. This portion of the meeting shall be limited to 30 minutes, but the time frame will be extended if necessary so that no one's right to address to address the board uh will be denied. And we did um I did make some remarks last time about disruptions in meetings. So, but I'll just make it shorter. Um our policy states that individuals addressing the board must take into consideration the rules of common courtesy. Public comment should not be used to make personal attacks against a school board member or school district employee by
004name. However, you may name a school board member in reference to his or her actions as a board member in a public meeting. Therefore, attacks or criticism for board members personal choices outside a meeting or other aspects of their personal lives are off limits and will constitute disorderly speech. Remember, you are addressing the president of the board and not other members of the public or district staff. So, yell at me. I'll be listening intently and I will thank you for your comment. Additionally, public comment does not exist for non-members to get into sparring matches with each other and attack each other or engage in endless retorts. Such comments will be considered out of order. Any outbursts or attempts to interrupt a speaker while that person is making use of his or her three minutes before
005the board will resent, excuse me, will result in the offending party being asked to leave. Um, our policy states that the presiding officer may request any individual to stop speaking and or leave the meeting when that person behaves in a matter in a manner that is disruptive and may request the assistance of law enforcement in the removal of a disorderly person. Accordingly, applause, whooping, cheering, booing, or other demonstrations will no longer be allowed. Thank you for attending our meeting. Thank you for your engagement. Thank you for your patience since I can't speak tonight. And thank you for your cooperation. Come on up. My name is Diane O' Connor. I vote, pay taxes, and live in Alpena. Today, I would like to talk about clapping. Clapping is a universal symbolic action that typically expresses approval. Although
006not absolute, clapping is a protected first amendment right as a form of symbolic speech. This right is protected when it is not and disruptive and does not prevent a body from conducting its business. Governing bodies can place reasonable restrictions on clapping to prevent substantial disruption at a public meeting. The operative words being substantial obstruction. However, an outright ban on clapping violates the First Amendment. Up until one week ago, clapping was a regular occurrence at these meetings and could not have been argued as being substantially disruptive. To my knowledge, this has been standard practice for decades. I'm saying this because I do plan to exercise my First Amendment rights this evening. If I clap, it is to show support for statements made to this board from this podium. My clapping will commence when the speaker concludes
007her comments and will conclude prior to the next speaker reaching the podium. This has been standard practice and could not with any measure of reason be considered as substantially disruptive. I notice there are deputies here tonight. I'm very relieved to see them because a speaker at the last general meeting made a threatening statement to the audience which was substantially disruptive. I was frightened at the things he said. Ironically, this person was not asked to leave the room nor was he removed. He was allowed to stay in the room for the remainder of the meeting. So, I'm glad the officers are here. But if the officers are directed to remove me from this room for clapping, I would hope they do not oblige as I will have broken no laws, have not threatened anyone, and have
008only exercised my First Amendment rights in a universally accepted manner, and I will not be disruptive to the process of the meeting. If the officers are ordered to remove me from this meeting and they do oblige, I would think the optic optics of forcibly moving an LOL wouldn't be great. I would suggest the sledgehammer approach of using law enforcement from to remove anyone from an open meeting would be reserved for individuals who are actually disruptive or threatening. But just in case I end up in jail, I hope I don't, I have come prepared for an overnight stay, brought my toothbrush. Just uh just to be clear, um clearly we have a different uh idea of what constitutes disruption. Robert's rules um gives a council the right to uh keep order in its meetings. Um accordingly
009uh the guidance is uh that the councils can prevent people from those kinds of outbursts and disruptions. Um so we'll certainly be looking into this. I don't want to uh come down on anybody really hard. I'm trying to, you know, get us to a point where we can have civility in order. Um, if you think about it, you'll recognize that uh constant clapping after many, many repetitive comments uh drags the meeting out unnecessarily and doesn't really contribute anything to the con to the uh to the uh uh the content, I guess, is what I'm trying to say. Um, so anyway, I I ask that you do abide by our policy and that uh we can have a nice orderly meeting uh where everyone gets to speak. Uh that is I I'm sure you'll notice that
010is my priority um not to silence anyone. So I I hope you will again abide by our uh new guidelines. Appreciate it. Next person please. >> There's two cameras down live. >> Oh um yes. Um I've been asked to acknowledge that we have two cameras on the live feed that are down. Uh so um I guess that represents a little bit of a curtailing of the normal coverage. Yeah. of the meeting >> working. >> Yeah. >> Video is audio audio should be working just fine. Yes. Okay. Just uh acknowledging that. Thank you. Yes. Good evening. >> Okay. My name is Vicky Lindsay. I'm a retired teacher. Um live in Alpena, vote in Alpena, and pay taxes in Alpena. I'd like to ask for a moment of silence for all APS students who suffer from food
011insecurity, homelessness, and all conditions outside of their control. Thank you. I want to address some recent conversations about test scores, specifically the MSTEP, and the concern that these results warrant greater micromanagement of our schools. I'd like to offer some context and perspective as a former Title One teacher the last three years of my career. The NSTEP is a once a year assessment. It provides a snapshot, not a full picture. Meanwhile, educators are doing the real dayto-day work of identifying and supporting students who are struggling. Classroom teachers, title one staff, and principles collaborate regularly using data from NWA and Dibbles assessments. Tests that give us more timely, actionable information to make sure students who need extra help are identified early and receive that support. This is thoughtful, targeted, and ongoing work. It does not need to
012be micromanaged. It needs to be trusted and supported. I was also deeply concerned to hear a board member refer to students who are not proficient on state tests as lowhanging fruit. That kind of language is not only inappropriate, it is dehuman humanizing. These are children. Many are facing barriers far beyond the classroom. According to the kids count in Michigan data in Alpena County, 61.6% of K12 students are economically disadvantaged. Only 32.6% 6% of our three and four year olds are enrolled in preschool and 19.6% of children under 18 live below the poverty line. This is the context our educators work in every single day, not just MSTEP day. Speaking negative negatively about certain schools, its educators or its students doesn't move us forward. It undermines morale, erodess trust, and does a disservice to the professionals
013who are showing up every day to do this hard and necessary work. If we truly want to improve outcomes for our students, we must invest in early childhood education, expand support services, and create environments where educators are empowered, not micromanaged, to do what they know works. I urge you to reconsider your priorities. Our students don't need more policies. They need meaningful academic support, engaged families, and a school board that puts learning first. Let's commit to solutions grounded in reality, compassion, and collaboration. That's how we best serve our kids. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate your comments. And I'd like to remind everyone your first amendment bit, your first amendment bit is why you're speaking in that 3 minutes. Uh we don't infringe upon your three minutes. That's what it's there for. Um, again, please
014do not disrupt our meeting. Thanks for coming. >> My name is Barb Bish. I live in the city of Alpena. I own property here. I pay taxes here. I vote here. And I have grandchildren who attend Alpena public schools. At last month's board meeting, there were three out oftowner town carpet baggers who spoke multiple times during public comment. One of them spewed threats to the galley and hate speech against our h our trans students, which happened again last week at the workshop. Data shows that not all trans people are mentally ill, and most don't need to be in special ed. Not one board member stopped this hate speech or the threats. Dr. Lawson, you are the president of the board at Community Mental Health, and in that position, I know that you are trained and
