1/26/2026 - Board Meeting

001indivisible with liberty and justice for all. I'd >> like to thank you all for coming out this evening and attending this regularly scheduled board meeting of the Laurel School District. We'll begin by uh having our public comment session. Public participation is encouraged in the Laurel School District. All meetings of the board will be open to the public except as provided by law. Scheduled meetings of the board may be recorded. Audience members may address the board during public comment for non-aggenda items or during the discussion of the relevant printed agenda item. Your attendance is welcome. If you plan to speak to the board, please look over the information on the agenda and then complete a public comment section um as we have here um and hand it to myself or Superintendent Torx. Public participation is a

002right that carries certain responsibilities such as informing oneself in advance of the issues being discussed. Voluntarily being as brief and gerine as possible, not unduly repeating remarks others or you have already made and showing respect at all times for the rights and opinions of others, whether citizens, board members, school district employees, or students. I do have a few public comments already here. It looks like one just the one for me. So, we'll start with this one. Um Mark Morris. >> Good evening, Superintendent Torx, uh chairman, board members. So, I'm here to talk about the proposed mental health prison that the state would like to bring to Laurel. Uh my name is Mark Morris. I am a a county I'm chairman of the county commissioners. Um and I don't think that this is a proposal that's

003suitable anywhere in Yellowstone County. And I think probably the the most important points for the school board here is the proximity to your school and youth facilities. Um and then secondly would be um the state does not pay property taxes. So this 114 acres um if the state goes through with the purchase of it would be taken off of um the tax roles basically forever for the um city of Laurel and your portion as uh school taxes. And so if you took that 114 acres, you know, that probably equates somewhere to the uh 80 building lots. Um, so if you take that 80 building lots and multiply it by whatever factor you think your the average property tax in that portion of town is, uh, that's a pretty substantial sum of money that that property

004tax revenue that is gone forever. Um, secondly, I'm not sure why the state would need 114 acres if they're going to do just a 32 bed facility. I believe what you will see is they will start with that 32 bed facility which will be uh forensic in nature which is like a prison. That's why I call it a mental health prison. Um and those people do not get released to the community. But I think once they get established here, you'll see that they'll close Galen and Warm Springs over on the west side of the state and uh all mental health services provided by the state will probably be done on that 114 acre um piece of property. So that's my personal opinion. That's kind of how I read the tea leaves. Um, and this is

005just not a there's a myriad other reasons, but those are the ones that really concern um the school board, and I anticipate I will go to city council um tomorrow night and make a statement there. Um, and I realize you can't ask questions, but um I've left my card up there with the chairman, so um he can give anybody my name, my contact information. If you have questions, feel free to call the commissioner's office. Thank you. Have a great night. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Is there any other public comment for nonaggenda items? >> Hearing none, then we'll just move into our regular board agenda with a presentation by A&E. >> Came really close to say good morning. It is not the morning time. Good evening. Uh thank you for having me.

006For those of you who don't know me, I'm Mary Demerrell with uh principal with A&E plus SMA Design. Uh we have been working with the district for quite a few years now. Um but the presentation for today is an update on uh the pre-law planning for high school. Um and we would love to just kind of show you where that that is at and take any questions or additional comments or discussion that might come out of that. So, uh, for since about beginning of October, uh, we've been working with a team of, uh, leadership, administrators, staff, teachers, um, and community members, parents, uh, to talk about the needs of Laurel High School and what that looks like into the future. Um, as we have done that, uh, what we have in front of you today

007is just kind of outlining. I thought I would go a little bit over the process that we've taken um and then where we're currently at in terms of decision making um and next steps. So uh to go over this initial schedule, first of all, this our team page is just the the team that has part been participating within this process. I still have this fear that we're missing some names. So please don't vilify me for that. Um but there have been quite a few people involved in this that represent the entire community there. Okay. So, I'm going to go over the schedule just to give you an idea of what that looks like. So, like I said, we've been meeting since about October time frame. Uh during that time, we spent the bulk of our

008um of our meetings with that committee group, which has been a representative sample of looking forward, but we have also taken the time to meet with students and staff um and just making sure we're getting a comprehensive view of different needs. where this is headed um is a potential ballot in May um that would take on that pre-bond for that bond resolution. Um and where we are at today in terms of meeting is really finalizing what that looks like, understanding what our final bond amount is and then also determining what that means in terms of bond language and what that looks like. Have anyone interrupt me if there's any questions there? Awesome. Okay. So, as we keep looking at this, um, I'm going to quickly go over what we've kind of called developing a program.

009Um, and that's just understanding how we got to the kind of solutions and conclusions that we've reached to date. I would, uh, commend this team very much around that this has been a very holistic view of what this takes to accomplish on what might be the right fit as we think about the future of Laurel High School. I think there's four major components that that has been comprised of. The first one is really the educational vision for the facility which is just how the facility supports the curriculum and ideas and the staff and the teachers um as we think about what Laurel High School can provide as an educational space. The second one of that would be demographic growth and utilization of the school. Just understanding the logistics of how many students we currently have

010versus how many are being anticipated and what that looks like as we move into the future. And then those last two would be both the staff and student voice as well as the community voice knowing that the school is very much representative of more than just who is in the school but that is much of a community piece. Um and all of these different teams have been engaged over the last couple months as we look at that. Um I won't go over all of these but the following page kind of outlines the priorities and needs established from each of those perspectives and lenses. Um I think the key components there would really be um an educational facility or an education vision that is um distinctive and future ready as we think about what we can

011offer the school. Um planning for growth um and understanding the facility that this is not something just about resolving for the next short term of time but for the next 30 50 years as we continue to live within Laurel High School and what that represents to the community. Um and then the student and staff voice I would really summarize as understanding how can we have more modern engaging learning environments especially as we think about what has been built um at the elementary schools um and intermediate and continuing that future for our high school students as well. Um, and then the community voice uh was really built and centered around what does real world success look like and how do we keep Goral graduates local? Um, and making sure that this is a sustainable vision that

012represents more than just one voice. Um, that existing facility piece uh is representative of just kind of assessment of the facility and it's a little bit more nuts and bolts but I would say it's equally just as important. Um, a lot of that is centered around systems, um, and what some of those pieces and parts look like to just continue to have a building that can operate in the 21st century. I do have a tendency to talk too much, so if you have any questions or if I'm going too fast, please interrupt, especially Julie, Chris, Renee. Um, so with that, that's kind of the the very high level background um to what we have today, which is three different concepts. Um what I will do is kind of outline the first one because it is

013the most comprehensive of all three. Um and then the other two are two different strategies um in terms of what it might look like to move forward. Um especially when we think about what a total bond amount might be um because I think we want to make sure that there's good understanding of what this encompasses and then also what it takes from a cost. You're looking at me like you have a question. >> I was looking at you because you were speaking Mary. Okay, just in case. >> Try to just do this. >> You're focused on your screen. >> Okay, so I'm going to spend a little bit more time on this first one. Um, just because this is what I would say is is everything all included. Um, and some of these things I

014think uh are representative in the diagram that we have, but I'm also very cognizant of what is, you know, invisible but very important. So, we've broken this out into kind of two key aspects of what this might look like for the future of Laurel High School. The first one would be what is it about the existing high school that we are adjusting, renovating, upgrading, changing. And then the second part would be additional new construction that would be an addition to the high school. For the most part, what we tried to do to make these diagrams read a little bit more successfully is anything that's kind of whited out in that diagram would be something that's not touched um versus something that's a little bit more saturated or brighter color is representative of something that might

015be changed. Um so I'm going to go through this a little bit. This uh throughout the entire high school, which is about a little over 100,000 square ft, uh hopefully Wayne is not quizzing me back there, but we'll see. um is upgrading the mechanical electrical systems throughout um technology as well. Just increasing the number of outlets, things like that we know are very important to modern education, particularly in high school. Um one of the things that the committee really honed in on very successfully is there's quite a few classrooms within this facility that don't have natural daylight. Um and we think about the way that it is centered around that commons, the depot space. And so a lot of the interior renovations that you see within this strategy are to help mitigate that in addition

016to adjusting the facility to be a little bit more modern and 21st century ready. So what we're seeing is we have FCS off of that admin space. Um the idea there would be to upgrade a lot of that colony art space, incorporate the school store, um really bring that to the public forefront, especially as it's outside the gym. um and create that as more of not just a classroom space but something that can both do public outreach and is also consistent as we think about future pathways of students um which I'll touch back on in a second there. We also have with that that would be taking over where your existing library space is. And so it's taking the library and turning that into more of a media resource center and relocating that to be

017as part of that commons depot space to make that a little bit more collaborative. Um and then adjacent to that, you'll see that some of the business classrooms have been relocated. And the idea there is to really get all three of those to work together. um not just from a facility standpoint, but from a teaching curriculum um standpoint as well. And to make that more collaborative off of that media center common space, the other thing that you'll see is what we're calling out as green flex space. Um that's really a desire to make the school have some of those more modern learning environments and collaborative spaces that we're seeing. Um it's something that especially came from students as having a little bit more updates there. um and more open space. There aren't quite as many

018places of soft seating or natural gathering for students to have things like that. And it does help accomplish that goal of trying to remove the primary classrooms away from spaces that don't have natural daylight. Some individual spaces that are called out within there would be the science room. There's utilities within that space that the gas hookups no longer work. Um it's not as well functioning as a science room as it could be and that's due to age. And then also relocating the art room to make space for life skills. So rather than having that in a non-daylight undersized space that that is something that can actually meet the needs of of those students. Um for the most part I think that covers a lot of renovations. Again there's some invisible pieces including re- roofing the

019entire high school um and upgrading uh the auditorium space uh ceiling and lighting the gym space. ceiling and lighting. Um, and some changes within there. >> Okay. >> The banding choir, too. >> Band inquir. Yep. >> We'll address those rooms as well. >> Yes. And so, that actually leads us into the next part. So, what we have um mostly to the west there would be the existing high school. What's being explored on the east side would be a new addition. Um, couple things that that is able to accomplish. The main probably most important one would be a safe and secure entry. Uh having ways to get into the school where administration has oversight over that. But what you could see is it kind of wraps around into two key blocks. Um and what those are

