Board approves suspended stipulated expulsion, energy contract renewal and budget reductions

The Martinez Unified Board of Education on Feb. 10 approved three formal actions: a suspended stipulated expulsion for a student identified in the record as “student number 2020,” the renewal of a wholesale natural-gas purchasing contract, and a package of budget reductions for the 2025–26 school year.

The vote on the suspended stipulated expulsion followed a closed-session recommendation. A motion to approve the “suspended stipulated expulsion” was moved and seconded during open session; the roll call on the motion recorded affirmative votes from Marcel O’Brien, Martin, Campbell, Board member Iola and the presiding board member. The board announced, “Motion passes.”

The board also approved an amendment to the consent calendar and then voted on an item taken from the consent calendar (item 14.3), a contract for fuel procurement that the administration said lowers the district’s per‑therm price. After discussion the board voted to approve the contract renewal; the motion passed in open session.

In the meeting’s main business, the board approved a revised set of proposed staffing and non‑staffing reductions for 2025–26. Administration said the revised list reduces the scope of certificated and classified layoffs from an earlier draft and preserves several positions previously proposed for elimination. The board voted to adopt the reductions as recommended by cabinet.

The board did not identify dissenting votes on the public record for those measures; where roll call was recorded the board stated the individual affirmations as above. The district’s minutes will carry the formal vote tallies and supporting documents required for action items.

Ending: The board’s adopted reductions and contract renewal are effective per the district’s procurement and labor rules; the administration said it will return budget details at second interim and continue negotiations and outreach related to staffing and services.