015know that your views that their views were incorrect. This hate speech is demeaning and humiliating to that group of students. As president of the board, you had a responsibility to stop that speaker, but I watched you nod your head in agreement. Bullying trans students and threatening the galley is wrong. This disruption it c the disruption it caused was because you didn't stop the speaker. Had you stopped it, the audience would have clapped for you. A short clapping is just a sign of agreeing with a speaker or the board and not a form of disruption. It's a first amendment right. Children learn prejudice and bullying behaviors from parents, grandparents, adults, and yes, people in power. You are setting an example for our students. These students are listening and watching you demean and humiliate them or allowing
016it to happen. A person in power once mocked a disabled reporter. Merryill Street said, and I quote, "Disrespect invites disrespect. Violence incites violence. And when the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose. Let's do better." Board needs to move on to their main goal of improving education for our students. During the workshop, Mary gave a financial update. She stated that if the state does not approve the budget with the current finances, school lunches can be provided until the end of October and that the school can pay salaries and other expenses until the end of the year. Mary said maintenance and school supplies will need to be reduced if bud budgets aren't approved. At the end of the workshop meeting, Dr. Lawson decided to have Coleman review the social media policy. A couple
017board members asked if the legal review was necessary, but a decision was made to have Coleman review the policy. Now, I don't know if that was done, but anytime you call attorneys, the clock starts at 275 an hour. That would have fed quite a few students. With unknown state and federal budgets in limbo, this is not the time to be wasting taxpayer dollars. The board should be cutting their expenses. So classroom supplies and school lunches are not cut. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate your comments. And again, I ask you to abide by our guidelines and uh restrain yourselves, please. Thank you. Uh who's next? I'm Yvonne Johnson. I live, pay taxes, and vote in Alpena Township. I spoke last Monday about hate speech from an outside agitator during the August 25th meeting and from
018a local resident during that same meeting. Those speakers shared bigoted rhetoric about vulnerable children, the young people that you promised to serve when you took office. I'm horrified that the board and the board president have not yet denounced that bigotry. To some, these may be just a few words. No big deal, right? However, the consequences of bigotry and the violence that can come from dehumanizing people with whom we disagree was tragically apparent on September 10th in Utah. It's important for all of us to remember the weight that our words carry. That said, I truly appreciate your time and your service on the board. It is time consuming and it's a substantial responsibility. I realize that. I also realize feedback from the community can be difficult to hear. A few board members have complained about feeling
019personally attacked or harassed when community members challenge your words or your decisions. However, holding you accountable for your public words and actions is not a personal attack. You became public figures when you took office. I realize it's a heavy yoke. It's heavy because you make decisions that affect the children of our community. You spend our tax dollars and you steer the future of our community. Yet, you opened yourselves to public scrutiny and to comment when you became elected officials. That's a choice you made. You ran for the nonpartisan board of ed on the promise to serve all students. As a taxpayer and a voter, it's my responsibility to hold you to your promise. So respectfully, if feedback from the community is too tough for you to handle, please consider stepping down from the board because
020it's accountability, not harassment, when members of the public question or criticize the board's decisions. If you do something that violates your duty and your campaign promise to serve all APS students, expect to be held accountable. If you do something in a public meeting that's a conflict of interest or violates your professional obligations, expect to be held accountable. If you allow hate speech that harms some students, expect to be held accountable. And if you can't handle the accountability of being a public figure, again, respectfully, please step down. >> Thank you very much. And again, I've already asked you, please be respectful of this body uh and uh refrain from outbursts uh after public comment. Who's next? My name is Carol McCay. I'm a retired special education teacher/administrator. I'm a taxpayer and I live in the city
021of Alpena and a grandparent of students that attend APS. At a recent board meeting, a comment was made that transgender students should be removed from the general education classroom because they are emotionally impaired. For the record, special education is a service, not a location where you just dump kids. The idea individual's disability education act and the section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 are the laws that provide the outline for the process of identifying disabilities and what districts are required to provide by law. In Michigan, the process begins when a request for an evaluation is given to the district in writing suspecting a disability. The district then has a a 10-day time frame or a reasonable time frame to respond to determine if a full evaluation is needed. Parent permission is required for this
022process to happen. The district then has 30 school days to fully evaluate with a team of professionals. That team of professionals include parents, teachers, psychologists, therapists, and administrators. At the team meeting, results are given and eligibility is determined. Parents do have the right to have anyone they choose in attendance for that meeting to help represent their interest. If eligibility is determined, an IEP, an individual education plan, or a 504 plan may be written. The federal and state laws require that the disability must adversely impact the child's education, academic performance, and/or adversely limit one or more major life activities. When confirmed in writing, measurable goals and timelines and services are specifically outlined in the plan by the evaluation team and the parents and members involved. There are 13 disability categories outlined by Michigan state and federal
023laws to determine eligibility. Transgender or LGBTQ students do not repeat strictly by based solely on their transgender status qualify. It is not recognized as a disability or an emotional impairment by law. However, they may qualify for services if they meet criteria under the of any of the other categories. The law that protects LGBTQ students is the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act that focuses on anti-discrimination rather than disability based services. Removal from general education would be a violation of a trans students rights. The McKini Vento Homeless Assistance Act protects homeless students in shelters and migrant students or ESL students. These are our most vulnerable children. >> Thank you very much. That's our three minutes. Appreciate your comments. Who's next? And again, you know, the board is doing its best to show respect to you all. Make
024sure that you have adequate time for your comments. Please show the board a little respect as well. Thank you. Who's next? Good evening. My name is My name is Bruce Heath and I live in Oenik. I own properties in the Alpena Township and the Sandborn Township and in Alpena and I vote. I've lived here 21 years and my youngest went through most of the Alpena public schools and ACC and I've watched the decline of the performance of Alpena public schools over the years. Michigan is the 44th lowest rated state and um the comments that are made here are um people claim that they're um what's the right term? Nonpartisan. Well, I'll tell you this is the last place that is nonpartisan right now. So, the comments that come that are even led by a Democratic
025operative in the area, uh they they've done a good job of trying to influence the board and um maybe intimidate you by all their uh talking. And I'd like to thank the school board members for their time. You guys get no enumeration to do your job. You volunteer in your time. And I think it's unconscionable that the members of this board have to put up with harassment at their jobs, their businesses, their relatives business, their family, their children, their grandchildren, their business license, and public slander to boot. The APS system of harassing students and parents is just what the board members experience. Unless you're on the liberal side. You wonder why you never have a parent or a student come here and complain the heat that they're getting here. Imagine what a parent would get.
026Imagine how that child would be bullied in this school. There's your sign. So, there are no partisans in this arena today for public schools. And uh the teachers have come up here and said that DEI needs to continue in the schools. And I've heard up here from the school board, oh no, oh no, we don't teach DEI or CRT or SEAL here, but the teachers want it continued. So I'd like to know how that is. Thank you for your time. Thank you for your comments. Who's next? Good evening. My name is Michael Kramer. Besides paying a lot of taxes, I live in Alpena. I love this place. But I have some things I'd like to address. First of all, I'm very responsible person. I raised six children. They're very responsible kids. They're doing very well.
