001Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Good evening and welcome to this special board meeting of the Akran Board of Education, May 5th, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Dr. Thompson, roll call, please. Miss Autry present. Miss Hall sorry Reverend Harrison present. Miss Jackson present. Dr. Molar present. Present. Mr. Alexander present. Mrs. Sykes present. We have six present one absent. here. Thank you, Miss Auty. Would you please lead us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, member Altry. There are no requests to address the board. There is, however, a need to recess into executive session pursuant the Ohio Revised Code 121.22G1 to consider the employment of a public employee and/or official.
002Is there a motion to go into executive session? I move that we go into executive session. It's been moved by member Altry. Is there a second? I'll second that we go in executive session. It's been seconded by member um excuse me, Vice President Alexander. Any discussion hearing and seeing none, Dr. Thompson, roll call vote, please. Dr. Molnar, no. Mr. Sykes, no. Mr. Alexander. Yes. Miss Autry. Yes. Miss Hall. Sorry, I walked out for a moment and I'm coming back in and it's time to vote. So, do you mind just explaining to me what we're voting on? Yes, we are. You are voting to go into a motion to go into executive session. Yes. Reverend Harrison, no. Miss Jackson, yes. Motion carries 43. Thank you. We stand in recess for executive session at 5:33. [Music] Thank
003you. We stand reconvening at 551. There is um action that needs to be taken. Um is there a motion? Member Altry. Madame President, um I would like to make a motion um to reaffirm the appointment of Mary Outley as our superintendent pending approval of an employment contract with the board. There's um Miss Audrey has made a motion to reaffirm the appointment of Mary Alley as the superintendent of Akran public schools pending the approval of a contract. Is there a second? A second. It's been um second by member Hall. Any discussion? Member Harrison. Thank you, Madam Chair. I think it's important to continue um as we take this vote again to continue the conversation discussion um as to why um I believe that we should be taking time on this matter. Um there is a policy
004and it has been spoken to. it has been written about and I would ask madame uh chair um if the um treasurer/parliamentarian I guess for this meeting can read that policy into record. [Music] Yes. Uh Dr. Thompson please. Okay. The title of this uh section of board policy is employment of the superintendent 12 201220. The board of education vets the primary responsibility for the administration of this district and the superintendent of schools. The appointment of that officer is therefore one of the most important functions the board can perform. Whenever the position of superintendent shall be vacant, the board shall appoint a superintendent of schools as chief executive officer and fix his or her salary for the term of office, which shall be no more than five years. The board shall actively seek the best qualified
005and most capable candidate for the position of district superintendent. It may be add aided in this task by A a committee of board members, B the services of a professional consultant, C the council of the outgoing superintendent, D the participation of staff, parents, and students as well as members of the community. Recruitment procedures shall be prepared in advance of the search and shall include the following. A the preparation of a written job specification for the position of superintendent. B preparation of written specifications of qualifications in addition to proper state certification. C. Preparation of informative material describing the district and its educational goals. D. Where feasible the opportunity for applicants to visit the schools in of the district. E. the requirement that each serious candidate for the position be interviewed by the board in a format
006that encourages him or her to express his or her educational philosophy. F. Acceptance of applications from a wide geographical area. G. Consideration of all applicants fairly without discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, ethnic background, disability, or other condition unrelated to the position of superintendent. No person may be employed as superintendent of the district without a signed employment contract with the board. Such contracts shall a a term for which the employment is contracted including beginning and ending dates, b the salary which the superintendent shall be paid and the intervals at which she or he shall be paid. C benefits to which he or she is entitled. D. A provision for the termination of the contract on at least 6 months written notice duly given by its parties. e such other matters as may
007be necessary to a full and complete understanding of the employment contract. The contract shall not contain tenure provisions. The superintendent so appointed shall devote him or herself exclusively to the duties of his or her office and maintain his or her principal residence within the district. any candidates's intentional misstatement of fact material to his or her qualification for employment or the determination of his or her salary shall be considered by this board to constitute grounds for his or her dis dismissal. The person selected for this position of superintendent shall be required to undergo a physical examination responsibly related to the duties he and she will be required to perform. the cost of which shall be borne by the district. That concludes the policy. Thank you, Dr. Thompson. Follow up. Mmber Harrison. Yes. Um, thank you, Madam