020describing one is kind of a health sciences pathway and the other one is what we've been calling a CTE pathway which is career technical education. It is also related to sometimes more commonly known as vocational space. Um, health uh the health sciences um is something that's intended to be very flexible. You could see it has those classrooms there. It meets the needs of some of the physical education but also expands that into what really is more dedicated towards health. Um so there's opportunities for students to get a CNA or things like that. Um and this is where that kind of vision of Laurel High School really comes into play. the south side of that where you're seeing a fabrication hall, metals, woods, um that is representative of really taking what is currently in that trades

021building, which much of is not up to code um and probably not the safest strategy for putting some of those spaces together, bringing them in a more modern way and expanding that pathway for students um and needs. One of the things that we've uncovered in this process is that there's more instructional capability than there is space within the facility to provide those opportunities for students. And this is one of the strategies towards assisting with that. And then as Matt mention mentioned, what we have on the south end there is expanding and reworking the choir and band spaces um just so that that better meets student needs and has a lot of the support space that is currently missing within that. Uh there are some site upgrade pieces that you'll see to this, both sidewalks and

022parking. There's access to this. There's been thought around practice fields um and outdoor spaces, outdoor learning spaces, and what that looks like. Um but this is really representative of the committee's work around what is the best possible solution and the best possible future for Laurel High School. Um, and when we think about being future ready, a lot of this is tied to what are the opportunities for students post high school that we can help create space for and avenues for them to be exposed to and learn and gain those skill sets while they're here from that 9th to 12th grade time frame. Hopefully most of that makes senseish. >> I would I would agree, Mary. I think um and just for the help of sake of the audience too that everything that you see and

023Mary articulated this pretty well too was it's all driven towards career education and helping the students succeed as like immediately as they leave high school being better prepared to be good citizens and and contributing members of of society. Whether that's going immediately into a trade, immediately into the workforce, or immediately going to college, trying to accommodate everything that all those little changes we made inside the high school in this comprehensive plan are really driven to that. And then of course the things you can't see like a lot what we did at West which was trying to make that school last another 50 years which I think if you any of you have been to West you'll have seen that really it's probably ready for another 50 years of students in it um after what we

024did. So that's the existing part of the school and then of course the entire expansion is related to career education and preparing our young people for uh what's next for them. in whatever pathway. That's why she was referring to these pathways because we're trying to create more avenues for these students as they exit high school to be prepared. So, that's really what this whole comprehensive plan is for. So, just want to summarize it a little bit for you there. >> I think you said that really well, Chris. I think um just from you our background and the way that we've been working with schools and been a part of uh education design for quite a long time, this is very much where we're seeing education going for high schools um and opportunities where it's less

025about some of those gened classrooms, but building upon what is a core curriculum to opportunities to set student up for success in terms of what it looks like to be 18, 19, um and some of those other things. And uh I I the only thing I would add to that is that your high school currently has existing pathways. This is not a new idea. Um what this is taking is the existing vision that you have and really building upon that to create additional opportunities and to give you kind of expansion capacity to grow into the future. Not just from a uh number of students perspective, but really from a what does it mean to be uh on the cutting edge of education. Okay. So, with that, there's two other options. I won't go over these

026as intensely because it's really more of a discussion around um what this looks like for you guys as a district um and next steps moving forward, but essentially to try and understand, you know, what are our opportunities around the total cost of this? Um option two is to really say what if we were to focus a little bit more on the new construction side and do a little bit less renovation within the existing high school. That would still include upgrading all of the existing mechanical electrical systems. Um, it includes re- roofing the building. Um, because I think as Chris mentioned, it's really about how do we take care of what we have? We still have to have students and so this is uh giving the building life. Um, but maybe some less of those interior

027renovations that change that educational approach uh but still building the new construction pathways as a key focus. The third option is the opposite of that to say our priority might be to renovate some things within the existing facility to bring that up to more modern standards in terms of what learning environments look like right now. Um but then to balance the cost of that, do a little bit less uh square footage around some of the new construction and to pull that back a little bit um just so it's a little bit more limited in terms of those things. What I would say about all of these is that there is no right or wrong answer. Um, and none of them are a design solution. They're all representative of a strategy and a program um that

028helps us understand what a cost is so that we can move it forward. Um, but yes, if the things that change in here were, you know, we don't like this piece there or move that there, uh, that's maybe not the thing to solve today. What is important to understand is what are our priorities of what we would like to do in a school and then what is the equivalent cost of that mean. So to get to the super fun part of this whole idea on this uh last page there I've pulled together just a comparison of each one of the three um what you'll notice immediately is kind of the number at the bottom. Those are the estimates that we've put together of what the total project cost would be. And again, um, just to

029set this up for success and to make sure we're all understanding that first option, of course, when you want everything is the most expensive option. So, no secret there, we're just shy of about 63 million based on the cost we're estimating now. If we focus on kind of the new addition piece and what is or is not included in there, that's closer to 55. And then that third option where we focus a little bit more on the renovation uh and reduce the amount of new construction is just shy of about 50 million. Again, there's a lot of pieces and parts and options within this or things that we're not showing. Um but in terms of how the committee has assessed needs, how uh that team has understood what Laurel priorities are, these were the best

030recommendations um in terms of what this looks like to potentially move forward. Those are the big numbers. Um the other things that I have to support this and otherwise I would just be happy to answer any additional questions. Um is I put on here our initial cost model. Uh it is a longer spreadsheet uh so it takes up two pages but it just shows you a little bit uh the thought and the work that goes into what it takes to come up with a total project cost. uh we want to make sure that we're setting you up for success where this is not just about construction, but it is about making sure that the school will be successful operationally after construction has happened. Um the other thing that we've done in creating this is tried

031to make it as flexible as we possibly can um for you guys as a district in terms of more or less having a menu. Um we can't lower or raise the cost without tying that to something. Um, and so if there are numbers we do or do not feel comfortable with, we're trying to make that as real as possible and just give an understanding of what each of those scales um, and priorities might be as we think about each of them as an individual item. A lot of them still kind of go together and work together and that's I'm happy to additionally answer questions, but it's good context or background for how we get to where that we do. Uh, the only other piece that we have in here would be the actual tax impact.

032Um, sometimes that big number is a little bit different than what it means to actually be as you as an individual. Um, I apologize. The sheet that you guys, the board have in front of you is actually different than this one slightly. We've been working with DAD Davidson to make sure that we understand those numbers. She's doing an amazing job of estimating a lot of this information. So, these are about $2 off from that. Um obviously that's something that we would do our best to finalize and resolve um as we take next steps. Um but what this does mean so in the blue column it will say uh that one says 40 says 50 and it's just comparing each one of those from a scale impact. So if we look at if we go to

033the middle and say a $300,000 home um that's going to be somewhere between 12 and $15 a month. 500 would be hovering around $20 a month and that would be the impact to the individual taxpayer. And so that's something to consider in cost. What's hard to represent on here uh that the historical knowledge of this group will remember is the going out for bond in 2023. So that total bond amount was about 31 million if I'm correct. >> The one we passed. >> No, no, not the one that the the one >> the high school. Yep. You're right. Yes. Um, interestingly, uh, this is about the same as that even though the actual total cost has almost doubled if you were to go with that kind of $60 million option. Um, the reason for that

034is there's been a lot of legislative changes across the state um that have changed that individual taxpayer impact. Um and it's there's the market conditions have altered over the past couple years to show what that represents. So there is an escalation um from what it costs to build between those three essentially 3 years from now. Um but the individual taxpayer cost depending on the final bond amount that you were to go out with would actually probably be less or about the same despite the total value. If that makes any sense. I'm going to rely on Matt and Chris and Renee and Julie to kind of help support that. Hopefully that all makes sense. Um, but I I guess I'll just pause there and see if there's any questions, concerns, um, anything we can help with.

035>> In the end, when you're talking about a bond for the people in the audience, that cheapest time to do the repairs is today. >> Yes. >> Uh, if we put it off for, you know, 2 or 3 years, well, maybe we don't have as much choice. I mean it it only it only goes up and it it's it's not going to change. It's not going to magically go down. It's just not the way it works in in this world. Uh so it's something that we are trying to look at doing some things that high school where we're going to be set for another 40 years and and then in 30 40 years we can start having more conversations down the road. Um, I personally plan on getting retired in 30 or 40 years, but

036uh, but still I think that it's something we're trying to look ahead as a school so we're not uh, putting feet through floors um, and and having all those other issues that we had with graph because we just put it off too long. >> Really feel like this is the best move forward whether we decide as the board decides to what degree we want to move forward. Uh there's those options and there's anything in between any of these is what Mary was talking about. There's a you know she she included just a short uh uh Excel spreadsheet in there. But if we want to line item things out individually as a board you guys can do that. Uh these are just kind of three very basic overall overarching ideas that came out of the committee.