027They're adults now. And I am only here because I'm concerned about the children. As I expressed the last time, it's getting hard to find kids that know how to do anything. They can't do anything without their telephone. So, I'm very concerned about things like AI. Teaching kids uh is the most important thing. And it's personto person. You got to teach them how to do things. I'm here concerned about uh the LGBTQ plus uh issues that are in the school mainly because of the children. Uh as I expressed, these children should be under psychiatric and medical condition. mainly because the puberty brocking drugs that they start them on are GNR agonists, Luprin, tryptoin, superfast, cinifol and zolax. These drugs rapidly age the body. They cause severe permanent crippling of side effects including severe bone loss, pain,
028soft tissue damage, severe hormonal disruption, sexual dysfunction, psychiatric issues, cognitive impairment, cancer, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders. The hormone blockers in transgender, it's just it blocks, it slams everything in their body. they stop developing and it freezes much of it permanently. So, I just think that we're doing a tremendous disservice to our children by treating this like it's just a choice. It's not. It's confusion on these children's part and they need to have medical and psychiatric care. It may be nutritional like you're mentioning that the children in this county are not getting good nutrition that can stem a lot of these issues, but we have to stop treating it as a child choice issue. It's not. The people that recommend these drugs readily admit that they don't know what they're doing. This is all new and
029that they're confused about the whole issue. Why are people pushing this? But the most important thing is once your your hormone systems frozen, you may going into transition, but you can't be a male or a woman. You are an it. Now, what in the heck are we doing allowing this to be something that the children get to choose? This is insanity and I think we should stop it and act like adults. Thank you very much. >> Thanks for your comments. Oh, cuts both ways, folks. Thank you. Who's next? >> Seeing no further public comment, I'll remind you we do have another session later uh at the end of the meeting. Um but we'll proceed for now. Thank you all very much for your comments. That brings us uh to our action items. Um the next
030one uh being the approval of consent agenda items. >> I move we approve the consent agenda items as listed. >> Support either one from New York or >> lots of choice as as to a second. Great. Thank you. Thank you all. Um we typically don't by its very nature we don't discuss the consent agenda. So uh I will just ask for a show of hands. Uh if you approve of the consent agenda any opposed all right motion carried. Thank you very much. Um moving along to old business. Uh that uh brings us to the uh the Lara delegation of school plan review and inspection. And uh [Music] that's in your Well, I'm not Yep, there it is. It's a little further back than I thought, but it's in your packet. >> Yep. And just an
031annual process that we have to go through um designating with each of the townships and local bodies um related to um licensing and regulatory affairs. >> Do we need a motion to approve this or >> Yes. Yes. Uh and you would it would be a motion to um >> sign it. Um, I will make a motion to Are you good? >> Okay. Make a motion to uh approve and sign the Lara 202526 delegation of the school plan review and inspection documents. >> Wonderful. >> Will you finish? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And so we already have a second. Uh, all right. Uh, very eager tonight. This is wonderful. Um, is there any further discussion? Any discussion of the motion to approve the uh Laura delegation? >> I see Dave's got his email right. >> Yeah,
032I got check. I got changed. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> All right. Discussion. No. All right. Um unless anyone would like to request a roll call. Uh I will ask for a show of hands in support of the motion. Thank you. Any opposed? All right. Motion carried. Then uh that brings us to uh item number three, finance and operations related items. Uh beginning with the snow plowing and uh removal bid. Simon, you're up. >> Yes. this our three-year renewal, well, two-year renewal, the option third year for our snow removal contracts for the upcoming seasons. So, did everybody have a chance to review the in the bid tab? Um, we received three bids. Um, we did receive bids for each and every building. Um, they are the same contractors that we used last
033year. uh all bid to the same buildings they were doing in the previous contract. So um very happy with each of their services. Um we do have one slight change. Um we did get a couple of bids. A cut above did bid on salt for their buildings that um that they would be doing. Um I would like to use them to do salting instead of the um liquid chloride. A little bit cheaper overall. So, >> I was curious, Simon, who does the measuring of the snow? >> Who does the me? Well, I give them a highlighted plan. So, you know, these are the areas that I want plowed. >> No, no. I meant the the rates are different for two, four, six. >> Two to four. >> It's per kind, you know, >> cuz it's
034like fishing. Everybody's ruler is different. >> Exactly. it. It's I keep track of it. >> Okay. I just curious if it was your or if they're saying, "Hey, we plowed 2 inches today." >> They've been all They're pretty uh what's the word is, you know, accurate when they measure. I when I check the bills, uh they're pretty accurate. Okay. We don't >> I'm just curious about that one. >> We do get a few time there's times where we get in, you know, we get an inch or we get they do plow. I mean, >> yeah. >> Or if we call them in or I'll make the call to have them plow if we need to. So it's >> just even sometimes from one end of Alpena to the other end it can be significant >>
035right >> and that's why it's you know it's on on call uh you know we may not plow at Sandborn where we may plow up at Hanks. So >> I I move we accept the bids as recommended. support. >> Great. Um, it looks like we may have uh usually we have a, you know, administrative recommendation with the with the amount of the bid spelled out and things like that. Can you remind us what is what is the amount of the bid? Um, it's for a cut above the boat house and CNC uh excavating. Um, but can you give us uh some numbers? >> Yeah. Um, so CNC excavating bid on Alpena High School, uh, 2 to 4 in of snow, $2,500. 4 to 6 in, $3,500. Uh, 6 in plus, $4,500 for the high school.
036Uh, they also build on Sandborn uh at a rate of $350. Uh, then $450 for four to six and $550 for 6 in plus. Um, Wilson School, uh, $350 for two to four, $450 for four to six, and then $550 again for 6 in plus. Uh, the boat house bid on Besser School 2 to 4 in, $400, $520, 4 to6, $640 for four to six or six inches plus, I mean, excuse me. Um, they also bid on central office $350 for two to four. How How far do you want me to go? Keep going. >> Um, >> you were looking for a total, weren't you? >> Well, yeah. Yeah, but that's okay. That this is this is uh this level of detail is interesting. I appreciate it. >> Yeah. From a total, I mean, our
037total could vary from year to year. I have some, you know, some past >> It is It is on the next page, I think. It is on the next page all spread out. >> I can't read that. >> It's pretty small. >> Yeah. But I do have >> You have some historic totals. >> I have some historic totals. Um last year we spent $148,22125 on snow plowing and ice removal. Um, I mean the year prior we only spent 89,000 but we didn't get any snow. Um, and the year prior to that 22 23 we spent $125,000 $524. So um, you know, the rates are up a little bit over the past uh contract. But in the meantime, we've done a lot of parking lot renovations um that weren't factored into their bids. So in the
038original in the last contract. Well, it's very helpful. Thank you. I asked that also, not just for for the board, but for the public to to in case they're not looking at that that tiny sheet that you can't read. But anyway, thank you. Uh would the board like to hear any more on the uh snow plowing um and removal um bids? Uh hearing none, let's go ahead and roll call on that question. Member Fritz. >> I. >> Member Minhart. >> I. >> Member Cost. No, she's here. Member Hansen. >> I. >> Member Dazinski. >> I. >> Member MacArthur. >> I. >> Member Lawson. >> I. Motion carries. Thank you. >> Um, all right. And then that would that's the only snow plowing one we have right now. And then we can proceed to water filtration.
