June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Superintendent Meyers asks Northland Board for termination of contract
In an emotional address to the board, reading excerpts from her superintendent report, Meyers said she wanted to correct some misperceptions and mistakes that were presented in a letter to the editor by Rusty Lilyquist in the July 27, 2010 edition of the Pine Cone Press-Citizen. She said that Lilyquist indicated the district receives more than $15,000 per student in funding. Special education, Title I, early childhood, and vocational funding can be used only for the specific program it was designated for, and can not be used for general education. Meyers said although the district revenues divided by the total student population is slightly above $15,000, however general education students funding is slightly less than $10,000.
Meyers said Lilyquist was inaccurate in his estimate of money lost due to errors in the unrequested leaves of absences (ULA), although she did not specify the actual cost associated with the error.
Lilyquist's letter questioned the increase of legal services from the district's new attorney, compared to the costs with the former school attorney. Meyers said after reviewing Kristi Hastings' billings, she determined $10,717 of the total paid was spent as a result of Lilyquist's actions. Meyers said those actions included responses regarding two complaints against him, the response to him as a result of his writing letters to the editor, his questions to the attorney about a staff matter that should have been brought to the attention of the superintendent, and his "Unauthorized request for a resolution to terminate me."
Meyers said the delay by the board to appoint a seventh board member is what cost the district the sparsity aid of $107,000. Her report states, "Had there been a full board during the April board meeting or had members of the board voted responsibly to manage district finances, it is possible that the recommendation to restructure the Longville Elementary into a K-3 building would have provided more positive financial results for the district." Meyers report reads "Longville Elementary would likely still be open, the district would have retained the $107,000 in sparsity aid, and more than 50 students who have open enrolled out of the district would likely still be enrolled in the district." As of Aug. 19, 57 students have open enrolled out of district.
In response to Lilyquist's reference of losing $133,000 because of a flawed application for a four day school week, the application was incomplete because the board chair and superintendent did not initial the Assurances of Compliance Document portion of the application, but noted negotiations with the staff were "In progress." Meyers said providing accurate information, as directed to do by the school attorney, was one of the reasons the proposal was denied.
In closing, Meyers said she has been offered a position in another district, and requested the Superintendent's Contract, dated July 16, 2009, and amended on December 15, 2009, be terminated by the parties by mutual consent, effective August 27, 2010. On a motion by Dave Kitchenhoff and seconded by Terry Gross, the board voted to terminate Meyers contract.
The search for a new superintendent will not include the assistance of a consulting firm. Meyers was found through McPherson & Jacobson, LLC. The new search will be done through a committee consisting of Dave Kitchenhoff, Terry Gross and District Principal, Joe Akre. Former Superitendent Mike Doro, present at the meeting, was asked if he would work as interim superintendent while the search to fill the vacancy is being conducted. Doro agreed to take the interim position, upon returning from a scheduled vacation. Once Doro returns, he will sign-on for a 60-day term. His fee will be equal to the wage he was earning at the time he retired from ISD #118 in 2009.[[In-content Ad]]With a Resolution to Censure a fellow board member in hand, Kitchenhoff made a motion to adopt a Resolution to censure Lilyquist, citing he has not acted in accordance to the "Code of Ethics" policy. Ione Boor seconded the motion opening the floor for discussion. When asked by Dave Harder what the grounds for the Resolution were, Kitchenhoff said, "I've been told that I can't go there." He said he'd been told by the school attorney that he could only say what the code of ethics policy states. Kitchenhoff then read the district's Policy 209, School Board Code of Ethics. Harder said "In my observations, there's quite a number of board members who have fallen short on these." Kitchenhoff responded, "None of the other board members put an article in the paper with misleading information."
Board Chair, Bill Hansen asked what was the school attorney's recommendation on the Resolution. Kitchenhoff said, "She didn't know if it was going to fly, but she broadened it so that we could vote on it. She didn't want to nail down one specific thing, but she broadened the policies in the lettering so it can be voted on." Hansen asked if Hastings had made a recommendation whether it was a good idea or not? Kitchenhoff said, "She said she didn't know if it was a good idea, but she wouldn't necessarily go for it."
Lilyquist asked Hansen to recall what he was told when he called the administration on the afternoon of May 20, when Hansen asked administration if closing the Longville school was on the agenda for that evening? Hansen said he was told there were no additions to the agenda. However, the Resolution to Close Longville Elementary was drafted by the school attorney for Kitchenhoff was delivered to Kitchenhoff at 3:06 p.m., three days prior to the meeting.
Lilyquist said, "If you want to vote to censure me, I think everybody sitting here better look right in the mirror." He further suggested three board members were unaware of the Resolution to Close Longville School, but at least one member and the superintendent knew about it. Superintendent Meyers said she had sent an e-mail to all board members on May 19, indicating exactly what was going to happen at the May 20 meeting. "It was a million dollar-plus mistake as near as I can tell, and everybody here wants to censure me?" Lilyquist said. Meyers responded, "I am tired of you pointing fingers at everybody but you."
The motion for the censure Resolution passed on a 4-3 vote. Voting yes, Boor, Gross, Kitchenhoff and Dan Switzer. Voting no, Hansen, Lilyquist and J.J. Welk.
With the dissolution of the Northland Booster Club, the club donated the funds that remained in their bank account, $5,642.37 to the school and directed the funds toward funding of late buses. Northland Area Family Center pledged another $9,000 for the same, leaving a need for approximately $16,000 to run the three nights per week bus program. Buses will run, only when needed, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The board unanimously voted to approve the additional funding to reinstate the program. Additionally, two regular bus routes have been merged, eliminating one route, freeing up some funding for late buses.
Emotions were high at the meeting, with two school employees, Donna deNeui and Mary Lou Lutz drilling the board with questions. They addressed their questions toward three board members, who live in the Longville area, who have opted to enroll their children in another school district. They questioned their motives, intentions and level of intelligence that they demonstrated in enrolling out of ISD #118, then demanded answers. Chairman Hansen said they could voice their opinion during the public meeting, but since the meeting wasn't an open forum where board members were being scrutinized for their personal choices and preferences, answers were not required.
Following an additional barrage of heated questions and comments directed to specific board members, Terry Gross made a motion to ask board members Hanson, Lilyquist and Welk to resign from their seats. The three men will remain on the board, after the vote to ask them to resign failed 4-3. Voting yes: Boor, Gross and Kitchenhoff. Voting no: Hansen, Lilyquist, Switzer and Welk.
School Board meetings formerly were held alternating locations between Remer and Longville, with one meeting held in Outing and Federal Dam each year. This past school year, Kitchenhoff moved to hold a meeting at Sugar Point not far from Federal Dam. At Thursday's meeting, the board voted to discontinue electricity and sewer to the Longville campus making it impossible to conduct meetings there. The board will look for an alternate meeting site in Longville.
The next regular meeting is scheduled to be held at 7 p.m., on Sept. 16, at a location that is yet to be determined.
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