037>> Absolutely. Yeah, I think the other thing to that point I would add is you the you know adding another 30 40 50 years to the building. It's we're not replacing mechanical systems now because they haven't been well taken care of. It is because they are 30 40 50 years old and are beyond their usable life. And it is a natural part of buildings. And so I guess I just want to make sure it's not for lack of care or lack of maintenance by any stretch. It just is a this is how facilities that's kind of about how long they last and you're pretty much at that moment right now. >> How old is that building again? 53 years old. >> 63. >> Was it Oh, 63 73. >> 63. >> I know. >> So,

038it's 1963. >> So, it's 66 years old. >> It's about 11 years newer than the building we just tore down. >> Yep. So, it's not like it's new new. >> Uh, it's only 11 years difference than the building we just tore down because it was rotting in place. >> So, something to think about there, too. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> I do have a question. Yeah. >> Could you go to the mic to the mic? Is that okay? >> Yeah. Yeah. It's all got to be official. Is it all your name? >> Just state your name. Come on. >> Sure. My name is Cindy Sers and I have a question. Is this all contingent on a on a vote? >> Correct. >> It has nothing is uh >> this is all this is a bond

039like we did. >> So if the bond levy fails then we go back to the drawing board and >> correct what you would correct. >> Okay. >> Chris, go ahead. >> Um can you explain what a method studio is cuz I see it's in all three designs and I'm not really sure what >> I'm going to help a little bit. Think of it as a multi-purpose room. I know they use fancier language and that's architect language, but a multi-purpose room. If you remember two years ago or three years ago when we were talking about passing the bond, we talked about a wrestling room, an auxiliary gym uh for PE facilities, things like that. Well, they're not in here. So, we need something that serves more of a multi-purpose because it has to act as a

040wrestling room uh at some point. It it has to it has to be a PE facility where we don't have PE classes all in one gym with multiple teachers. Uh it has to serve as I mean can serve as a lot of things but method studio is what they use that's fine but think of it as a multi-purpose room um that has multiple uses. >> There's not going to be a jour like this room kind of. I mean, it won't have high high ceilings. It won't I mean, it'll be something that like PE could use for I don't know if they did a yoga, you know, like those sorts of things. It's not going to be a play basketball in that room, >> you know, or you could even use it to do sets for

041the play, you know, where you could leave them sprawled out while you're building them then bring them in. So, it's cuz it's not going to have a wood floor. It wouldn't have they may or may not even have register. They might have goals. it, but it may or may not have that or maybe only one side does or cuz we're trying to make a space >> facility too. >> Yeah. >> So, we just want it to be a space where that's open. We're taking some of the depot in the remodel version >> and so that's kind of important to give some of that as much, you know, a little bit more than we're taking back. It'd be nice to give a little bit more back and have some flexibility in it. So >> something about

042me studio that might might be helpful. One of the areas that we're looking to expand in the next few years with regard to career pathway that we haven't developed yet is um as Mary mentioned into health sciences. Uh so right now like PE classes do CPR. They do that in the depot. That space won't be available in the same way because it would be something else. So, we would need a place for the kids to do the CPR or to be able to offer first aid classes um or to have some other industry type classes come in and do um onseen types of >> workshop >> development for workshop type things. >> Good word for um for the students related to some of the different career pathways because we forget um CTE isn't just egg

043and welding and woods. also business and hospitality and we'd like to go in the direction of health sciences because it's one of our largest industries in the area. So that that area in addition to being support for PE um because we have some rather large PE and strength and conditioning type classes that would help across the board and it would be another space for our before and after school types of activities. our community gets a lot of use out of our facility and sometimes we have to say no because our facilities are in full use. So that would be another option. >> Thank you. >> I think it leaves uh some longevity in the competition gym too, not getting beat on as hard >> sometimes, especially with like inappropriate shoes and you know just people

044walking around because this floor will be a lot easier to deal with and not worry about. Um, so just maintenance- wise it will be a better space than a gym would be too. So >> yeah, >> you could blame us architects for using fancy words, but yes, the main goal is to be flexible. >> So multi-purpose. Well, and I think the only thing I would add to the whole thing is that um the time which I wasn't there, the time you guys spent with our students was um impressive with the information that then that brought back to our committee, I guess, because they were very interested in it, but they also were very they were good stewards of the community's dollars. They didn't come out of that session with we just want all new stuff.

045>> They were very cognizant of we have a good place. We have a good space. We like going to school here. It's just we want some updates. Even if it's just new paint or like these breakout sessions where they could have a area that they can go meet 10 of them to have a meeting or just collaborate on a project. They weren't asking for crazy things that we thought maybe would come out of there. You know, we want, I don't know, a ferris wheel in the gym or I mean, you never know what the kids are going to come up with. So, I think our students, it made us feel good about the thoughtfulness of the students and then that matching with what the committee had already kind of moved forward with. And um so

046you know I think that it made us feel good about the education that's happening currently in the high school and the small tweaks that we can make to make those opportunities greater for our kids moving forward. >> Were our students here involved in that process? >> Yeah, all three of us were. Um, so it was really nice cuz we got to discuss with them and then I also went around and I talked to the students what they thought about all of it and it was what Rene said they were like, "Oh, I like this but you know that's a lot. Like we could go for this one and meet halfway and it was really nice." Yeah. Yeah, I just want to say we go to a lot of schools with a lot of different students

047and you guys were extremely enjoyable to work with and very respectful and extremely thoughtful and I would echo very much what Renee said is there was a graciousness about, you know, what felt reasonable or not and there was a lot of pride of what we have and asking for, you know, this could be a little bit better, but we we don't need over the top or anything like that. It's like we're Laurel. We're proud to be Laurel. This is what it looks like and we're just taking what we have and making a little bit better. And it was pretty What you're saying though is the best students in the state of Montana. >> No, I want to simplify it. Keep it simple. >> I think it's really the best students in the history of Montana

048history. This history. >> Wow. He's eating >> the country. >> The thing I like about this whole any of these levels that we choose and obviously I like the comprehensive idea. To Matt's point, there will be no cheaper time to do a comprehensive overhaul of this building than right now. And we did a comprehensive overhaul of West. And I feel like that's just such a shining example of what we're capable of as a community. Um, we were very responsible stewards in managing that project. And it turned out, I think, I mean, I had a I have a pretty high bar. it. I think it exceeded my very high bar of what it could be. Um, it's almost seamless. The school looks new from front to back, side to side, and we have an opportunity now

049to deliver that for our high school students, too. And it will outlast every single person in this room, almost all of your lifetimes. it will outlast us all, which is a little morbid to think about, but like I'm I mean, if I'm around at 90 and we have to pass another bond, I'm sure going to vote for it. But, uh, I hope that it's something like that that we have set them up for the capacity to grow and that they don't have to worry about the sewers collapsing anymore or bathrooms not working or rooms that are freezing cold and the other one's super hot. and these problems that they've been having for, you know, a decade or longer, two decades, um that we can resolve those and then future school boards and parents and teachers

050don't have to worry about it. So, we'll pay it off in 20 years and get 50 years out of it. That's a pretty good return. I'd say hopefully we get 50. Any other things from the board, comments or questions about it? >> We will we have to resolve this by February >> 27th, >> right? So, we'll have the next board meeting. >> We're going to have some more concrete discussion about dollars and cents. >> It'll be under as an action item. We'll have a a resolution in bond legislation. Now the reason we like we'll take it to the first meetings if there was any issues and we had to go back to for something then we would have a couple weeks in order to do that for the second board meeting or special board meeting

051whatever the board would want. Uh so we are trying to give a little bit of flexible time in there so if something does happen we can come back to the second board meeting. Yeah, I think those are outlined. Yeah, next steps is yeah, we're working backwards from February 27th. Uh, so we will hear from you guys about this is the approach we're going to take that final bond amount and use that to craft the resolution language that will come back to you guys for a vote. We'll make any revisions there and then we'll go back out um and then the next five six months look like community outreach um and building support prior to the vote. So if you have any money questions or any specific design questions because not a lot of specifics in

052the design area, but >> if you have any input, yeah, >> it's scope area. >> Yeah, scope area. >> Scope area. >> This is the the time maybe to ask some of those questions so we can have a productive um conversation next board meeting if you have any. Okay, >> awesome. >> Well, I don't know where to find us. >> Thank you. Yeah, thank you so much, Mary. >> Thanks, Chad. He's here. He just likes to sit in the back. >> Before, >> he was waiting for us to play with the glass boxes. He was going to change them for us. >> Yeah, bring it. Can we move donations because it has consent agenda and then donations within it? >> Oh, sure. >> Yep. >> I didn't catch that. >> We'll move the Thank you

053for catching that, Britney. >> We'll move B under the consent agenda. We don't need to consent to donating. We're appreciative of it. We don't have to approve it. So, thank you everyone um for um the generous donations by our community and business uh community especially uh to our school district. We really appreciate it. >> Chris, sorry. May I >> Yes, go ahead. >> I would like to know um how much donations we have received in 2024 or excuse me, 2025, please. Total. You don't have to give it to me right now. >> Okay. We can look it up. >> I know you could. I'm just asking. I would like to kind of start keeping track of what that looks like. >> Volume, please and thank you. >> Yeah, it's a really great idea. Britney, >>

054do you want me to just add it to that? >> I think it'd be nice to sort of just aformational thing on the next meeting. >> Yeah. >> You know, in 2025, this was the total probation money. >> It really felt like a great year for that to be honest. It it was super >> significantly blessed. I think over the last couple of years it feels like we are being very fortunate from the community and rece. >> Yes. >> No, we really appreciate it. >> Anything else on the donations? Okay, thank you. We'll move next then to the consent agenda. Do I have a motion? >> I have a move to approve the consent agenda. >> Have a motion to approve the consent agenda by Renee. Is there a second? >> I'll second that. >>

055Seconded by Britney. Is there any more board discussion on the consent agenda? Any audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Renee to approve the consent agenda. Seconded by Britney. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed. Motion carries. >> We do have someone who was just hired. >> Oh, okay. >> Uh they are here tonight, so I'd like to introduce them. I don't have a fancy thing to read, >> but uh we have uh Mr. Gomez come up here if you wouldn't mind. Just kind of step forward so they can see it. Mr. Gomez has uh been hired as our new business manager. As of tonight, you guys hired her. She'll actually be starting though before the end of the fiscal year. Uh we hoping to start in

056the next week or so, uh two weeks, something like that. We've given her time cuz obviously she has a current job that she's uh you know got to draw to a close a little bit, but she'll be working overlapping with Julie for about 6 7 weeks uhish. And uh so learning the position here in Laurel, it is different. Every school's a little bit different with its own nuances and this just gives us a chance to uh use Julie's knowledge to pass on. I think she's going to be an absolutely wonderful business manager and clerk for the board. Uh I think she she's dedicated to our community. She's a locomotive already and uh I think this is going to be an absolute wonderful addition to our school district. Thank you for taking this position, Crystal. Thank

057you. >> Thank you. Welcome. Thank you. We'll move next down into our action items number A, the 202627 calendar revision. Is there a motion? >> Sorry, I just have a quick question on that. So, typically on ours, I'm trying to figure out when it says holiday May 20, please. Oh, never mind. Well, it's the Friday before, but I see that that's our last day. It's Thursday the 27th. >> We could have had it not as a holiday. Just just confusion. It's actually the day we host the state track meet and we can take it off our final calendar. We don't need to have it on there >> because our last day is the 27th. >> Yeah. You're not approving a holiday there per se because it is the last days of the 27th. >> Okay.