039>> Correct. Next. >> Okay. And that is um that is also in your packet. For some reason, this one's a little bit bigger, but go ahead and walk us through it. >> Um so, filter first um the Michigan Filter First law requires all schools uh to install certified lead reducing uh filters on drinking water fixtures uh by the end of the 2526 school year. So, that's the end of this school year. Um so, with that, we have a drinking water management plan. Um, this project here is uh to install uh 54 uh filtered uh stations or fixtures, I guess, fixtures with filters on them for consumption throughout the throughout the district. So, the uh the rule of thumb is like one bottle fill station per 100 students. Uh but we're also installing some filtered bubblers,
040uh filtered faucets, uh for meds distribution, things like that. So it's a this this portion of the project is a major step in that direction to get us to meet this uh the filter first law of so >> Simon. So would this cover like the sinks and like um I think it was like kink school. I know that they weren't able to use that water without boiling or >> I can't remember what it was. >> There is another portion of that we're still waiting on like the kitchen the kitchen the kitchen portion of it is is still rolling out. We're still waiting on some clarification >> um from this from the state on that but there will be a kitchen portion. >> Okay. In addition to this. >> In addition to this. Yes. >> So
041yes, currently we're still using Culligan water. Uh we're using a pure at this um you know at the tap filter faucets on at our kitchens in a couple of our buildings. So so but we're the plan will be to install a larger system that will for more volume in the kitchens. So that's that is a portion of that. >> So oh go ahead. >> Go ahead. Uh please >> the how often do the filters need to be changed Simon? Uh I believe it's once I mean once a year uh minimum or you know the the bottle fill stations have a status light so once the once the status light uh goes red then it needs to be changed so but at minimum once per year for every fixture >> and then our custodial staff is
042able the H doesn't have to be >> yeah yeah it's an easy you know spin on spinoff fix >> there is one thing in this hopefully the grant money will continue for for filters because >> are they pricey >> they are pricey Yes, >> but we're that's where we're at. We're stuck with them. So, >> okay. >> So, the uh administrative recommendation would be to award the contract to Remmer Plumbing and Heating for the supply and installation of equipment at a total cost of $133,876. >> Correct. >> I would offer that motion >> support. I just wanted to note it does say it should be noted that funding for this project will be covered 100% by the 12A Michigan Healthy Schools grant. >> Yeah, I was just going to make sure that that got clarified
043for the for the public that it's all grant funded. So, >> very good. Thank you. I appreciate that. Any further discussion hearing? None. Let's proceed with a roll call for that as well. Member Minhardt. >> I. >> Member Dazinski. >> I. >> Member Hansen. >> I. >> Member MacArthur. >> I. >> Member Fritz. >> I. >> Member Lawson. >> I. Motion carries. Um, very good. That's all you have. S. >> I will clarify for the public too as well. There's there's no issue with our water as a whole. It's this is a state legislator thing. So, >> very good. Thanks very much. All right then. Uh I believe we are clear to proceed to uh item number four policy discussion. First policy is 7544 use of social media. Um I do want to report to
044the board that we did have a discussion uh with uh Dave Coleman about this. Um his uh feeling was that the policy was fine as written. Uh the highlighted area he had no issues and believes that uh it's uh quite defensible. Uh he did have one recommendation which of course the board is free to uh adopt or disregard. Um if you look at that um page um is it the second I think it's the second page of the proposed changes uh you'll see um after the first paragraph it says expected standards of conduct on district approved social media. Then you go down to the next paragraph um after that shorter paragraph and you'll see the bold the stuff that's in bold beginning with district social media communications will strive to be respectful and etc. Um
045then go down after the bold is finished. It says the district may exercise editorial control over the style and content of student speech on district approved social media if reasonably related to legitimate pedag pedagogical concerns. Um his recommendation was uh that the uh district really needn't limit themselves and that the sentence could read the district may exercise editorial control over the style and content of student speech on district approved social media. Period. and that was his recommendation. Um, after a review of our, uh, policy policy, for lack of a better term, um, uh, the superintendent and I, uh, were looking at this earlier and, uh, we agreed that, um, the way it's written, it looks as if, uh, if you, um, have a policy and it's been on the, uh, I'm looking for my page
046here. Oh, yes, there it is. if it's been on the agenda um and no changes are made after uh that second reading, you can you can pass it uh or not. But um I want to call uh I want to highlight this uh particular uh paragraph. It's the second paragraph of uh policy 0131.1. [Music] Um those bylaws and policies which are not dictated by the statutes or rules of the state board of education or ordered by the superintendent of public instruction or a court of competent authority may be adopted, amended and repealed at any meeting of the board provided the proposed adoption, amendment or repeal shall have been proposed at a previous board meeting and once proposed shall have remained on the agenda of each succeeding board meeting until approved or rejected. uh dot dot
047dot. Um so I read that uh that if you are looking at a policy and you make yet another change uh then best practice is to leave that uh on the agenda for a future meeting. Um and also you'll be noticing that uh uh policies which we um we may not necessarily need to act on or are are prepared to act on, you'll notice they're going to stay on the agenda as a sort of a placeholder because that the way I read this is what that policy suggests as again our best practice. So, uh, with that, um, little background, I'll turn you all loose. I I think he made a good recommendation on not pigeon holing us in the end of that paragraph. We are the authority. Yes. Correct. >> Yeah. I would just move
048it to the next meeting then for a vote at the next regular meeting >> with that change. >> A couple of you um are in favor of of including this change in the next reading. >> Other comments hearing none uh we will uh bring this back to you next meeting for a second reading with that proposed change. Um that would bring us then to uh 4B policy 6320 purchasing. Um and uh would anybody like to jump into this? This is the one that Mary presented those changes to us uh in the workshop. I would open the discussion at this point. [Music] I think that's a poor idea to include that um paragraph on the second page that the highlighted portion that Mary gave us last month or last week. Um, I would much rather support
049someone locally because their taxes come here in a big way. But, but that is the issue. Um, public schools fall into a separate section of the law that specifically prohibits simply having a local preference policy. Um you can do it for past work uh you know price and value and all sorts of things but you can't select someone simply because they are the local >> now correct >> county and city governments actually can do that >> but what I was saying is I don't think we should limit ourselves in that way. I think actually I I do agree with AJ because the only thing is I understand what Mary's trying to do and what we're trying to do here, but that a business is local or geographically closer that's going to make a difference in
050price. So I don't I think this kind of is not the best idea. Well, I think the uh I think the argument might be, excuse me, that um the uh the if it is lower in price, then that bid will be the prevailing bid, I think, is my my understanding. >> But I know when we were talking about um Payne and Dolan there, how many runs it would take was not specifically included. So, it could have actually been way more expensive to go with them for the ashvault bid. So, that's I'm just saying that kind of makes it so Yeah, Eric, you had a comment. >> Yeah, just from a procedural standpoint, if just just to clarify, the proposed changes are in addition to the existing policy. If this were to vote down, it does
051not change the law. It does not change the restriction. It simply does not add this and the policy reverts to what it previously was. Correct. >> Okay. So, either way, it's not going to change. It's just whether the wording is added in or not. Would would you say that's accurate? >> Yeah, it's kind of putting a shared understanding in writing. >> Well, it still doesn't >> It doesn't change anything. Very good. >> No, it wouldn't really change anything. The idea was, I think, um, you know, as we do this work, we always have to remember there may be boards in the future um who may uh may may show up and may have the same kind of questions that we have. Um, so my thought was that this might be a nice clarification of of
052statute and and the uh operations. I think that was Mary's intent uh was that that should inform future boards um in terms of what uh you know uh what the best practice uh going forward should be um you know but as such it is the uh it is the board's decision that uh I'm just offering that p perspective. >> Absolutely. and and um I I understand the intent. Uh ultimately it changes it does not change anything from a legal standpoint. So I think the appropriate thing to do would be to bring this to the floor. We either vote it up or we down down and move on. Uh so I would um offer the motion to uh offer I I bring this to the table for vote >> As presented. Thank you very much. It's
053been a long day. Did we ever uh hear from Niola on this then too, Dave? >> Uh yeah. And um as far as warranted, not warranted. So because this came from our And I do have the email. I meant to print it up. So um essentially it's the same thing. They will if it doesn't change, I guess if you're not sued on the specific changes that are made, then they would warrant the rest of the policy as stands. This one's different because our legal team has provided the language in there. Um, so they felt they were more confident in continuing to warrant the policy, but even at that um if it came down to the language that Trun um you know recommended uh in that policy, they would step away from it there. So essentially
054if you you know if the it depends on what words become the focus of a a complaint a suit or anything if they created them they'll cover them. If they didn't they won't but then there's some some you know depending on the source and uh the relationship with the district. So, and just to clarify what that means is they would come and basically serve as a expert witness um if it ever made it to the court. Uh they would testify how they came to the the policy language, the research, the alignment and all of that. Um but they wouldn't provide us legal counsel or legal representation. Uh they would just come and defend the their policies essentially. That's what warranty it means. >> Okay. But if we keep and add this verbiage into the policy,
