[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6657330,"mediaKeyId","5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05","parentId",5080578,"title","Board approves interim superintendent, appoints new member and authorizes legal and lease actions; several measures pass unanimously","audioSeconds",508,"startMs",3372000,"endMs",3880000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05&start=3372&end=3880","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05/thumbnail_3372000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6657330/Ketchikan-Gateway-Borough/Alaska/Board-approves-interim-superintendent-appoints-new-member-and-authorizes-legal-and-lease-actions-several-measures-pass-unanimously","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6657330-5fc11e0d6ab11f7798081f6e010753e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920705&Signature=S~GfBW~Wus8IjE8LMO~FQRmyKoSIWf6my5FFDjWdoSL5dEXu9-~KxAQ7xZ1XWx9zxv7xyGp71SyUKDcIxtCy1m3-xXNQIMV~D~-qIsLrowEsxB5wcYHm4EWMpJTFbV9~AsWxcLPIwJiQFCx8ygvudebpj~W0ZlKiFmwlbxcxomXJsvRgwbYCxeG6HELceyK2IL-R~pCj4lRdI~FPZ4eZBi6a9v9cbp14aptSxFQx6armK8giq-iVh~fpdJaec~wZMtXn~P3YknBpqvCQaQcYlHILXp6pNTr5N2i4KecFu~STbPd5Fy8EZck0wb1Gx1VmojTBOFJ~QwN4eG8ztJ-~uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ketchikan Gateway Borough","date","2025-06-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education on June 25 took a set of formal actions including the immediate appointment of Melissa Reed to a vacant board seat, approval of an interim superintendent contract for FY2026, authorization to engage outside counsel in a charter-school lease dispute, and approval of a lease amendment for district office space at the White Cliff facility.

The board also held an executive session earlier in the meeting to consider candidate interviews and later held votes in open session to formalize several outcomes. Several motions passed unanimously; one lease amendment passed 6–1 and one personnel confirmation vote passed 3–1. The full set of recorded actions and tallies appears below.

Votes at a glance

- Appoint Melissa Reed to the vacant board seat (effective immediately): motion carried; roll-call recorded as Robbins Jr.: Aye; Guthrie: Yes; Ginter: Yes; Thomas: Yes; Tabb: Yes; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion recorded as passing 6–0 when first voted, with the formal appointment motion later reflected as 6–0.

- Approve employment contract for interim superintendent PJ (P.J.) Ford Slack, PhD, for FY2025–26 (commencing 07/01/2025): motion carried, roll call: Thomas: Yes; Robbins Jr.: Aye; Reed: Yes; Ginter: Yes; Guthrie: Yes; Tabb: Yes; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion passed 7–0.

- Engage attorney Leif Thompson to represent Ketchikan Charter School (KCS) in a lease-agreement dispute: motion carried; roll call recorded Guthrie: Yes; Reed: Yes; Tabb: Yes; Ginter: Yes; Robbins Jr.: Aye; Thomas: Yes; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion passed 7–0. KCS APC (the charter’s governing council) will pay the legal fees per statements at the meeting.

- Approve lease agreement amendment No. 5 with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough for office space at the White Cliff facility: motion carried, roll-call recorded Tab: Yes; Robbins Jr.: Aye; Reid: Yes; Thomas: Yes; Guthrie: Yes; Ginter: No; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion passed 6–1. Board discussion said the district consolidated or relocated some staff and reduced leased square footage, producing a roughly $22,000 annual lease reduction.

- Affirm earlier non‑retention hearing outcome (administrative/HR action): the board voted to confirm the written decision from the informal hearing; the recorded vote among members eligible to vote (those who were present for both hearing days) passed 3–1.

- Consent calendar (as modified to remove one item): motion carried on roll call; recorded as passing 7–0.

Other formal actions: the board voted 6–0 to enter an executive session to compare and contrast candidates under the referenced Alaska Supreme Court precedent and board policy; later the board returned to open session to complete business.

Why it matters

Taken together, the votes finalize immediate leadership coverage for the district, alter the district’s real-estate footprint, and commit a charter school to pursue legal representation in a lease dispute. Those outcomes affect district operations (interim leadership for 2025–26), district finances (lease amendment savings and budget planning), and the charter school’s budget (legal expense responsibility).