058>> Um that was a day in the previous calendar. All the other calendars we wouldn't have school anyway. So, the big changes on this one >> Mhm. Well, the only change was what you guys sent back to the calendar committee to discuss and that was on the 25th of August. You approved that the last meeting. That'll be the start for uh 3 through 12 uh grades 3 through 12. And then the 26th, which is Wednesday, August 26, would be the start for kindergarten, excuse me, kinder boost, which is our prek, uh kindergarten, first and second grade, would start on the 26th. Uh teachers of course will be working on the 25th. They they're actually already planning should this be approved they'll be planning like a kindergarten um >> like orientation. >> Orientation. Yeah, that's probably

059the best word. U I think that uh they're going to have and then we'll be in the evening. We'll have them in during the day. Uh just really that's new for parents and it's a big day for them and they want to still do something very specific. So when those kids come on the 26th, those kindergarteners have already come through an orientation. So they'll still be working. They'll just look a little bit different. Hours isn't a problem. Shouldn't be problem total hours needed for uh accreditation, things like that. So that was the only change would be that August 26th. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? >> I would take a motion. I move to approve the calendar changes for the 2627 school year. I >> have a motion to approve the 2027 2627 calendar

060revisions by Jenny. Is there a second? >> I second. >> Seconded by Kelly. Any further discussion by the board? Audience? Hearing? None. We'll move to vote on the motion by Jenny to approve action item A seconded by Kelly. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item B DPA approval recommendation. Is there a motion that pull up weird? >> It does. That's why I was It pulls up with I don't know if it was my link or >> no the mo the motion >> so the recommendation isn't pulling up but that attachment is >> here >> the privacy agreement is there but the motion is just the >> recommendation looks like it and then it pulls up to a a weird link >> um the draft agenda >> it's just

061the draft agenda that's >> Yeah. Why is it coming up with another agenda? >> Well, this is I'm on the actual website. So just Yeah. So you don't mind >> which is the it's just putting us in an endless loop. >> So the uh DPA the approval TIGBY is what I put on there was TIG is a it's a free access to schools and it is a career exploration program and schools use it all over the country. Uh it would just give us an option. We have one that the state uses as well. Take a little bit different better for uh potentially better for some younger grades. Um, but it's a career exploration uh videos on there and it has uh just things we can use through the counselor's programs and >> even through CT

062or whatever to to career exploration for younger kids. >> So, is this is this a new technology service provider that we're working with? >> Yeah, we just don't have it's used all over. I got at the the C uh CTE conference and uh you know it's just a it's just a great free option. So I know Charlotte knows >> so uh we learned about TIG at the CTE conference that we recently went to and it is free. We like free and it's good. >> Um the way that TIG works is it is recorded videos with a live person from industry. So, if you're a pilot for United Airlines, it's an interview with that pilot talking about their experience being a pilot for United Airlines. And then, um, that happens on Monday, and it's a short

063little video that's like 5 minutes. And then throughout the week, the students can go into their TIG account and pose a question back to that person. Um, what do you like most about your job? what was the scariest event that ever happened while you were working? Uh, how many years of school did you have to go through? And then they can also see all the questions that any other student who is on TIG B from around the nation poses and they can upvote those questions and the top 20 questions go back to that person and then on Friday the students get a video with that person live answering their questions. So, it's pretty cool. And then they also have a huge archive of videos. So, we're kind of wanting to pilot this at the middle

064school just to explore how we can expand some career interest and knowledge and exposure. Um, that's also one of the things that we talked about a lot at the conference is that we have um just a lack of exposure. We have great programs of the ones that we have, but the the number of industry jobs out there compared to what we're exposing our kids to talk about is just there's a huge cavern there. So, we're just uh trying to expla expand that. Uh because the kids do have to have like a TIG account to do the voting and the questioning and all of that is why we're asking for the DPA with that company. >> Yep. Sounds cool. And I will note board the um it Matt did go out and swap it. So the

065recommendation is now there if you want to review it. Is there any other board questions about that? >> I make a recommendation to approve the DPA for TIGB. >> A motion to approve the DPA for TIG by Britney. Is there a second? >> Second. Seconded by Jenny. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing? None. We'll move to vote on the motion by Britney to approve the DPA for TIGB, seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item C, the 2526 books for board approval, Laurel High School. Is there a motion? I move to approve the listed books for purchase of the Laurel High School. Have >> a motion to approve action item C by Jenny. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Renee. Any other board discussion? Audience

066discussion hearing? None. will move to vote on the motion by Jenny to approve the 2025 2026 books for Laurel High School. Seconded by Renee. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Action item D, the 2526 books for board approval, Laurel Intermediate School. Is there a motion? I make a motion to approve the 2526 books for L. >> A motion by Renee to approve the 2526 books for Laurel Intermediate. Is there a second? >> Second by Kayla. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Renee to approve action item D, seconded by Kayla. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item E, handwriting supplement recommendation. Do I have a motion? I make a motion for the handwriting supplement

067for Xer Bolster for kinder boost grades 3 through five. Have a motion to approve action item E handwriting supplement by Britney. Is there a second? >> Second by Kayla. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion on action item three presented by Britney, seconded by Caleb. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item F, updated ELA curriculum recommendation. Do I have a motion? >> I make a motion to the upgrade and purchase of the My View literacy resources for grades 3 through 5. Have a motion to approve action item F, the updated ELA curriculum by Britney. Is there a second? >> Seconded by Jenny. Any board discussion? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion by Britney to approve

068action item F, the updated ELA curriculum, seconded by Jenny. All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Action item G, new policies and policy revisions. First reading. How would we like to go through this board? One, go through one at a time. Would we like to approve the new policies and then the second set? Is there a preference? >> I just have a question. Of course, I'm assuming it went through leadership and learning. Um the new policies I don't see any changes. So >> they're new. Yeah. >> I mean so like it went through but you guys didn't feel the need to make any changes. No language you felt it was pretty clear weeks on things but there was nothing like profound. >> Okay. That's what I was Okay. >> Okay. >>

069Any other items on there? I'd accept a motion of any kind, one at a time to >> I make a motion to approve the new policies A, B, and C. >> I have a motion by Renee to approve new policies A, B, and C. >> I'll second that. >> Seconded by Britney. Any other board discussion on those three? Audience discussion? Hearing none, we'll move to vote on the motion provided by Renee to approve action item uh G sub one sub BC seconded by Britney. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? That motion carries. Do you have additional policy revisions under G sub 2? Do I have a motion? The only thing I would say about these is these were policies that we just had kind of went through, but then they revised

070them. They were the ones that had the identity instruction in the title, which we had had a big discussion at this board about that. And so MTSBA went back and did some revisions to that and made things more clear as far as what was a annual notice, what was a 5 to 14 day notice. um and then took some of that language out and gave us options for if we weren't providing that instruction that just fell out of the policy instead of referring to it when we don't do it. So, it just cleaned up um a lot of these that those policies in particular and made it more clear on what it is and gave you the options that fit with what we do at our district. Was that a request from leadership and learning

071to do that or did >> Well, we had already kind of done that, but Matt had reached out to MTSBA and said, "These like don't even make sense. We don't even know what these are." >> Every time I read them, yeah, I'd read them and then I'd come in and read them the second time. I'd read something different. >> So, it wasn't them coming to us. We actually nudge them against >> Well, and I think other schools did, too. I don't think we're the only ones that had a problem with it, but I'd like to think >> Yeah. So we nudged them in certain ways and they came out with some >> some significant changes. I think it made it a lot more clear. >> For example, they had NF23 2335 NF2 is the 5

072to 15 day notice which when they originally put it out, it had nowhere in there that was a 5 to 14 day notice. >> So we had changed it internally here, we had changed it to from what they recommended to have to say 5 to 14 day notice. But I saw when they came back, they had changed it and I just had expressed that I thought it was very confusing and they came back and made some changes. But I'm sure other schools did too. >> Yeah. I say the work of our board did a good job. They caught up to us. >> That's happened a couple times. I feel like we put it in the debate and then they catch up. I make a motion uh for policy revisions on first reading item two under

073G abc. >> So I have a motion by Britney to approve action item G sub 2 A B C and B. Do I have a second? >> Seconded by Renee. Any other board discussion? Audience discussion hearing? None. will move to vote on the motion to approve action item G sub 2 A, B, C, and D by Rene or by Britney, seconded by Renee. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? A motion carries. Well, thank you, board. That was nice and quick. Those were some good uh good movements. I appreciate that. We'll move next then to our information item section number A. Please stop me if you have anything you'd like to discuss further. LMS library books approval request. And then just under the superintendent report, we just have resignations. And we'll move on

074then to our discussion items for this evening. The first of which is uh we're going to talk about an RFP committee and I think we have a supplement page here for that. Uh yeah, if you see a food service RFP schedule, one of the things we have to do is we have to uh come up when when we get all the RFPs, if you remember right when we did things for like the furniture for the buying, we have to have a committee together that looks through those and helps make those decisions. We'll have a like a scoring rubric. Would that be accurate, Julie? >> There's one in >> I wasn't here when we did the last one, but that's usually the process. And then that committee goes forward and and uh usually put >> um

075they'll they'll score all the different uh you know uh >> vendors. >> Yeah. Vendors and the proposals that come in. Um it'd be good to have uh possibly uh you know, principles on there, obviously, a couple board members. Uh I would suggest we even grab a few teachers. Uh maybe you we could have a kid on there. We could have we got three over here that students who represent the board. So that might be good to have them on there. And then they go through and then they can decide what recommendation to make to the board as well. And just as a kind of as a reminder to everybody, um we are still looking at potentially running it ourselves. So that that is something that's still out there to think about. >> Any questions on

076that? Yeah, >> I'd like to be on that committee, please. >> Absolutely. Make that. Make a note of that. Good. So RP committee And if anyone else has an interest on the board for that meeting or that committee um if you express it now or you can certainly email Matt, myself and Renee um that at a later time too. So thanks Britney. >> Do you have a suggestion? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Could you come up to the thing so they can everyone can hear >> whatever that thing is now? This weird little pyramid. >> You want me to introduce myself? >> Yes, please. >> Lisa Pickkins. uh certified co-president LUA. Um Lori and I were talking and Tracy Salo and Terara Moon eat lunch almost every single day. So maybe invite them if they'd