008Chair, and thank you, Dr. Thompson. Um, I I I just want to make a couple of points. I I I I don't know that um this is a mute point at this point, but I think it bears that we still have discussion um upon this. Um, and I'm not even suggesting I'm not remotely suggesting that uh Mary Outley does not fit um what we're looking for. I would say that we spent a lot of time talking about equity and inclusion. We spent a lot of time over the last few years talking about transparency. We spent a lot of time um over the last 10 years talking about community engagement and this process is absent of all of those things. Um it u is it is a fact that four board members voted yes. Um and
009it is a fact that four out of seven board members constitute a majority and um based on that the motion passed. Um but it's a fact that taxpayers we answer to taxpayers um and we should allow taxpayers to weigh in on this. There are people who in this building are qualified. And I'm not even suggesting that we have to go outside of this building, but to not even give them a chance, to not even give them the courtesy, the people who have labored in this building, who have labored in this district, to not even afford them the opportunity to put their name in a hat. that policy 1998 and it came after a 1995 incident where Dr. Terry Greer was superintendent of a public schools and the conversation then was we need a policy because
010we need to make sure that our next superintendent has the confidence of the whole community. That's why the policy is in place and we can bypass the policy and I think when we bypass the policy we are telling other people who are qualified. We we are discriminating discriminating against them. We are excluding them. We've asked the taxpayers for a levy and they answered the call. 59% said yes and we're excluding them. I don't think it's right. I don't think it's fair to this community. I don't think it's fair to Mary outly herself. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Member Harrison. Member Hall. Um, thank you, Madam President. I I don't reme actually recall which meeting either March 24th or April 14th. Member Harrison, you had made a resolution um to put Robinson on leave, but
011on your second resolution, you had put Tama to a caver to be superintendent. So, how does this differ? I mean, you you put her name down as to be the superintendent on your resolution, but now it's follow policies, do this, we need to ask the community. Was the community and other employees asked if they wanted to be superintendent or did you just pick to me a caver as your choice in your resolution that you gave to the board? There was two of them and one didn't pass. So the second one was her name. [Music] Um member Harrison. Yes ma'am M madam chair. Madam chair thank you for the opportunity um to answer that question. Um I think the uh member who spoke on that misspoke on it. Um I don't think that Dr. Tama Caver
012was mentioned as superintendent but I think that that was interim superintendent. So, um I I think we um probably should really look at how we are structured. So if the district is structured with a superintendent and an assistant superintendent, it's a logical assumption on my part that if the superintendent can't fulfill the duties of superintendent, then you have a s an assistant superintendent to fulfill those duties until a replacement can be found or until the superintendent is um available to resume the duties of superintendent. It is illogical for me to have a position of assistant superintendent that is not ready to be superintendent on an interim basis. So the resolution read in superintendent and I think we would all do well to read policies. We would all do well to read policies and stick to
013policies and when we're not going to stick to policies there's a policies for that too. So um to answer the uh board members question it was not superintendent it was interim superintendent and the reason being because that person was or is the assistant superintendent and that's the logical progression if you follow the chart the organizational chart. Thank you member Harrison. Is there any other discussion? Vice President Alexander. Yes. Thank you, Madam President. Um, Mary Outley has served as the interim superintendent of Akran public schools. She is qualified. She has performed all the duties of an interim superintendent and of a superintendent. And so, she is qualified. And it doesn't necessarily always have to be the the assistant superintendent because it's not always been that way. It's always there has been where there hasn't been the
014actual assistant superintendent in that seat. Okay. So, um I don't wouldn't want to and I'm not going to uh have us go out and get a firm to go out and search for another superintendent. We we spent a lot of time here at this this building. A lot of time. I've spent more of my last five years here, more time here than I've spent here in probably nine years in in here. We um we don't need to be spending our time if we're going to we want Mary Outley to be our our our superintendent, then we just need to vote for her to be our superintendent and and we we can cut through the chafe if that's the case. But I will still vote for uh Mrs. Outley as the the superintendent of Akran public
015schools regardless. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Vice President Alexander. Member Molnar. Thank you, Madame President. Um, there seems to be question on whether our policy is an option or an obligation. Um, and really regardless of whether it's an option or an obligation, um, when our treasurer read policy, it started with the appointment of the superintendent as one of the most important functions that the board can perform. And I'm sure that the majority of board members are confident that this candidate would still rise to the top in an open, fair, competitive process. But let me explain why as board members we should still want to follow our policy. We should still choose to follow our policy. I'll let you know now I have six reasons. So one, our policy builds public trust and transparency. It