What the board recorded

The meeting transcript records roll-call tallies for each formal vote; motions that require implementation (the interim superintendent contract, lease amendment) include contract start dates and effective language in the motions. Several votes were unanimous; the White Cliff lease amendment drew one dissenting vote and remains in effect as approved.

What the board did not decide

No permanent superintendent was hired. The board postponed any permanent-search restart until fall/holiday timeframe. The charter‑school lease dispute remains active and privately negotiated settlement discussions were described by counsel as ongoing; the board approved outside counsel engagement but did not disclose settlement terms.

Meeting evidence

Transcript excerpts show the roll-call language, motions and swearing-in for the newly appointed member, and statements that the charter school would cover attorney fees. The board’s public-presentation packet and the motions in the minutes will provide the signed contracts and the lease amendment text.

Ending

The board’s actions set immediate administrative direction for FY2026 and authorize legal and property steps the district and the charter school will implement next. The board indicated it will resume a permanent superintendent search around the holidays and will return to public discussion of policies and budget amendments in future meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ketchikan Gateway Borough - School Board - Jun 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education on June 25 approved a series of measures including appointing Melissa Reed to a vacant seat, approving an interim superintendent contract and authorizing legal and lease actions that together shape leadership and facility arrangements for FY2026.","taxTitle","Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska","taxId",27492,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6657320,"Representative Bynum and business manager outline uncertain state education funding after governor’s veto",813,4072000,4885000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05&start=4072&end=4885","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05/thumbnail_4072000.jpg","/articles/6657320/Ketchikan-Gateway-Borough/Alaska/Representative-Bynum-and-business-manager-outline-uncertain-state-education-funding-after-governors-veto","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6657320-d35a8406f82463bdf0591241d6af15ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920705&Signature=g4tLf-4jh8COf-pRZQY6qmPGyChFe1sKDmm2pZR-RWbpZpqRqU~O5vO9LWgf5vvMpawyEE14Pf02rAwB6lDCoJJZ2eYXipWiBZH9S3SKW~pYn3cb3QKaQtqeJ7jHuk~6Zd9sJb9JjE6HGsNPKy3Vrm6Rk0PuuwnnnAHccc0O-kt~fmNJQkLTQEGJOv3WUgy7GO4-TIZuOi4s4mGvC-V6D6fMK-xscowWs~8FnlQg-8djGLUb1q8IHt90~3feQIal5uQsqdEyz0eVlDHmlkA7~KusXbIN2Lrlabw3JPsEL1o-QTkAfGsD19bkE5pJByzVTp6RkDlI1QnpmslTtsmPww__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District business manager Daniel Schuler and Alaska Representative (House District) Bynum briefed the school board on June 25 about recent state legislative activity affecting school finance, including a governor’s line‑item veto that reduced education funding intended for the base student allocation (BSA).

What board staff reported

Daniel Schuler told the board that Governor Dunleavy used a line‑item veto on the FY26 education appropriation, reducing the BSA increase that the legislature had passed. Schuler said the veto effectively reduced the increase the legislature approved, and that the district had built its FY26 budget with prudence by not counting certain amounts inside the budget cap; at the time of the meeting the district’s projected operations surplus after the veto adjustment was roughly $665,000, though he said two budget amendments would likely be required after OASIS student counts are finalized in the fall and winter.

What Representative Bynum told the board

Representative Bynum described the legislative sequence: several bills attempted to raise the BSA (including SB 69 and a house omnibus that became HB 57). The legislature passed a bill that included a $700 BSA increase; the governor vetoed parts of the appropriation. Bynum said the vetoed appropriation created uncertainty because the statute still lists a BSA number (the transcript cites $6,660) but the governor struck the appropriation amounts that would have funded that figure and replaced them with a lower fixed amount in the appropriation language. DEED (the state Department of Education and Early Development) had not yet published a methodology for prorating the altered appropriation among districts at the time of the meeting, Bynum said, leaving municipalities and districts unsure how their final aid will be calculated for FY26.

Representative Bynum also noted that the Legislature later conducted a veto‑override vote for parts of the education package (reported as having strong support earlier), and that the timing of any additional legislative action to restore funding (via an override or special session) remained uncertain; leadership suggested an override would not be acted on before the January session unless a special session were called.

Other legislative items

Bynum updated the board on other items the transcript records: HB 75 (signed into law) modified PFD eligibility language for Maritime Academy students and clarified some allowable-absence issues for college students; Secure Rural Schools (SRS) reauthorization remained under federal consideration and could materially affect districts in Southeast Alaska if it is enacted; and a federal moratorium on bond debt reimbursement is set to expire July 1, 2025.

