The Monday, June 18 Rushford-Peterson School Board meeting saw the board officially declare a vacancy on the board. Last month, Board Director Julie Koop tendered her resignation, effective following the June meeting.
With the vacancy, the board has also approved a resolution calling for a special election, to be held in November. The position will be a two-year term on the school board. The filing dates for affidavits of candidacy are Tuesday, July 31 through Tuesday, August 14, at 5 p.m.
The board will vote to select an interim replacement at the July meeting. The interim position will run from August to December only. Interested parties are asked to submit a letter of interest to the school district no later than Friday, June 29.
The lengthy meeting agenda also covered a number of other items including review of quotes and provider selection for Property & Liability Insurance and Worker’s Compensation Insurance. Superintendent Chuck Ehler indicated that the district had received three quotes for Property & Liability coverage from Vaaler, FMC, and CO Brown Insurance companies and that coverage needs to be in place by July 1.
Board Director Dean Mierau, who sits on the Insurance Committee, expressed a desire to see the quotes run through the committee prior to getting board approval. “You knew this was coming for three years, Chuck. That’s why we have a committee,” said Mierau. Ehler noted running the quotes through the committee first wouldn’t alter the quote figures and the board is now under a time constraint.
“We shouldn’t deviate from the process,” responded Mierau, who made a motion to run the quotes through the committee first. It was seconded by Board Director Jon Pettit. The motion was defeated in a vote with Directors Valerie Howe, Joyce Iverson, and Bonnie Prinsen opposed. Board Chairman John Linder was absent. A motion to accept the Vaaler quote for Property & Liability and the CO Brown quote for Worker’s Compensation was seconded and approved in a 3:2 vote.
Upon voting, current district insurance agent Butch Johnson came forward to address the board directly. “I’m going to interrupt the meeting because I need to show you guys some Agent of Record letters,” said Johnson. Ehler attempted to stop the interruption, noting the time for public comment was at the beginning of the meeting.
Johnson contended that Ehler did not have the right to sign a release of information to seek quotes from the specified companies due to his standing as Agent of Record with the district until June 30, 2018. The letter, dated June 5, 2017, and signed by Ehler and Board Chairman John Linder, allows Johnson to bring the district’s insurance needs to potential insurance providers and secure quotes for those district.
By Ehler providing letters to the insurance providers, giving a release of information, Johnson says he was blocked from being the first agent to those companies to secure provider quotes. “You’re not an insurance broker, Chuck,” said Johnson.
After allowing Johnson’s comments, Ehler maintained that he was given false information regarding his authority to release the information. “I wasn’t aware that’s how that works,” said Ehler.
[NOTE: Ehler clarified on June 20, in an email, “The school district has the ability and right to change an AOR (Agent of Record) at any time. It is a standard practice in the insurance business to submit letters to an AOR to secure quotes.” Ehler cites Amy Dedrich of Marsh & McLennan Agency and Gary Lee at the Minnesota School Board Association for providing the clarification to the district.]
“What we have right here is no good,” added Mierau, noting that quotes were previously sealed and opened for review by the Insurance Committee.
Directors Howe and Prinsen questioned why Johnson waited until after the board had approved new insurance to bring up the issue, rather than in mid-May when he was blocked from getting quotes from providers. Johnson maintained that until the board approved the quotes, he wasn’t aware of the presented bids to the same insurance providers he’d sought.
Prinsen further noted that the district has made effort in the past to use local agents. “I think we’ve done that, continue to do that, and have done that in this case. On the other hand, we’re stewards of funds and we need to look for the best product for the best price. I feel like that’s part of our responsibility as board members.”
Johnson recommended the district to rescind the May 8 Agent of Record letter Ehler provided to Vaaler, allowing Johnson to fulfill getting quotes from all providers before moving forward with a decision. The board voted unanimously to rescind the earlier motion. Following the vote, the board unanimously approved the Worker’s Compensation quote for CO Brown.
The Insurance Committee, made up of Mierau, Linder, and Ehler, will meet to discuss quotes Thursday, June 28, at 5 p.m. If needed, Board Director Joyce Iverson will stand in for committee member John Linder. Following the committee meeting, there will be a special school board meeting, to begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Forum Room to allow the board will vote on an Property & Liability provider prior to the July 1 deadline.
In other board action, the board has approved a contract with Bernard Bus Service to equip all school buses with cameras. The contract, provided through Telin Transportation Services, of Farmington, includes the installation of eight cameras, as well as hard drives, docking stations, and required equipment. The cost is $9,798. The district will provided $5,000 of the cost, while Bernard Bus Service will pay the remainder.Should the district change transportation providers in the future, Bernard Bus Service will retain ownership of the cameras and equipment.
A number of personnel changes, policy readings, budgetary revisions and adoptions were also board approved, as were contracts for Community Education Director Lisa Lawston, Early Childhood-Elementary Principal Angela Shepard, Middle School/High School Principal Jake Timm. Also approved were a Lead In Water Management Plan, the annual Q-Comp Report, and a revised cooperative agreement with Houston School District for Boys and Girls Track and Field.
The district has received confirmation that a cooperative application for a Safe Routes to School Grant has been denied a fourth time. The application was submitted jointly by the district and the City of Rushford for installation of sidewalks along Pine Meadows Lane, leading from Highway 43 to the new school. Quotes for the district to install the six-foot wide sidewalk, on the south side of Pine Meadows Lane, will be presented at the July meeting.
Also expected at the July meeting is discussion of the trapshooting team, specifically costs related to it, and consideration of hiring a school nurse.
The next regularly scheduled school board meeting is Monday, July 16, at 5:30 p.m., in the Forum Room. The public is encouraged to attend.
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