077like to join the committee. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> They're frequent lunch eaters. >> They're different levels, too. So high school and >> Oh, that's good. That's really good. Oh, >> thank you for that. That's great. Illinois troops. >> Perfect. >> I'm excited for it. I think it'll be a good change. I'm curious how it pencils out if if they get real competitive and it makes it impossible for us to do it ourselves or >> if we do it ourselves. >> You send out at least five probably sending out tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> There's that. And you think we'll have that much interest come back? You kind of anticipate four, right? >> Maybe there's some planning on >> I bet we'll have four. >> Yeah, I bet you we have at least four. >>

078Okay. which surprises me to be honest with you. >> I'll have them bring their fillets and prime rib test. >> I will uh it won't be until >> April or we need the actual committee, but we'll put one together and I I got his name on here. >> Great. So, you have some time to think about it if it fits in your schedule. Looks like we'll probably do that on April 3rd. Tend to do now. All right. Uh, board FF and heat up update. That means this these what we had talked about last week. >> So before you leave, if you could I got a a company that's dropping off some chairs tomorrow. They didn't get them in today. They're hoping to get them today, but there's a kind of a task chair with wheels

079over there to sit in. And then a a community chair. You'll notice I did get some additional community chairs courtesy of the high school uh to make things a little more comfortable for people, but uh we have some options over there and I I should get a few more options uh this week uh from another company. So, we're just trying to be as frugal as we can of course. Um I know that Dr. Bington has expressed uh she got sneezed. Bless you. >> Excuse me. God bless America. So, uh I know that Dr. Bington has just briefly talked to to our uh industrial arts teacher and we just need to come up with some schematics of some sort, plans >> and some specs >> some specs of some sort. So, I just I just haven't

080had a chance to look, but >> we could do >> we think and then I know the middle school is also in on helping with developing the the tabletops. Uh that would be how we going to incorporate the electricity, things like that. But you know, it's worst case scenarios, we just run cords like we've always done. Uh that's we're okay with that. Um and that we could we feel like we could buy the materials for significantly less potentially and then get something, you know, pretty industrial strength. So we haven't forgotten anybody, but I would like you guys before you leave just have a seat in those and see if those would be okay. Even uh the crowd you come up and sit in the one without wheels uh just as a kind of a sample

081to see is it comfortable enough to sit there for a couple hours. >> Great. Anything else from the board on that one? That was pretty straightforward for now. Okay. Uh bond campaign. We just kept this on there. I don't know that we have a lot of update. We just went through that with A&E. So, we just kind of >> we kind of put it on there to look at dates. If there's basketball games that we're thinking about, we want to that the board members are aware of that and can make plans to be available and make sure there's not >> more than three of us there. >> I have uh requested the posters and Mary was going to try to get me posters. We're hoping this week so we could you know maybe we don't

082have the board hasn't approved the the the you know the cost or whatever but we still can have some of the posters some of the ideas and start talking about what we wanted to accomplish. So I have asked for some of those big posters to be made and Mary's going to get me uh some of those. We're going to try to be a little vague because the board hasn't approved. We don't want to start quoting numbers because the board hasn't approved any of that. So, we really like to get concepts out there at the very least. Um, so I'll I'll talk with Mary about that. Um, but I heard and I talked last week about getting something to us hopefully this week. So, at least we could we have a home game, I believe, Friday

083if I remember right. So, that would be good just to set up there and and talk for a few hours there about what we're thinking about. Hey, we've got a lot of ideas. These different levels we're not sure what to It hasn't been approved by the board. We always got to throw that out there. >> Are they going to do a bond website with for again this year? >> Yeah, we'll we'll put we'll attach that again, too. >> Maybe put a QR code to that on the posters or is that too early cuz we haven't decided which way the board will go. >> Always do stickers with those QR codes. >> We can do stickers. That's a good point. Okay. >> Cuz I think we know early. >> Okay. >> Yeah, >> that's a good

084point. I mean, at least going and we can always just >> put those stickers on with the QR to then link it. That makes sense. >> Okay. >> And I would even say think about over the next two weeks um through this and where your your mind is sitting with those three options and where you feel like we you most feel comfortable supporting or that you feel that community would support the best. So we can have that conversation um as we set that bond language next. >> Did you guys understand when she talked about that this even though it's you know say $50 million versus 31 a few years ago that it actually could have less of a tax impact because of the changes at the state level with property taxes. The actual overall impact

085to a homeowner will be less even though it's it's more money. the actual impact to your homes would actually be less than what the what it would have been three years ago >> almost by half because it went from$135 to 75. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> And without confusing them I somehow saying you know when we went out for the elementary bond we and and it was passed we were planning on it to being you know at a certain amount being charged and we actually came in underneath that too. So they understand that we have been fiscally responsible with past funding and bonding money and everything like that >> and that you know that we might quote this and there could be a potential without saying that there will be but this is what historically

086we have done with the community's money and still been able to come back and >> I think the elementary bond came in >> how much was it underneath what they originally thought it ended up being like 30ome% lower So, so I think that um I think those are all positive things that we've had less of an impact than what we you thought. >> They added Do you do you have them still? We had those posters at the open houses for the schools >> that >> all those original ones. You know what? I don't have those. I don't >> what you remember once like we do. Uh they have those still. >> Okay. So we can get those >> without confusing the community. But at the same point, that is a good talking point. Oh yeah.

087>> In regards to what we've done in the past, >> what it could potentially what it would have cost >> the community at that time and now. >> Yeah. >> When you still are, >> you may be able to do a little bit more for a little bit less, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Which doesn't happen in this world very often. And I think this plan, it was a probably a little bit of a blessing in disguise that it didn't pass because we've taken a much more comprehensive approach this time around. Not to say that the last time wasn't thoughtful because I think it was, but I think this has been a a a really good process. It feels better than the last time, even though last time felt good, too, right? >> I would

088say. >> I agree. So, I think it's a we learned a lot about the district and construction and what and facilities and what's needed through going through this with the elementary. So, I think it prepared us a lot for having these conversations. I I feel so good. I've really I've really enjoyed that. >> Is that all on the bonds? >> I think ties in with the next one too. We can maybe even stress a little bit of the security with the renovation of a whole new >> school. We can highlight while we're upgrading the mechanical systems, you know, got cameras and all the hallways and that kind of stuff too to kind of >> and we did with the elementary and the intermediate school as well. So we can kind of assure the community that

089security is also of course the safety of our students is front and center too. So, >> the high school is by far and away not even close to being the least secure building in our district. Like, not even >> not even remotely close. >> It's the It's the least secure building in our district. >> They have to go outside. >> Really? >> Well, just there's kids walking outside the building constantly to go to the industrial arts building to or the uh TNI trades and industry building to to go to the wait room. I mean, it is by far and away the most open building we have. Uh, as a as a sidebar, the the project would solidify that and make that a much safer facility by bringing the trades and industry in and CTE stuff

090within the the hallways of the existing school and building on to the school. Uh, and one of them even has a connection to the weight room. So, uh, it it would significantly increase the safety of our school. Yep. >> That's a great point. And a good segue. If we're done with the bond discussion, >> comment in there about that. Absolutely. You want to come up? >> Yes, please come up to the state for our records. >> Moving to the >> So, I'm Monterey Addicts and case in point with what you said, Mr. Torx, but yet you let the entire student body out for lunch. I don't agree with with that. I think they need to stay there in the building for not only their safety. I mean, what's to say if some crazy person would

091grab students and hold them hostage? What are you going to do then? Now they're not in your confined building. I don't agree with open lunch. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other public comment on the bond or questions? We'll be out visiting you anyway. So, if you think of them, come and visit with us at a basketball game or community event. There's going to be a lot of them coming up. So, we'll be out and about for you to visit with us, too. Anything else? All right. the main event for some of us is for the last week or so I would say or two weeks um a lot longer than that but more more evident now that they've picked a site is this proposed Montana state facility um that Mr. Morris referred to in his

092public comment today. Um, we wanted to bring this to the board um over some significant concern that I think we all share as a board, but that I think resonates in our community about um specifically as it relates to its proximity to West Elementary School or Laurel Elementary School. And so we wanted to bring that to the board tonight to discuss what we think our official stance should be. It doesn't require an action for us to release official statements. So that's why it's not an action. Um but what the sentiment of this board is and our stance and um allow the community a space to address their concerns as it relates to the school district because I just remind the public that we aren't the city and so we're not responsible for any annexation. Um

093they don't need our permission to do that annexation. That would all be at the city level. Also, any discussion tonight should basically be centered on the the school um and its proximity to the school and how it would maybe impact our district in that way >> or any other way that it impacts the district. But Jenny, go ahead. >> Should the board solidify a stance, Mr. Torx or Mr. Lash, would you be willing to go to the city council meeting tomorrow to share our our stance or potentially release a press statement? >> Probably both. Okay. >> I would think maybe both. >> So, I think it really is a big this a big impact. This isn't building a love struck stop. >> Mhm. This is a much more significant event for our community that going

094to last well I mean how long has warm springs been around? It's going to last forever. So it's it's not something that any of us should take lightly as a decision as a citizen in our this community. So we'll just with that we'll just open the discussion to the board or to the community. I think this open this at this point is an open discussion as long as you you would come up and just address the board um with your name so we can record those as part of our minutes. >> Two minutes >> and we will just for this expediency of time we'll just try to limit our >> My name is Shauna Hopper. I'm a lifelong resident here in Laurel. >> I'm Amber Zan. Um, I've only been here for a couple of

095years, but I do board the the site that of the proposed facility. >> And she has young children. >> I have two young children that both uh attend West or sorry, Laurel Elementary School. >> Um, us as well as some local organizations and other community members have formed a uh Laurel Cared group. sounds for community advocates for responsible economic development. Um Chris Bowley also sent Renee Roth a detailed um information letter. Um, and I'm just going to share um a brief statement that a gal sent to me um about an experience that that she had. Um, when Boulder got shut down 12 years ago, they had to house the criminals somewhere else and instead of building another facility, they shipped them out and three of them ended up in Laurel. Long story short, I was