Why it matters

The district’s operating projections and local-cap calculations depend on final state aid figures. With DEED yet to announce its methodology for allocating the reduced appropriation and with potential legislative action still possible, local budget planning was described as contingent on state decisions. Schuler urged prudence in messaging and budget adjustments, noting the district had deliberately not included an expected outside‑cap portion in some calculations to retain flexibility.

Ending

Representative Bynum asked that district officials and community members continue to engage with legislative staff and that he would share updates once DEED released distribution details. The board said it expects to receive updated figures once DEED provides its methodology and pledged to use conservative assumptions until allocations are finalized.","State funding changes and a gubernatorial line‑item veto prompted district staff and Representative Bynum to warn of near‑term uncertainty for school budgets; DEED methodology for distributing a reduced appropriation remains unresolved and could shift costs to local taxpayers.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6657325,"Board hires PJ Ford Slack as interim superintendent starting July 1",270,6384000,6654000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05&start=6384&end=6654","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5080578-010877823ed0538b8bf41784dbfdeb05/thumbnail_6384000.jpg","/articles/6657325/Ketchikan-Gateway-Borough/Alaska/Board-hires-PJ-Ford-Slack-as-interim-superintendent-starting-July-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6657325-c3798ba66d00566a3e00c7e8153d0f84/orig.mp4?Expires=1770920705&Signature=UFMed33kTFJ8zpR7xFdw6fKEWHrxwLqyoKNjT84TdQaowc~L6mzwxQTmcMG7O~OeF7mVuuAD4k3dBHvxF1yVF0frjR4Xt8VmE9MHH3UnNbUdDMhu5MVSZuVLjncz-fesIgk-bj-PSA0jZUj4dDYBUMA2ZugImPM97-lIPuqQNL7WANLBvzm0YRWfh4vOM34wgUd1dWfpk6BIKotPqZxFiZ3AzS1m1f5JX149Q45Ri5aGyB-n2auZorMfP8zDNekMA6BUtqVHkpuq1PFtsMgfcxGhNQf9stKmILSRMuDYjmNH4w0dMx0Op7BhC~onqB46M~iIK4nb1DcSYrWZbq1Gpg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education approved an employment contract on June 25 to hire PJ (P.J.) Ford Slack, PhD, as interim superintendent for the 2025–26 school year, with a contract commencement date of July 1, 2025.

The vote was unanimous, 7–0. Board members said they selected Ford Slack after the district decided to pause a previously underway permanent-search process and accept recommendations from the Alaska School Boards Association (AESA) and related recruitment contacts. Board discussion described Ford Slack’s experience in Alaska dating to the 1990s, including K–12 leadership roles, a tenure as a high‑school principal and prior service inside the state Department of Education, plus experience as an interim and emergency superintendent.

Board expectations and first priorities

Board members said they want the interim superintendent to support continuity as the district transitions leadership for the school year, to work on stabilizing operations and to assist the board with the eventual search for a permanent superintendent. The board directed that the interim should prioritize budget oversight, communication with staff and community, and easing the transition between outgoing superintendent Michael Robbins and a successor.

What the contract says (as recorded in the meeting)

The motion approved an employment contract for FY2025–26 that commences July 1, 2025; the board and the district business manager will complete the paperwork through standard district contract channels. The meeting record identifies Ford Slack’s immediate onboarding plans: visits to schools during late June and a planned July arrival with housing arranged for early July.

Why it matters

An interim superintendent will lead district operations as the board completes budget planning for FY2026 and addresses ongoing policy and staffing issues. Board members said they expect the interim to help stabilize staffing and to support community engagement during the transition.

Ending

The board said it plans to restart the permanent superintendent search later in the year (around the holidays) and expects Ford Slack to assist with transition-related work and, where requested, with the recruitment process.","The board voted unanimously to approve an employment contract with PJ (P.J.) Ford Slack, PhD, as interim superintendent for FY2025–26, beginning July 1, 2025. The hire is temporary while the board delays a permanent search until later this year.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves interim superintendent, appoints new member and authorizes legal and lease actions; several measures pass unanimously

Representative Bynum and business manager outline uncertain state education funding after governor’s veto

Board hires PJ Ford Slack as interim superintendent starting July 1