055that's just going to show contractors who are not local that we're still appreciate them putting a bid together because we, you know, we may not have contractors available at the time or so. I think by putting in this verbiage, we're saying, you know, we still want you to come in and bid on for us. >> Yeah, I would agree with that. In my time here, we've had where we had no uh bids and we had to go out farther and farther away from Alpena. >> Don't know why. Um but certainly, if the word on the street is that they don't hire anyone but local, you're going to see a limited pool of of people um bidding on these projects. >> Right. Right. And I I think that if we put this verbiage in here, we'll
056just make it open like I said before that we are not limiting ourselves. >> Yeah. And >> go ahead. >> I was just going to say it's the understanding that's where this came from because the way the policy is originally written u that any and all the right to reject is confusing and so we were trying to clarify. Uh, but I I just have to reiterate the school code law does not allow a public school district to select a vendor simply because they are the local vendor. County, city, they can, but they're in a different um section of the law. We keep throwing around a I want to call it a misnomer, but that might not be the right term that contractors won't bid if they don't if it looks like we're selecting local. That's
057not the case. And the biggest problem behind the few number of bids that were received was the fact that there was a ton of work out there and you didn't have to bid. Work was rolling into these contractors like you wouldn't believe. So it was actually more of a problem of timing. Well, I I've heard, you know, I've heard myself I've heard contractors say, "I'm not going to." >> In fact, the PA Dolan, he said he won't bid again. I read that in an article. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Yeah. You're right. And there's lots of reasons why they they do or or don't um as well with the local. But um >> I I even even the timing of of when work is due. If you have one project already and this one comes up
058and the you got the similar completion dates, you're not going to bid on it. It's not a question of they didn't choose me. It's I put a number in there, you take it, you leave it. Oh well. Um, I did offer the motion to move this forward. Um, I have not yet heard any support on that. Um, I guess we're we're moving the discussion before the uh the motion at this point. Um, good point. However, >> sorry, I thought I thought I heard a second. We didn't. Nobody did. >> There wasn't any. >> Oh, I apologize. Yes. >> Left you hanging. >> So, uh, regardless, um, I understand the intent. The language does not change anything legally. So, is it necessary to add more words to change nothing? Um, I oppose that. But regardless, the
059motion's on the table. If anyone chooses to support, I think it's time to move this forward to a vote so we can move on. >> I'll second it so we can vote. >> There we go. >> Would you restate your motion? >> Sure. If I remember what it was now, >> uh, I move to uh, present the uh, where's the policy number? policy 6320 with changes as presented. >> So your your motion is to move forward with the changes as presented. >> Put it to the put it to vote. Yes. >> Mhm. >> All right. Um >> does Mary feel I >> right. >> Does she feel strongly one way or the other like that this is needed or I mean it's already like Eric said it's already >> Yeah. I I would say >>
060legally sound. So >> no, this was to help us understand collectively what we can and cannot do. >> Um she feels strongly that if we are not conducting a fair, ethical and transparent bidding process, that is not good for us. And so we keep coming back to the one issue with the lat bid we were talking about was it was a local preference and that is not allowable by state law. It wasn't just a local preference. It was prior work. >> That's where people are getting off on their own foot here. >> There was several statements about I'd rather have the local guy cuz taxes come back and there are employees and those sorts of things. So, you know, it it doesn't matter at this point unless someone files a complaint. And in that particular
061bid process, that window has long since gone away. So, we're we're talking about the future. I'm guessing when another bid like this comes along, we're we're going to have a better understanding of the process. >> Did the without these changes. >> Did the bid report, and forgive me, I don't know what it was called, the one that went to the contractors because that was actually a little more confusing uh from the way that was worded because it clearly said the board could choose one way or the other. Yeah. >> Um I I would almost rather see clarification there. And >> well, we removed that statement. So, >> so that's that's gone. So that's not an issue. >> Yeah. Very good. >> So the vote still. >> Yeah. >> Any further discussion? >> Uh hearing none.
062Let's uh let's do a roll call on this since there's some controversy. >> Member Dazinski. >> No. >> Member Hansen. >> No. >> Member MacArthur. No >> member Fritz. >> Yes. >> Minehardt. >> No >> member Lawson. >> Yes. Uh the uh that was four nos. >> One two three four no or four nos. So the uh motion fails. Um so uh there it is. Um okay. Um that brings us to number uh or letter C uh the agenda. And we did discuss this last time. Um again, this uh is staying on the agenda sort of as a placeholder. Um Dave and I have had some some discussion about uh where this could go. Do you want to comment? Uh >> uh not really. I think right now it's a placeholder. just the idea that
063we need to look at filtering uh the agenda creation process >> and that maybe we spend more time as a a team here at the workshop in October kind of fleshing that out. >> I like that thought and so I'll be very interested to hear board members suggestions for that. Very good. Uh anybody have anything on that agenda item? >> Which area do you want to highlight on that? Oh, it's it's right towards the beginning um where it discusses the process for um board members submitting things on the agenda. >> Uh where did it go? >> Individual board members may submit items for the agenda no later than seven >> calendar days prior to the monthly workshop meeting to be included upon the concurrence with the board president. >> So we didn't like that. We
064were concerned with that sentence. Well, there is some filter because it it requires the concurrence of the board president, but um I think the idea was at the time when this was brought that maybe we want something a little more or maybe there could be a process for board members to uh to vote at a prior meeting to get something on the agenda as well. That would be another mechanism. So, you know, just be creative, chew on it, and uh we can discuss it some more next time. Any further comments? Okay. Um, let's see if I can get back and find my agenda. Um, all right. That brings us to uh item number five, new business. Um, human resources staffing update uh resignations and retirements. So, she's already here. >> Welcome, Michelle. Thank you. >>
065Thank you. All right. We have two new professional staff that were hired the week we started school. Mary Lightner, fourth grade teacher at Besser Elementary, and Albert Larby, who is our Spanish teacher. And we have several support staff. Tyler Wood is a bus attendant. Chantis Harris is a bus attendant. Hugh Wrath is our bus mechanic. Laura Gatsby is our lunchroom supervisor. Rebecca Treml is our lunchroom supervisor. Riley Hartman is an instructional assistant. Bethany Blen is an instructional assistant. Sorry about that. Megan Wood is an instructional assistant. Brooke Mishley is an instructional assistant. Taran Bates is an instructional assistant. Cara Lancaw is an instructional assistant. and Cheryl Wworth is a food service helper. And then we had a couple resignations and terminations. Daniel Cox is a custodian. Brian Shoemaker, utility unit director, and Andrew Angus, instructional
066assistant. Any questions? >> Thank you. Um, I move to Oh, got to read it here. to approve the hiring of the new staff after completion of the proper certification and HR requirements. Support. >> Very good. Any discussion? Uh hearing no discussion. Uh all in favor of the motion raise your hand. Any opposed? Motion carries. handily. So, thank you all very much. Um, and thank you >> joke. >> I didn't really mean that. >> AJ asked if when I said it passed handily. Um, no. No. No. Just no. Uh, all right. That brings us to charitable gifts, which uh AJ has uh uh offered to read uh in Sarah's place. >> Okay. And starting off, Great Lakes Roof Preservation generously donated and completed resealing and coating of football stadiums team building roof valued at $4,420. Real
067Estate One of Alpena generously donated two library books valued at $40 to support the students of Lincoln Elementary. Realtor Lorie Stefen generously donated library books valued at $75 to support the students of Besser Elementary. Realtor Lorie Stefen generously donated library books valued at $20 to support the students of Hanks Elementary. Assured Partners generously donated various school supplies valued at $75 to support the students of Lincoln Elementary. Jen Dowling generously donated schoolwide snacks valued at $200 to support the students of Hinks Elementary. Samuel Rumbles generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. htss Tom Heis generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Ski Vision Center generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog sports app to support AHS athletics. RNR Dock Hoisting Services. Zack Russo generously donated $500 towards
068the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Kelco Incorporated, Ace Alpena, Ace Hardware generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Alpena Rink Management, Jessica Henry, generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Cataract Collision Service generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Alpena GMC generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Freeze Hydraulics and Equipment Repair. Aaron Kajabuski generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog Sports app to support AHS athletics. Jordan Shusawitz generously donated $500 towards the Bullfrog sports app to support AHS athletics. I would like to move to accept the gifts listed above with gratitude and thank the donors in writing for the generous gifts. >> Support. Any discussion? [Music] >> That was a tongue twister. >>
069Yes. Well, we certainly uh we certainly have a generous community. Um there are no other comments. Uh show of hands uh in support of the motion. Any opposed? Motion carried. Thank you very much. Um this presents uh now our uh second opportunity for um citizens or delegations to address the board. I would ask that um uh if you have already made comments, please don't make comments on the same subject. But if you have brilliant new things to say, come on up and and give us those comments. But let's give some preference to anyone who has not yet spoken this evening. Ready, set, go. [Music] Good evening. My name is Lisa Ray. I reside at 502 Avery Street in Alpena. I'm a current teacher at Alpena High School and I teach in a special ed resource
070room English every day. And I'd just like to point out a couple of maybe definitions. Social emotional learning is to help students with maybe things outside of their ability to comprehend. It isn't something that we teach every day, but is certainly something as a teacher and as counselors that we sometimes have to help students through. DEI diversity. We have a lot of students in our district who look different, who speak differently, who like to see someone who looks like them in our school buildings. That's diversity. equity. That is making sure that all of our students are getting what they need to succeed. Whether it is their classroom materials or their lunch or a safe bus ride, we are all trying to be as equitable here at Alpena Public Schools as we possibly can be. I
