VIRGINIA- ISD 2142 District 5/Cherry school board member Lynn Hilde was selected by his peers as the 2024 board chair at Tuesday night’s organizational meeting at the district office in Virginia.
Hilde replaces former board chair Pat Christensen.
Bob Larson was elected vice-chair, Chet Larson was picked for clerk, and Chris Koivisto was named treasurer.
During the discussion of committee assignments for the new year, board member Rob Marinaro generated some discussion by proposing two new committees, one for buildings and grounds and another for transportation.
“I think those are two we should have committees for, to keep communication going between the board and various people,” Marinaro said. “I think we need to be at least involved in and aware of what’s going on. There’s big things that go on in there.”
Chet Larson provided immediate pushback.
“I don’t think any more committees are necessary,” he said. “I think we get plenty of information for all of this. We don’t need to be stepping in here.”
“But it’s nice to have a committee in there to be involved,” Marinaro responded. “I’ve been in a lot of this stuff, so I don’t need to argue. If that’s not what the board wants, that’s OK.”
After some additional comments, agreement was reached that transportation could be handled just as readily by having transportation director Kay Cornelius give updates at board meetings. But the idea of a building and grounds committee received increasing support.
“A building and maintenance (committee would help) to get connected a little bit more on what some of our projects are,” Koivisto said.
Marinaro said a committee would give the board more of a heads up about building projects.
“We hear it after the fact. We aren’t on the ground floor of knowing what’s going on,” he said.
Marinaro gained enough support for the measure to pass. Marinaro, Koivisto, and Nathan Briggs volunteered to serve on the committee.
In other business, the board:
• Voted to keep their salaries and reimbursement rates the same as in 2023. Board members receive $400 per month for regular and working sessions, regardless of attendance, plus $15 an hour for attendance at special meetings, committee meetings, workshops and conference sessions. Mileage is reimbursed at the IRS-established rate of $0.67 per mile. They also receive per diem for meals of $15 for breakfast, $20 for lunch, and $25 for dinner.
• Designated Frandsen Bank, North Star Credit Union, and Ely Area Credit Union as the district’s official depositories.
• Retained Colisimo, Patchin and Kearney, Ltd. as the district’s legal counsel.
• Designated the Cook News Herald as the district’s official newspaper.
• Heard a report from Cornelius about the district’s conversion to propane-fueled buses. Cornelius said that about 95 percent of the fleet is now powered by propane and that the district is “making a lot of money” from the savings in fuel costs.
• Heard a report from Superintendent Reggie Engebritson about a concern expressed by a South Ridge parent about the school’s football team. The parent believed students would be better served by changing from 11-man football to nine-man, as the team was winless this year and lost most of their games by wide margins. Engebritson said that according to Minnesota State High School League procedures, South Ridge is locked in to 11-man competition for next season, but the district will submit an application to move to nine-man in 2025.