096one of their careers. I was their best friend one minute and their worst enemy the next. They ran off to steal an ice cream cone at Ricky's gas station. This was only 200 yd from where he lived. It was covered up by claiming he had a mental capacity of a four-year-old, so charges couldn't be pressed. He not only attacked me, but two other employees and stabbed his roommate with a fork in the stomach before they finally sent him to a more locked down facility. So, here's the concern is these aren't normal criminals. These aren't people that are going to steal your car. These are actually people that will rape, stab, do whatever they can because they don't know any better. And the proximity to West School, it's a brand new school and it's just not

097a safe safe distance away. The state of Montana actually requires any private facility to be no closer than one mile in proximity. So what makes the difference between a state criminal and a private criminal? >> Thank you. >> Is the land if the land uh currently as purchased or would be purchased is it within a mile? I don't even like less than 600 yards. >> 600 yards. Okay, now I can hit a golf. >> No, I can't. But >> so actually and I can show you I can show you the radius. Um I put a radius at 5028th Avenue and it goes almost to Love's truck stop >> and then it goes up towards um the golf course. And actually the high school is included as well if you do a onem radius um because

098it's bird's eye plane. I mean it affects not just one school but two. And if you ever open this back up to students, it would affect this as well. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Absolutely. >> And there's really no property buff. I mean, there's a there's a one adjacent property, but it's empty. So, I mean, it's a straight shot from that land to the school. There's no there's nothing. Not that you'd want houses in between you, but at least it'd be a buffer between the kids and the, you know, but there's nothing there. So, >> so Mark Morris again. >> Yes. So, uh, one of the issues here is that the state has, uh, declined to talk with any local governing authorities, be that the county commissioner, be that city of Billings, be that school

099board, be it, um, city council. Uh, nobody really knows what's going on. I mean, you hear little bits and pieces. Somebody says this, somebody says that. So, uh, if it's truly a forensic psychiatric facility, so that is a full lockdown facility, but they haven't said what they're going to provide for security. Is it going to be one fence? Is there going to be a double fence? Is there going to be concert wire on it? Um and you know probably the the probability escape is probably not high but um as Shauna pointed out here you know people that go there have severe mental health u they are violent u most of them don't have they've lost their ability uh to reason or that uh they probably will commit a violent crime uh if they get out

100and then as I talked earlier, you know, I think what the grand plan is is that once they get some type of facility built here, uh they will expand it because they talk about it being modular and scalable and uh they will shut down Warm Springs Galen and they'll bring all those people here. And so some of those people are what are called civil commitments and those are the ones that when um they release them they will they will open the front door and say Fred you're free to go and close the door behind them and you will have those people wandering around roaming around um the city of Laurel. I mean it's it's going to happen. um you know, Laurel is going to turn into Yellowstone County is going to turn into the dumping

101ground um for everybody else's mental health problems in the state. And I mean, it's just that uncertainty. Nobody will answer those questions. Nobody will even have a conversation with you. Nobody will answer the phone in Helena. Nobody will return an email in Helena. Um you know, that's the great unknown. and and you guys have to worry about that because you know the rules that apply to a private prison um apparently don't apply to the state prison. >> Yeah. >> Um so, uh you know, I'm happy to share if you have questions. I'm happy to share whatever it is that I have uh to share with you, but I can tell you they're just they're not talking. >> Are the county commissioners writing anything to the state on behalf of Yellowstone County? Uh, I don't know

102if you followed this, but this started maybe last June or July. It started in the park parking lot, upper parking lot of MSUB when we first went and looked at the five sites around. And I was pretty vocal then and I've been pretty vocal since then. This is not something we want um in Yellowstone County, be that Laurel, be it Billings, be it wherever. um my entire career before I became um the county commissioners, I was in law enforcement. I was a a special agent for 31 years. Then I worked for the sheriff's office. I've been to Warm Springs and Galen on many occasions uh taking people up there that were being committed. Uh, and they're not nice people and and through no fault of their own, whether that's a chemical imbalance or or whatever

103their issue is, I can just tell you that um those people have serious issues. >> What I find interesting is there are two other communities that did put in a >> uh Yeah, they did put in a proposal to host this facility. Laurel was not one of those comm uh one of those state cities that put in the Yeah. Well, not officially, but there's uh two proposals. So, it's not like they don't have other places to put the facility. They have two communities that have requested it be placed in their communities. >> That's correct. And then the state will tell you that one of the reasons they think Yellowstone County is so great is because of workforce. And I can tell you that that is just simply not the fact. There is no we do

104not have workforce for the um county government for we can't staff our jail properly. Um the psychiatric unit at Billings Clinic is down 15 medical positions that they can't staff. So for the state to say that they want to locate it in Laurel or Yellowstone County because we have the workforce is just uh you know it that's false. Uh and then they say well we have wraparound services. Well um you know we don't have wraparound services. I mean, and kind of particularly in in Laurels in this case here, you know, the land that the state is going to build on is probably some of the easiest uh or um the best land that Laurel has to build um single family residences on. And so once the state takes that away, there you go. That that's

105property you will never get back for, >> you know, families moving into the community. Yep. It's suspect that it's such a big plot of land. >> Well, I can assure you it makes no sense unless the expansion that you're speaking of is >> assured. Basically, I mean, there'd be no reason to build on 114 acres for 36 beds. >> There's no rationale for that. you know, >> you know, they they could certainly spend taxpayer dollars on a smaller, less expensive piece of ground than that. >> Well, what would unless they had longerterm plans to your point, >> so they have they were appropriated $26.5 million to make this whole project happen. Buy the land, build the building. So there is some um talk that um they have a contract on these 114 acres and they

106spent north of $5 million on it. So if you just take those numbers, if they spend $5 million for the land, that means that they have $21 million to build a facility. So >> and develop and develop the land. >> Yes. So, I can tell you that I'm looking at expanding our county jail in Yellowstone County. And I I can tell you uh we've we've looked at this on uh the jail master plan for over two years. They cannot there is a piece of paper out that shows kind of a proposed plan for this 32 bed um pod. They can't build it for $21 million. >> Tell us all about it. We've been building understand you know so I mean where is the funding for it? What are they going to come here and build

107half a bill? I mean you know there there is no information. We don't have any information to work with other than we know for a fact the only money they got appropriated was $26.5 million and they can't make it happen for that. >> Britney. Yes. >> So I have a couple of questions. um legally do we have an opportunity to see what that buy cell is between this private owner and the state to what are our legal rights as a district and I know you're not an attorney I'm just this is what I'm this is what I'm kind of throwing out because I truly do believe that we have I I in my heart and I'd like to go after it is I believe we legally have a right to show this is a safety

108and security for for our school district within that vicinity. And I know it it touches community members, but in my in my belief, I believe we need to look into that because there are other entities, private entities that are not allowed to be built within a you know, close to that facility and so how can that be? So there has to be kind of an injunction or something. >> I'm not an attorney. I don't know what that is, but like >> I can touch on your first question. So most U property transactions in Montana are shielded from public public perview, >> but this is a state. So I have >> So I'm a real estate and so that's why my question is is that I'd like to know because if it's a state entity >>

109purchasing there should be some kind of public ability to see what that is. >> I will I will answer that real quick. >> Come on back up. >> Hi Shauna again. Um it has been requested by our group. Um Sam Maze has been in contact um requesting that for the last 5 days. >> So we are in the process of working on that but we have not been able to get our hands on it yet but it has been requested. >> Thank you. And the exact from the ed from the eastern edge of that property to the western edge of our property is 459 yards. >> Mhm. >> Looked like 460 to me, but 459. >> So I can almost drive them. >> Yeah. >> Not quite. But >> but yeah, I mean I I

110think that we can we ask I don't know which attorney we could ask that of, >> but I hotel and see if they can advise us on that or we need to go to somebody else that's more >> adept with that >> with I mean cuz this is outside we would normally ask my question is for Mr. Morris, would you get up? >> Yeah, I'm still Yeah. >> So, there are three county commissioners and you're one of them and you're opposed to it. What is the thought process of the other two? Have you three discussed it or have they shared their thoughts? >> So, sure. Uh they have both spoken publicly on it and uh I I would say that we are united in a board that we do not think um Yellowstone County is

111the correct venue for any type of mental health prison. So, have you guys drafted a letter? Have you have you drafted some sort of a response to go to the the state? >> So, uh we have uh we have talked to our legal uh council about that and I think we're waiting to get to actually be able to deal in facts and not just rumor. >> We want to hit we want to get something concrete for them. this is what we're going to do and then we can state our objections to it. But right now, as I say, there just is no information. Obviously, there's what you read in the media, be that online media or the paper. Um, but, you know, we probably have to have a little more concrete. Um, we we need

112to have a better source than that. So my my I guess my thought is that um the buy sell of course is is already the clock's already ticking on that right so >> well it's contingent I understand so but I I don't know if it's contingent on the fact that the city would enex that piece of land in but generally a city cannot can only enex land that's contiguous to each other and so they wouldn't be able So there's county land that surrounds that that parcel. >> So they wouldn't be able to jump over a piece of county land to annex that into would they annex potentially annex a bunch of people who don't want to be annexed into the city? >> Yep. >> Well, they could, but generally the way that works is there

113has to be a vote of those people and it requires 51% a simple majority. So this this could potentially be stopped at the city level if if they can't annex the property. Is that what you're saying? >> That's correct. Because generally to be able to have water or wastewater utilities from a city, you have to be annexed by them. Mhm. >> So >> now, and I have no idea, there are some residents who have said that Laurel's water and wastewater systems are either at or near capacity. I I have no idea if that's true. >> It's pretty true. >> Okay. Well, pretty close. >> Yeah. Yeah, it is. >> So, they're bringing city services to the Loves site, right? >> Done that. >> Done. >> Yeah. without annexation or that's the south side. >> They