016ensures legal and ethical compliance. It reduces risk of nepotism or favoritism. A transparent criteriabased process preserves the integrity of our actions and helps prevent perceptions of cronyism. Four, it encourages broader input and engagement as member Harrison spoke, including staff, parents, students, and community members, builds a sense of shared ownership and investment in the outcome as we build towards the future. It also facilitates a smoother transition. Engaging the outgoing superintendent and others or incoming superintendent and others in the process aids continuity and can prepare us as a district more effectively. Right now, our district needs to heal and the superintendent search and the conversation and that buildup that is part of this process. Six, and possibly most importantly, as board members, we are role models more than most other elected officials because we deal with students
017and children. So, as we focus on the students, our policy models leadership and integrity to our students, we need to demonstrate the importance of fairness, transparency, and rigorous decisionmaking. the same values that we expect our students to learn and to uphold. So, I want to be clear that my concerns aren't aimed at any particular candidate, but solely with the process by which this decision is being made. Skipping a transparent and merit-based search erodess public trust and sets a harmful precedent. Excluding any and all potential applicants not only deprivives the board of other options, but it sends a message that merit and transparency are secondary to power dynamics, a perception that can have lasting consequences. So in short, I cannot support this action today because it disregards our responsibility to seek the most qualified leader through
018a fair and accountable process. It's been less than an hour of discussion on this most important decision that a board can make. Thank you, Member Molar. Are there any other discussion? Is there any other discussion? Um, board member Altry, please. Thank you, uh, Madame President. Um, I just wanted to share um that our policy um says may not must. I also wanted to share that four current board members did interview Mary Outley and unanimously appointed her two years ago. And I would also remind everyone that this entire board unanimously voted for her to be the interim this second time. I did take the time before I even made my initial motion to review the community staff and business survey that four sitting board members had the opportunity to review in our most recent search two
019years ago. just to remind myself of what our community, our taxpayers, how they actually weighed in at that time. And repeatedly throughout that survey of over 300 staff, business, and community members, Mary Outley's name was [Music] mentioned. So yes, that policy is in place. The process we follow in our past um superintendent searches uh provided us this information that I think we could still uh rely on to suggest that this is not merit-based when four members of this board have already interviewed this person. Um, and the fact that the motion has been made in public for these reasons that I'm sharing is very transparent and it is barit based and it's time to put a period behind all of the issues that we have been seeing. Um, so when I talk to community, they're about
020sick of the mess that some of them have put it towards me. They want us to make decisions that are best for students and children. And this is the reason why I will continue to support Mary Outley in this role. Thank you. Thank you, member Altree. Is there any other discussion? Sure. Member Harrison. Madam Chair, thank you. I I I just want to reiterate this is not about Mary Outley. This is about the process. Um so I I just want to make sure that I'm clear that this in no way reflects on Mary Outley's um what what I think is her capabilities or that she will do a good job. This is about process only. Thank you for that member Harrison. Any other discussion? Seeing and hearing none, Dr. Thompson. Roll call, please. Again, this
021motion is to appoint Mary Outley for the um as the permanent superintendent pending a contract approval negotiation and approval. Am I correct on that? Yes. To reaffirm the motion. Yes. Yes. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Reverend Harrison, no. Miss Hall, yes. Miss Autry, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Mrs. Sykes, no. Dr. Molnar, no. Miss Jackson, yes. Motion carries 43. Thank you, Dr. Thompson. Is there a motion to adjourn the meeting? I move to adjourn the meeting. It's been moved to adjourn the meeting by member Altree. Is there a second? A second. It's been second by member Hall. Any discussion? Seeing and hearing none, we stand adjourned at Oh, roll my apologies. Dr. Thompson roll call vote please. Could I just ask one question? It are but there's no contract prepared even in the interim status right now.
022Is that is that correct? Currently um the board is reviewing that the interim um pdium. She's currently perdium like before there wasn't a contract. I'm not sure. So, the roll call vote is for this, not a motion. Okay. Thank you, Dr. Molnar. Yes. Mrs. Sykes, yes. Mr. Alexander, yes. Miss Autri, yes. Miss Hall, yes. Reverend Harrison, yes. Miss Jackson, yes. Motion carry 70. We stand adjourned at 6:13 p.m. [Music]