071for inclusion. We want to include everyone who is in our school, no matter what they look like, what they um maybe believe outside of our classroom walls. It's not important. It's that they're all there to learn, to be included in the learning at Alpena Public Schools. And the one letter that's left off of that is accessibility. All of our schools are accessible to all students, no matter if they are are able to walk in a wheelchair, have a device that helps them walk, are on crutches. All of our schools are accessible to all of our students. And finally, CRT. We do not teach that at Alpena public schools because we are not a college and we do not teach upper level law classes like my daughter took when she was in law school. We do
072try to teach critical thinking though which is an important skill that we should want all of our students to be able to uh learn so that they can understand their world around them as well as when they become adults to be able to tackle being an adult in our world today. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you. And again, I'll remind you to please respect the board's guidelines going forward. Would anyone else like to speak? >> Hello, my name is Dale Fritz and I live here in Alpena. And I don't normally get up here and want to talk about anything, but after the discussions about the bidding process, I decided I want to put in, you know, some comments on that. I've got somewhere around 50 years of construction, construction contracting, engineering
073experience, including testifying as an expert on all sorts of construction related projects, you know, from various school, public buildings, manufacturing and the bidding process is a key process. in all public projects to ensure that you get a good competitive bid. Uh we all would like to have local contractors here. They have been nicest to help the local economy, but in to ensure that you get good prices from now and in the future, you want to have competitive bids and you want to take the low bidder, the low qualified bidder. It's essential that you do that. And the one other comment on that is that you don't want to sit there and start taking a local contractor at a higher price and then start bringing in questions particularly to those people that are making the decisions
074to bring on those contractors. There's going to be, you know, whether right or wrong, they're going to people are going to start questioning whether or not there's some collusion going on. Thank you. >> Thanks very much for your comments and uh thanks for coming to our meeting and we appreciate you respecting our board guidelines. Come on up. Carol McKay hasn't changed since the last. The mission statement of the Alpena Public Schools reads as follows. The mission of the Alpena public schools in partnership with our community teaches and challenges all students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens. That is what all public schools do. Support our students each and everyone under clear state and federal guidelines which I was discussing earlier. The laws that the districts are required to follow. At the last board workshop
075during data data discussion, I heard the phrase used several times. You want to assume positive intentions. is putting students first and that you would like to an honest and have honest and open communication to build trust. I agree that's very important. That was mentioned several times. I would hope everyone here would also want that too for our children and for our community. To live that you must first see the whole child and their family wherever that family dynamic might be. Basic needs have to first be met before any learning can take place. I would like to repeat the earlier statistics because they are our kids. These are important. They're not numbers. They're kids. Only 32% of our preschoolers have had a prior school experience. Think about that. 61.6% are economically disadvantaged. These families rely on
076the school lunch programs for their main meals of their day. 19.6% of 0 to 17 year olds are below the poverty line. Many may be homeless. We have many homeless students. 21% of experiencing food and insecurity. Again, relying on the public school system. 17.7% are receiving those special education services that I spoke about earlier and that your high school teacher spoke about as well. Before improving learning, we must first recognize the needs. We must respect all students and their families. We must treat our students as young humans that are in need of nurturing, feeding both their mind and bodies. Children are not their failing data scores that you discussed last week. Nor are their teachers those failing data scores. Please support and respect your superintendent. He is doing a difficult job. Your building administrators and
077your teachers and all those support staff working in the trenches. They all work with positive intentions. They are in the trenches every day. recognize their professionalism and how hard their job is right now in our community and in our in our society at this time. That is how trust grows, the community grows and are how our kids will move forward. All children leave fingerprints on your heart. Even the tough ones teach us something. Please know that to support and achieve to make achievements positively, sound decisions need to be made ban on best practices in child development and education. Please read your laws and again the McKini Vento the idea and Elliot Larson. Thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you for your comments. Yes. And uh if you anyone clapping, if you'd like
078to come up and clap for three minutes, that would be far more appropriate than what you're doing now. Thank you. >> My name is Barb Beish. I live in the city of Alpena. I own property here. I pay taxes here and I vote here. I don't intend to come back up again to this week, but when I worked, I worked at the hospital. I was the executive assistant for Elmo, who was the chief operating officer at the hospital. I worked with sending out letters of intent for our construction projects. We received the bids. I was in the meetings to review the bids. We had to take the lowest bid unless there was inferior products or something like that. And that was just and and it was very important that we did that because otherwise we
079weren't going to get other competitive bids at the next project. Did we want to hire local? Of course we did. A lot of our projects went to Devere Constructions, but there was an occasion where they were higher than some of the out of town bids and we had to take them. It wasn't a choice. So, I just wanted to say I I really think that it should be lowest bid. >> I agree with Mr. Fritz. >> Thank you very much for that very gerine comment. And again, I invite you to come up and clap for three minutes. Um because again we ask you that you uh observe our board guidelines going forward. We appreciate your cooperation. Is there anyone else? Yes. Come on back up. My name is Diane O' Conor. I vote in Alpena.
080I pay taxes in Alpena and I live in Alpena. I wasn't intending to come back up, but the conversation about the uh bidding process was was really alarming to me. And it's not the kind of thing I normally uh really show a lot of interest in. But in January when four of you voted to give the bid to the or the contract to the second lowest bidder, you were warned by Anna Minehart, by our superintendent, and by Mary on why you should not do that. And it was said in very explicit terms like when you pick and choose. One of the board members tried to change the story tonight. You all said things on tape that I'm in my opinion would be very damning from a legal standpoint. You you said things like, "Well, they're
081local. They've done great jobs for us. They pay taxes in our community. They will employ people in the community." Everything you said, including you, was damning to me if actually this is a a brbridgement of the law. So you paid more for what I understand was an inferior product. I could be wrong about that part. If it wasn't an inferior product, you still paid more. One of you actually said, "It's not that many dollars really. It was almost $4,000, $3,600." And as Barbs tried to say and Dale tried to say to you, why do you want competition? Because you're going to get your best price. That's why. And when you eliminate competition, you are going to be paying a higher price. That contractor from Gaylord said on True North radio, I read the interview, he
082will never bid a project for APS schools again. Ever. He didn't say not in the near future. Ever. It's expensive for them to write up a proposal. It takes time. It takes money. And you picked and you chose despite I thought quite nicely said and clearly said admonitions from three people do not do that. And yet tonight two of you minimally I would ask you addressing me now not not the other board members. >> Two of you minimally do not get your three minutes. Appreciate your time. >> Thank you. Yeah. And again, uh, let's, uh, observe the board's guidelines going forward. We appreciate your cooperation. Who's next? My name is Bruce Heath and I live in Nique. On June 27th, in a six-3 m majority decision in Mu versus Taylor, the United States Supreme Court
083ruled that a public school district violated parents constitutional rights involving religious freedom by forcing their children to participate in an LGBTQ plus curriculum without providing an opt out provision. The board of education, Montgomery County, Maryland, the school district introduced a variety of LGBTQ plus inclusive story books into its kindergarten through fifth grade elementary curriculum that required discussion over the values illustrated by these books. The school district distributed educational instructions to teachers, advising that these books were designed to disrupt children's thinking about sexuality and gender. The school district conducted teacher workshops. They coached teachers in how to respond to children who raised questions about whether the concepts would force them to reject values taught at home. In workshops and in developing the curriculum, the board selected the books based upon whether heteronormative heteronormativity and whether power
084hierarchies that uphold the dominant culture are reinforced or disrupted. One of the books involved a dish homosexual rel relationship between a prince and a knight. Another book, Love Violet, followed a girl named Violet who had a crush on a female classmate. And the third book, Born Rally, was a true story about a boy named Pen Penelopey who insisted to his mother that he was a girl. Both the uh United States Federal District Court of Maryland and the United States Supports affirmed the school district's right to mandate the LGBTQ curriculum. The United States Supreme Court majority opinion reversed. In weighing these factors, the majority opinion concluded that the school district's compulsory curriculum substantially interfered with the parents religious development of their children. The curriculum and books target the very young children. They were designed to present
085certain values and beliefs to be celebrated. In light of this case, you have to look very carefully at what your curriculum is. And every parent has the right to find out what their kids are being taught in this school. and you have to have a way for them to opt out of a religious exception for anything that has to do with LGBTQ or anything else that they think is other against their religious beliefs. So, please look at that very carefully. Thank you so much. Thank you for your comments. Yep. Again, folks, I'm asking everyone to refrain from outbursts of that nature. Thank you. Is there anyone else? Seeing no further public uh comment, we'll continue with our meeting. Thank you for your engagement and thank you for being here. Uh oh, that's right. Now, yes.