114did annex that side. >> Okay. >> But there are pockets of >> on the north side >> of people that are county and people who are city and then there's some that are both residents and commercial that have not been annexed. >> Sure. >> And so it would behoove those property owners to speak up and say that they're not interested. >> They're here. >> They probably are. Yeah. Okay. Anybody have any more questions for me? Uh I like I said um I've given my card. Um you know, feel free to call us or email us and um we'll share with you the information we have. >> Thank you. >> We have one more com couple more. Go ahead and just rest. I'm just going to make one final comment is I think you'll find a

115lot of the information in the information that Renee was received from Chris. This is also the information that will be given out and talked about tomorrow night at the public meeting at the front porch before city council. >> That's at 5:30. Unfortunately, we can only have 65 people inside the venue, so we may end up having to shuffle people in and out. But this group that we formed um has been working diligently um and contacting all sorts of people, attorneys, um the governor, um the state. There's a lot of research material that you will find in that um and through our group. Um, so please attend tomorrow night if you have further questions. Um, you might be able to do that. We will have information packets um, available for the the public to be able

116to pick up what Renee has um, a flyer of who to contact within the state, all of those things. So, >> the if the front porch only holds 65 people, the the council chambers would hold significantly less. Yes, >> but we can't not start showing up. >> No, no, no, no. I'm not I'm not arguing for that. I'm just saying that uh I wonder if the city's thought about potentially moving their venue if they feel like there's going to be a you know larger >> I I don't know that that's my view. >> They can't come in like they did during the during the energy plan. They just said you guys can't come in. Nobody can talk. We not taking any comments. See you later. >> Which I don't think is legal. I mean, they

117don't have to allow public comment. They can't respond to it if it's not. >> Well, but then that's illegal to bring up to the lawyer. I went all the way to the governor's office and got the same answer from every single person I talked to. Nobody is over the city council. Nobody. They are an entity of their own. >> That is true. >> Do we >> all the way to the governor's office? I went and I was told the same thing at every single level. They are their own entity. Nobody is over them. The only people that are over him are the people that vote him into office. >> And we just voted him back. >> Who is the mayor? Dave Wagner. Is he a city council or mayor? Um I um I do believe

118that somebody has went to the courthouse to get a recall. I'm not going to speak. I'm not >> thrown out the petition. >> The online petition out. >> Let's make sure that it stays on track. We got to keep it on track. >> Yeah. As it relates to join us, of course, at the front porch at 5:30. >> Wonderful. >> Go ahead. >> And then then next. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Was there somebody behind me? >> No. >> Okay. I just I have a >> if you just take your name for the record if you would please. Thank you. >> Pat Smith, Laurel resident just down the road actually. Um so Mark, you said that um nobody had any prior knowledge of this. We know Harden put in. We know my city put in. Laurel

119claims that they didn't put in for it. But yet the mayor and the city manager were touring the state have to keep it on >> around that property and telling them, "Oh, we've already annexed. We've already taken the water to Loves, so it's available for you guys." >> You could have this conversation. It's unrelated to the school matter. If you'd like to have that with Mr. Moors, I think maybe appropriate outside of the meeting if that's okay. >> It affects whether this whole thing goes through. I mean, >> but if if it's a concern related to its proximity to West Elementary School, then I think that's relevant for this conversation. Otherwise, we'd like to keep it just related to the district if that's okay. >> Okay. >> And tomorrow, >> I don't understand how it's

120not in. So, right now, we are only the school district. You can only think I know and I'm trying to explain. So, just give me a moment. Okay. when we have something on our agenda, we hold a meeting for us, but we allow the public to come in and of course be a part of our meeting because of that. But right now, we can't do anything about. So you asking him about what was being done prior to doesn't really reflect on what we need to do for our school district, which is why we have to keep it on the school. Okay. >> Tomorrow's meeting will be for those questions or for trying to understand. We're not trying to cut you off by our law. We have to keep what's on our agenda. >> Got it.

121Okay. >> Okay. >> Well, thank you though for your questions. >> Yes. >> Just so that I understand does the placing of the facility affects the school area and does the school board have objection to it being that close? Do we do we know how a school feels about that? >> That was the purpose of the meeting. >> And I I would I would surmise through this discussion that the district has as a board we have a strong opposition. >> Strong opposition. That's what I understood. Okay. That's what I wanted to know. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Rene. >> Well, I think yes. Yes, I think that we as a board, if that's our straw poll as we go around, we need to have a statement that is made public of our >> um >>

122I don't know what the right word is, >> concerns. Cons well concerns, but our yeah, a position on what we feel like that this is not beneficial to our schools. >> Yeah. >> For multiple reasons. Um the other side of this that and I'm not sure that we want to go there but it's like when we needed our new school annexed into the city. This was like an act of I mean how many meetings and how many emails and months and months of getting to a point where we got an email back from the city manager that even would sort of support that. It concerns me that our city manager and our mayor are working outside of the council's authority to send a letter to the state basically saying we have this great piece of

123property that one they don't own. So that's interesting. And then basically telling them the steps in order for them to get it annexed. When we as a public entity who are serving the same people the city serves. >> Yep. >> To better our city with a new school that our kids can go learn in were put up with wall after wall after wall to get through that process >> and tried to attack monies that they did not have the rights to. >> Yeah. tried to force us into getting make getting whole new roads for miles so that we could get annexed. >> And here they are offering this without any sort of process that we had to go through. >> Yeah. >> As a school in order to get this approved. >> Yeah. I I

124think that that is incredibly frustrating and >> almost corrupt >> to be honest with you, especially after saying that they knew nothing about it and then all of a sudden this letter shows up that they dated back in November coincidentally when they were just putting all the the infrastructure out to loves then all of a sudden now there's this letter that they didn't know something. So I I think that the transparency of this process when we were held to such a high standard as a district, the city should be held to that same standard. Yeah. In this process. >> Well, my hope would be that the city council sees reason in this discussion. >> Well, I guess >> um but uh I do Yeah. Go ahead, Britney. >> I didn't mean to interrupt. I guess

125back to keeping on target of what our what our position is is and I will say it personally and then we can formulate it. I'm not saying the facility in the need of it is a bad facility. I'm saying the facility located in the vicinity of less than a mile. I mean I mean >> 450 yards to be exact is not >> in the best interest of our students. Perception is reality and perceiving what is going on in that building to our students. And I Yep. It might be a 1% chance of any any safety security breach, but that is also based off of the roads, based off of the police and fire department, based off of all of that. So my personal, and I can say it on to the school district, is yes,

126the facility may be in need in Montana, just not locally where it's owned here in the north. >> So that's my position. >> Yes. Go ahead. Hi, Amber's on again. Um, again, I border the sight of the facility. I mean, it's literally right outside my living room window. >> Nailed it. Um, the state of Montana, like in the United States, the rate of uh escaping and absconding is less than 1%, but when it happens, it's huge. >> And the people closest to the to the vicinity are the ones who deal with it and carry that weight the hardest. I have sent in multiple um requests. I want independent publicly released community safety and risk assessments. I want disclosure of uh security, staffing, emergency response protocols. How are residents, schools, um sorry, uh and our first

127responders going to get to this? We don't know what the security looks like. We don't know what any of this looks like. And we are so close to this. We have to keep our children safe. We it might be 0.28% of escaping rates. It takes one >> and our kids are the most important part of this. So, and also the effects that it has on our property values diminishes incredibly. This is going to impact your bonds and your campaigns like you will not believe. Like if the residents can't afford to live here or if the residents don't want to be here, they can't sell their houses, nobody's going to vote on these bonds to help out our schools. This is insane. >> Sorry. Thank you. >> Yeah. No, thank you. >> So, I think Oh,

128go ahead. Yes, please come up. >> I have a lot to say, but it's easier for me on paper. >> Just state your name, please. this if you'd state your name. >> Ellie Marshall and um this directly and negatively impacts me my backyard. >> We understand. >> You're good. >> Fence I look right out on this property. So to the point um Sean and I'll be working together along with some of the others and again it's easier for me to do it on paper. I'm pretty good at gathering facts. Um as we all know West Fourth Street is a road for ingress and egress. And this property, the 114 acres, the south access is currently the dirt road, but the paved road is right by the school. >> We uh as discussed, we don't know

129um their plans. And so my property be could be impacted on the north and then the private properties on the west as well that could be taken over by the state. But there is currently a pave road right by the school um and transport of these prisoners. It's a prison. They are not allowed to leave of free will and transport is the most dangerous time um for escapes and some facts. Um so in ingress and egress, you know, is something to consider, especially right by the school. Um, and some facts just as recent as 2013, two patients, um, prisoners escaped. Convicted killer Charles White and an unnamed patient convicted of sexual assault and murder escaped. This is Montana, the the facility in Montana in 2013. a patient escaped during CO and as recent as 2023

130a female patient escaped. So it does happen and these are three pretty recent um examples and that because of the patients right it's really hard to dig out facts. So on closing, I would really like to encourage the school board, um the civilians, the citizens, um the commissioners, um the business owners, the the homeowners, um all work together. Um and I'm happy to work with any of you to help gather facts and put things on paper. Thank you. Thank you, >> Jason. >> Sorry, I wanted to add um on that eastern side of the property there, uh where that access is right now, that paved access, um there's uh a facility there called the softball shop where many of our like high school softball girls go to indoor training offse and that's just 60 m

131from the >> uh eastern border of the property and 35 m from the p paved access to the property. So, uh, even though the students at the school are close, there are still students who are even closer. >> They go there for lessons all the time. I know several students. >> So, I I think what I'd like to do, unless there's more community input, which is super appreciated, and we appreciate your support um, of the district and your concern over the students. Um, I think what I'd like to do is just take some time with the board briefly. We'll just kind of go around and where you feel you land and then what we need to do is discuss how we want to send out a response. Should we allow Fel Martin to help us

132craft a response? Um, or should we just sort of pull one out there? It's hard because we're kind of under a time. I mean, it's it's one thing we we might have to do as citizens tomorrow if we wanted to go. We can talk about that here, too. So, I just want to sort of go around. We know where Britain's at. Um, so we'll um I I will just go this way. I am also um in agreement with Britney pretty much uh lock step. I I think that it's a needed facility. It's something that our our state needs and uh it is a real issue. However, the placement of such a facility should be given some care and consideration. And I think this is sort of like the the rationale because it's been so opaque