086So, in our next section, uh moving on to information on proposals, we do have a letter uh and uh I will be reading that tonight. Uh, so, um, I'll begin at the beginning. And you've got the Yeah, you've got the clock. All right. Um, Miss Seagler, um, we request that this letter be sent to the school board and also read at the September 15th board of education meeting. Um, thank you. It is our understanding that someone at the August 25th schoolboard meeting mentioned or inferred that students who are transgender or mentally ill. We hope that this uh we hope that person is a qualified mental health professional and is wellversed in mental health diagnosis because this is what we found looking for the truth of that statement. Uh quote, "Being transgender is not classified as
087a psychiatric disease in the DSM5-TR. [Music] rather the DSM5 uh T-TR recognizes gender dysphoria as a diagnosis when there is significant distress or impairment due to in congruence between experienced uh gender and assigned gender. um the DSM5-TR diagnosis. The DSM5 previously used the term gender identity disorder, but this has been replaced by gender dysphoria to focus on the distress that may result from gender in congruence, not on transgender identity itself. Not all transgender people experienced gender dysphoria and being transgender alone does not constitute a psych psychiatric disorder and the diagnosis exists primarily to facilitate access to appropriate medical and psychological care for those who need it including insurance coverage for gender affirming treatment. It is our understanding that the issue is just the opposite as some of your positions may enable mental illness when there
088is articulated that there is no room for a child to live with their experienced gender. This may cause cognitive dissonance which brings about mental distress. It is still our hope that each board member will visit a few elementary schools and talk to the administrative staff, those on the front lines of any issues and teachers about any issues there may be. Uh this is the least a board member of the school board seeking factually grounded discussion can do. If you don't seek the manifest issues as experienced by the faculty and students, you have no business simply sharing your uninformed opinion. The woman who spoke regarding the Pville board of education policy, forgot to mention this. The Pville Board of Education is keeping a policy that allows students to use restrooms that correspond with their gender. Uh
089in a separate vote, the school board allocated $12,000 to add two more unisex bathrooms to Pville High School, which currently offers two unisex bathrooms for restrooms for students. Um unquote. W KAR public media by Michelle Polo. Uh this is signed the Reverend Dr. H. Robert Casease and Judith Casease. All right. Uh so then uh that brings us uh any fur further communication? I don't think so. No. Okay. That brings us to reports and information uh and our superintendent update. >> All right. Thank you. Uh so we are uh almost one full month into the school year. It is amazing that that is going so fast. Um, and it's also equally amazing, may not be the right word, but we still have no state budget. Um, we are now one full month into the school year.
090Um, using our budget on uh, you know, Mary's uh, trusted analysis and and expectations. Um but we do need a budget that uh October 1st deadline is looming and as you've heard um you know we are in good position to weather that but there's really no reason we should be weathering this. Um I'd urge everyone to contact their legislators and ask them to do something. Uh we just need an answer. We can weather and modify and do what we need. Um but it's the first time in my career and I've been in this uh 30 years that we're sitting at this point and still don't know what the state budget is. So um but in that month too we've had some uh tremendous things happening here. Uh just a quick shout out to our uh
091junior high um junior national junior uh society. Uh they received a a wonderful award recently for all of their work in the community. Um, and then I received an email. Uh, this wasn't a plant, but just a a new family to Alpena, um, reached out to let me know how welcoming and, uh, how how far our staff went to welcome them into the district, uh, high school and elementary student, and our staff met them on Sundays to walk them through the buildings to make sure that students were comfortable. Um, and principles and teachers were named in this. I didn't ask if I could share this publicly, but um just wonderful to remember that we have amazing staff here. Um and then I'm going to go out on a little bit of a limb. Um you
092know, was just brought up about the Mam Mammud um um Supreme Court decision. Um I spent some time this past rereading that and uh that district went too far in not allowing parents to opt out. Um, and as was mentioned, they went through training specifically to counter any um, objection to that material. Um, and again, it started, I don't know if it was kindergarten, but it started at a very young age. I don't agree with that. Um, and the one thing the district refused to offer was an opt out option. And so, everyone in this room and everyone listening to this broadcast and everyone know associated with Alpena public schools needs to know we have an opt- out process. It works between the teacher and the student and the families. Um so I would hate
093to assign that situation to ours because we absolutely do have an opt- out process. Um I was going through some notes two week two years ago. Um one of our main focuses was partnering with parents. Um it was kind of the precursor to the strategic plan that we've developed. We know we can't do this without our parents. Um we offer opt outs for that for sexual education uh lessons, curriculum, textbook or um you know reading assignments, all of that. That was the one piece uh that the district simply would not offer in that case, which is why it made its way up to the Supreme Court and they were found to be in the wrong. And I agree with that decision. But uh we got wonderful things going on here. We're working hard to to
094improve everything. And uh that is my update. >> Excellent report. Any questions for our superintendent? >> We have until the 30th to get you questions on scores. Is that right? I know I wrote it down. I couldn't find the exact date. The 30th. >> Uh if we could right now. So we have October 13th is a retreat where we can spend that time. Let's call it something else. Um a day to dive. Um, so just need time in advance to if the board wants to spend all of the 13th digging into the data further, but then we also have the workshop on the 15 or uh um the 20th to do that as well. So yes, if you can get me the questions >> by the 30th. >> Do you want those on the superintendent
095on there? Put submit them that way too. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Yep. And then we just need to decide how much we're going to go into the data uh at both the retreat, the data dive, whatever it might be called, and the workshop. So just uh sort of informally to just get a sense, are you all pretty uh do you have a strong stomach for data? Are we are we interested in doing this deep dive and getting into a lot of detail? >> Yeah, I'm seeing heads nodding. I know. I know uh not everybody maybe in in you know his or her heart is equally zealous. Uh but I think it'll be a good process. I'm looking forward to it. So, thank you. >> Um great. >> Um the next item is information and
096questions from board members. >> I just had a couple brief comments and I'm sure they'll be taken out of context, so I'm going to try to clarify them the best I can. Um I I just want to make sure it's clear just based on some of the comments. Um I I want to ensure that because the policy was voted down does not mean that we can pick any policy we want or any bid we want. It still has to be the lowest bid. That's the state law. There was clarification that came to uh the board uh throughout the attorney coming and talking to us and there was clarification and clean up on some of the actual paperwork that went to the the contractors which was somewhat confusing. So there was initially some uh uh confusion
097on that. Excuse me. Correction was brought to that. State law still stands that we have to accept the lowest bid. The board is aware of that. voting that down simply was not adding that these specific terms to the policy. So, I just wanted to make sure that that was clarified. I think that it sounded like there was a little miscommunication there. Additionally, in in my last comments are um we've received comments that we should be focusing on student outcomes and spending our time appropriately and I 100% agree. Um, at the last several board meetings, there has been a significant amount of banter from both sides of the aisle regarding LBGTQ um, issues. Um, but I would make and ask that people look at the agenda and that has there's been nothing related to that on
098the agenda for several months. Therefore, this discussion is kind of a moot point at this time. Now, might it become an important conversation later? Absolutely. I don't know. But right now, as we're trying to move forward, we're not even talking about it. This is simply a time that is being consumed by differing viewpoints arguing during our meetings. So, I would ask uh that you just be aware of that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anything further from board members? Anna? >> Yeah, thanks. I have a couple of things. One, um the new lot out here is fantastic. So, thank you for that. Monica and I mentioned it when we walked in. It's nice that uh you know after some rain it's not full of mud. So yes for that. >> You're right. That's awesome. >> Yeah.
099And also I just wanted to say um publicly thank the staff at Besser and Hanks for um the site visits that we did a couple weeks ago when we toured Hanks and Besser and spent our morning at those schools. It was just wanted to thank the staff and the administrators. It was um it was a real treat and I think you know I it's been a few years since my kids have been at Besser but um I think really eye opening to see uh you know some of the behind the scenes with laundry facilities, storage rooms of clothes and boots and things to provide for our kids and you know matching that with our strategic plan about caring for the whole whole child and um there's a lot of things like that I think that
100the community is you know just really not aware of all the things that our staff helps our families with. So, it's great to great to see and always appreciate appreciate uh those school visits. So, >> thank you so much for that. And you're absolutely right. And uh I I I encourage uh board members who when you go through any kind of activity uh whether it's a school visit or or a particular training uh please don't hesitate to bring your thoughts on that to the board uh and share your uh your gleanings uh with us. Uh that's wonderful. Anything further? >> Actually, Anna, on top of just with this being brought up, you know, some positive stuff to say, um, I was able to go and judge some of the presentations at the CTE health occupation
101class. And I was blown away and impressed by how professional our students are. And I'm just big shout out to Amy Atwell. She did an amazing job. >> Excellent. Thank you, >> Sarah. You want to go or you want me to go? I just throwing just making a joke. Simon, I had two questions for you to start with. Um the ashvault bid price. Was not Goodrich's a match of pain and Dolan or was there a difference? I can't remember. >> No, they offered a >> Can you use the podium? I'm sorry. I just >> Thank you, Anna. You That's That's correct. If you're going to respond, please come on up. Yes. Uh, no. Goodrich offered a base bid and then they which was higher than pay and Dolan's and then they offered a voluntary deduct
102for the whatever 13A mix design uh which was still higher than pay and Dolan's >> it was okay. I couldn't remember. >> Um, now correct me if I'm wrong. The material that Goodri used is the same material that's under Thunder Bay Junior High. Is that Besser? Is that Sandborn? Is that Hanks? >> Correct. Same mixed design. >> Okay. >> I can't speak for Wilson because they didn't do Wilson. So, >> okay. So, just it's been at the Thunder Bay for 20 years, 25 years now. >> Correct. >> Okay. And Simon, since you're up there, just to clarify, too, I know we asked you about the quality of each of the mixes, and you told us that it's just a difference between a handful of sand in each. Correct. >> From what I from what the
103engineers tell me, it's a, you know, >> Okay. >> slightly different sand to, you know, Okay. >> sand ashalt, but very minimal. >> Okay. >> So, >> thank you. That was it for you, Simon. Uh my next question is and this Mary's not here tonight but um primary residents are exempt from school taxes. Correct. >> Uh the homestead I'm sorry the >> it is homestead exemption but I mean that that is primarily school taxes that are not correct. So, it's secondary and businesses and things like that that are the school drivers. >> Yes. >> Okay. Trying to quote the dollar amount, but >> yeah, I just just clarifying something there publicly. Um, in I know it's not we don't directly respond to folks, but uh >> yes, if you want to talk about something you
104heard in public comment, you can address me uh you know, or your fellow board members. >> Okay. Yes, I wasn't going to um just like to point out that feedback from community members doesn't constitute public slander and attempted boycott of businesses. That's not feedback. That's harassment. And that is something that has been experienced on my social media account for my business. It was a beautiful picture of a sunrise and a morel mushroom. And somebody had the guts to say, "Well, too bad you care more about your berries than the kids." because the night before I had voted against putting the big screen TVs in every room and that's just one example of that public harassment which is very unfortunate. Um, the other thing I would like to kind of address here, there's a lot of
105chatter from people that aren't in the no because they have never lived and worked in a competitive bid process. I have lived my entire life in that process. I have written bids. I have seen bids thrown out for anything you can name whether it was you didn't have your proper insurance which it was but it was an excuse. So for everybody to come up and attack and say you're not handling this process right, I think is running from a place of not knowing what they are talking about. And several people have mentioned how it's such a job to put a bid together. It is not a herculean task to put a bid together. It is a job. It is a process. But it is accomplished as a regular routine. It's not like, oh, I've got
106to clear my calendar for a week to put a bid together. [Music] All right. Thank you. Is there anything further from board members? >> Can we not call them big screen TVs, though? I just just just to clarify they we've when we visited the schools they were all you we saw them used a few different ways and it was kind of actually fascinating to see but I just I'm just going to say it now save you anyone say anything online like they were interactive boards thought people were doing some great things with them just just to >> my impression was I guess I would you know being the caveman that I am I would call them a giant tablet would that be a little closer >> anyway it was it was very interesting the demonstration
107that that we saw the passer. That was that was quite neat. >> Anything further from board members? >> Seeing nothing further then um our next uh uh job uh of the evening is to move into a closed session for the superintendent evaluation. Um the um the remainder of our meeting, we will have a return to open session, but we do not anticipate any action or or or votes on anything after that. So, if you would like to go home and eat dinner, you won't be missing much. Um, and, uh, with that, uh, I would enter entertain a motion >> to, uh, go into our closed session. >> The rule stays here. >> Support. >> Thank you, Anna. >> Yes, we have. Yeah, AJ has made a motion. >> Oh, you did. Okay. I apologize. I
108can't hear. >> All right. We've got a motion favor um and and a second to go into close session under section 8A of the open meetings act to consider the quarterly inform formal evaluation of the superintendent. Um any discussion of the motion hearing none. All in favor raise your hand. >> Any opposed? Same sign. Thank you all. Uh motion carried. We will be going into close session everyone. Uh thank you uh for attending our meeting and again if you'd like to come back with us uh when we return to open session more than welcome. Um but again if you'd like to go eat dinner you may certainly do that as well. How are you? I just got to say I didn't want to come up and speak in public, I'm surprised you're appearing. >> Um,
109somebody want to get the doors. Um, >> got to see. >> Yeah, if you would. >> Groovy. Yeah, you can do that. >> Detroit, wasn't it? with this. So, good, bad, or otherwise. >> I'm glad he's checking that door because they can't get in the real >> crickets out there, too. >> There are crickets out there. >> All right. currently in close session. >> Hope you can hear us talking. >> Cameras are not working. >> It says though we're in a closed session. >> Is the It sounds like microphones in here are working. Is that showing up there? >> Yeah, you can hear it on here. You just can't see us. that it still has that message up there. >> Can we do this? >> You're talking. >> There we go. >> Cameras are not
110working. >> It says though we're in a closed session. >> It sounds like microphones in here are working. Is that showing up there? >> It's a delay. >> 30 seconds is usually the delay. >> Good to go. >> We're good now. Yep. Okay. Okay. >> All right. So, um if you are listening online, um we are back in open session. Um we uh do not have any further agenda items. Um and uh advanced planning uh would include our October 13th board retreat, October 20th workshop meeting, October 27th regular meeting, and then we're into November. Um so uh having no further items on the agenda uh I will adjourn the meeting and thank you all for your engagement and for uh checking out our meeting online. And uh we are dismissed. Thank you. Hard.