133and and not visible really doesn't make any sense. Um given its proximity to our school, I think and and I appreciate the homeowners, but our concern as a district of course is the students. And so, um, I think that I would be in a very strong opposition to the placement of this facility in this location. And I'll leave it to Commissioner Morris and and the rest of the commissioners to decide if it's good for Yellowstone County or not. That's up that's in his wheelhouse, but for this district, it should not be uh in vicinity of our school. Kelly, >> and I would agree. I would have very strong concerns. Um, and people have mentioned all kinds of reasons and I just think our number one priority is student safety and um, >> I just think

134it would be tragic. Now, with regard to whether we put a statement together or have some support from Phil Martin, um, I don't know. I would go for the strongest punch. I had the time to do in my opinion. But >> I agree. >> That's my talk. >> Yeah, Jenny >> agreed. I do not feel that the placement of this facility on this piece of land is in the best interest of the district safety wise and funding wise for potential funding sites, potential streams of I mean housing. Um, so I agree with that as well and I think we should put a statement out there sooner than later. I would love to get Felmmer's input, but I think we could craft something even short and sweet stating our official position tomorrow and then follow it

135up with a more expansive statement perhaps later. So, >> yeah, Renee, >> yeah, I I agree. I mean, I've already said my piece, but I agree with Jenny and Kelly that we need to have a statement out there as soon as possible, short and sweet now, and then we need to ask the attorneys about those other questions we have. Um, so that then maybe we can formulate a stronger, longer statement moving forward. >> Yeah. >> Yep. I don't have much more to add. >> I agree with all these >> I'd like to hear. We kind of heard from Chase. What do the our other two reps think about this thing? >> I totally agree that um the placement is very poorly and I don't think that they really thought it out of how it was

136going to impact the community. Um definitely speaking from the students perspective um just knowing that there are going to be people house there that are not fully capable of understanding of what they are doing um is scary. Um, and having it so close to like residential places and then also the schools is scary. Um, how close do you live? >> I live right at the golf course, so I it's right there. Um, which is another really big thing. Yeah, it's like less than 1,000 ft. It's I think I think it's going to negative negatively impact the rural community. Um, whether people start to leave, go to other schools, which would then hurt the district more. >> Yeah. Um, I agree with Michael. Um, I also live in the same neighborhood as Michael. And I'm pretty

137concerned about especially there's young kids that live in this neighborhood in some rowdy neighborhoods, especially with um Laurel Elementary being right there. I just have a lot of safety concerns about like what happens if someone escapes and like goes there and do we are we set up properly for that? >> Is the city even concerned about the kids? >> Yeah. The thing about safety is especially with kids and I think with the media and everything that goes on in our whole country, I remember as a teacher student saying I am too afraid to go to the bathroom during class because I'm afraid there's something's going to happen. And I'm like what? Like when I was in high school that which wasn't that long ago really >> that wasn't really a thing. And so just like

138the perception >> of it's like that's what anxiety is. A perception of a perceived threat. >> So like >> it could never happen but their sense of safety which is their ability to learn is gone. >> Yeah. >> And that's a huge huge problem. Preston, I'd like to add if you don't mind. I know we've talked a lot about our students, but we know that our staff is also including that because daytoday they will have to be the ones who are again are taking on that conversation, that burden with our students if that happened. And second of all, we could lose students. They could move, which is a big money. And I'm sorry, that is a huge impact >> um for the district. So, okay, I've said my piece. >> Yeah. I mean, and I

139think we've done a lot to improve the safety of West, but we shouldn't be uh tempting it and pushing pushing the safety, right? Um, so I I hear what everyone's saying and I agree. I think what we do is a very concise sort of district website and Facebook and publishing of our opposition to its location. And then we allow FEL Martin to work and craft something that we can really with some a little bit of grab to it that we can deliver directly to the city. I think is probably where that longer more sort of direct and don't push us um verbiage goes after we have a conversation. >> Sorry, I was in the back and I I'm a little bit late to address it, but um I would also encourage everybody to think about

140the branding for our district. Um, we've been doing very well over the past few years about increasing our community engagement, bringing up Target families, branding and selling merchandise with um through the uh dynamic designs and through different community businesses here. But it puts Laurel Loos in a whole different uh line of sight. >> So just we will probably need to depending on what happens move to work in a way to strengthen our brand what he just said. He can't hear you. >> Oh, sorry. He said I was just bringing up that we we've been really trying really hard to get our um our branding to be something that's marketable, something that is appealing to the community. Uh and being able to loc is a little bit >> right >> different with with good. >> That's

141really fair, Deon. I hope we don't have to worry about that, but that's a very good point. Yeah, >> he might be someone that could help >> drafts. >> Can you be commissioned? >> Anytime I read anything, he's pretty convincing. So, >> very good. No, thanks for the discussion. I think it's been a good death. Go ahead. >> Do we need if Are there any board members planning on going to the meeting tomorrow? And do we need to avoid a >> a quorum? >> Quorum. >> I I will not go to the front porch. I just won't be able to make it to that. But I and if I can squeeze my small self into that room, I will do my best to squeeze myself into the room. >> My question is we're not going

142in there as local business. We're going there as community members. So that legally affected. >> I don't know. That's what I'm asking. Shouldn't matter because we're not conducting any business. We are there as members of our community. >> Sounds good. >> Yeah. I don't think any of us would and if I would speak I wouldn't say and on behalf of the school board I would just speak as avoid. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So that would be >> yes I plan on attending. >> Yeah. Me too. >> If I can squeeze myself in those changes which they're in. >> Exactly. >> So >> if they were wise they would they would they would change them. >> It's not. So, um, so that's kind of where we're at with this discussion. Draft something um in opposition um

143to express the board's um >> the board's position >> board's position which is the which is the position of the school district that it should not be located in that area. >> Proximity of the school >> based on proximity of school and safety of our students. And then uh we've instructed Matt then to contact our attorney to see if there's more we can put some more teeth behind that and deliver a route if there's another route that could be followed including >> possible legal action if that's even a then we would just deliver that more directly to the to the um city itself not necessarily the public Yeah. Say hand. >> I need to say something. >> Yes. >> So, so what we all talked about here and and addressing in the letter the safety

144and everything, I truly think it's going to have a bigger bite if you talk dollars because I have my house up for sale. I'm as soon as I got wind of this, I put mine up for sale. And there will be many others who will be putting their house up for sale, which will drive down the value of everyone's home, which will be not only less tax dollars to the school, but also to the city. >> So, I think we need to talk dollars. Dollars usually >> grab people's attention. >> Yeah. >> Especially when the percentage of of escapes are so minimal, I think the dollar will have a bigger impact. I think for our messaging though, it's on the schools. We want to go to the city council tomorrow and tell them if you

145ever go out for another vote from us as a community member. That's going to hurt your pocketbook because the community is not going to want to do that. And people who are going to be moving, that's going to hurt their tax dollars in revenue as well. So, if we want to talk monies to the city, that's what they have to think about >> is their decisions are going to impact where we're not as community members going to want to vote for anything for them, >> right? Sometimes as a district we've got to separate sort of our and you kind of heard it from the from us tonight I think separate our own personal feelings on it like those kind of things um and stick directly with how it would impact the school district. So we

146have to have that messaging sort of >> that's how you craft as a board >> we speak as a board is behalf of the district but I think you're 100% right as a individual property owner in this in this area I think it's a real thing it's a real problem. I agree with you Chase. Yes. I was just going to add um that late November we had our um annual uh Montana Association of Student Councils conference um and me and Michael were a two of a group of students that authored a resolution specifically about the safety of students in public schools against um offenders. Um, and so it it gives an odd look to propose and pass a resolution to protect our students from people like this to then just have them 500 ft away

147from our school. Um, >> and so Michael can tell you more about it. He has it pulled up right now. >> Yeah. Um, so I just want to preface this by saying that we had a whole bunch of student leaders from across the entire state um, who came to the student council to vote on this resolution. Um I would say actually I can tell you it was passed unanimously. Every uh school there voted for it. Um and it's just saying that um like people that have committed like um crimes that endanger the safety of children's safety shouldn't be in school. So I think that it's just weird to say like we could assume that just having them around public school is also what was being referred to in this resolution. Um so just things like

148that. um where it's not just a moral issue like we don't want this facility uh whether it gets moved to a different community to be next to a school or places where children go. >> Yeah, >> it's great. >> Okay. Well, thank you all for that. We could probably keep going, but I think we're pretty resolved as a group. So, thank you so much for that. Um I I apologize. I do not have my little spiel stuff. Do you happen to have that, Julie? >> I have to give you all a spiel before I can kick you out. But we do have um I just wanted to so she could get it, but um are there any future discussion items um that we would like to discuss on a future board agenda? >> Quick update

149on on this think item. >> I think we leave this on here. We'll just Yeah, I think we'll probably just leave this on here until there's some resolution to it. That way it's just always available to the community. >> We can give an update on what tomorrow looks like and what they do in between now and then. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Michael, >> sorry. Just a question about the executive session. >> Um, wasn't it talked about that you guys should have added an item to approve the minutes at that like in the session so it wasn't public or something like that? It's actually true. Last year we talked about that. >> Yeah, we should have an action item under the executive session. >> Um, we don't Yeah, it should have been an action item to

150approve the minutes. We don't need anything for me because I already have a contract with the minutes. I think we did this last year, too. >> We did. >> Yeah. I think you can opt for it not to be an executive session and then we wouldn't necessarily we could approve the minutes outside of it, >> but there's an option. >> I go with session. >> Okay. So if and just on future discussion of course as always if you have one that comes up please bring that to Matt Renee and myself and we'll make sure that it gets added. So this next session, this next action is an executive session for our superintendent evaluation and it has been determined that the next matter to come before the board is a personal matter and has been determined

151as follows that the matter of the individual's privacy is involved and two that such demands protect such privacy demands protection of the individual for the sake of reputation the otherwise and otherwise little if anything could be gained. by publicly disclosing the information to be discussed and three that the demand for privacy in this matter clearly exceeds the merits of public disclosure. Therefore, we have called this executive session for the purpose of our superintendent's evaluation this evening. So, we thank you all for coming and for now we are having executive session. >> Can we have 10 minutes? Yes.