Board approves facility fee increases, authorizes student trip to Santa Fe; several routine motions pass

Gadsden Independent School District board members voted on a series of routine procedural items and two substantive actions at their Jan. 23 regular meeting at Desert Pride Academy.

The board approved a revision to the district’s use-of-school-facilities fee schedule and authorized Superintendent Dempsey to select 10–20 students to represent the district at the New Mexico School Boards Association Board Institute and the legislative day at the state capitol. Board members also approved the agenda, removed a planned closed session, accepted minutes from Jan. 9 and carried the consent agenda.

Ms. Cadena, who presented the facilities item on behalf of the administration, summarized the proposed fee changes: an administrative fee increase from $15 to $20; custodial, student-nutrition and security labor fees rising from $25 to $35 per hour; and holiday labor rates increasing from $50 to $75 per hour. "I'm just changing an administrative fee from 15 to $20 and the, labor fees for custodial, student nutrition, security, from, 25 an hour to 35. Holidays, from 50 to 75 an hour," she told the board.

On the student trip, the board directed the superintendent and his staff to select participants primarily from winners or participants of the district STEM Festival and Weather Fest and to include Project SEARCH students; the administration was given latitude to handle lodging and logistics, and board members noted the event is a day at the capitol that runs roughly 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The superintendent said lodging in Santa Fe is limited and some students may need to stay in Albuquerque and travel the morning of the event.

Several motions were resolved by voice vote with the chair asking for "all in favor, aye" and declaring each motion carried; the meeting transcript did not record numerical roll-call tallies for those votes.

The board adjourned after completing the published agenda.

Votes at a glance - Motion to accept the meeting agenda: approved (vote tally not specified in transcript). - Motion to remove the closed session: approved (vote tally not specified in transcript). - Motion to accept minutes from Jan. 9: approved (vote tally not specified in transcript). - Motion to approve the consent agenda: approved (vote tally not specified in transcript). - Action 10A – Use of school facilities fee schedule changes: approved; administrative fee raised from $15 to $20; labor fees for custodial/nutrition/security increased from $25/hr to $35/hr; holiday labor fees increased from $50/hr to $75/hr (vote tally not specified in transcript). - Action 10B – NMSBA Board Institute student participants: approved; superintendent authorized to select 10–20 students from STEM/Weather Fest winners and Project SEARCH; logistics and fundraising to be coordinated by administration and board members (vote tally not specified in transcript).

What the transcript records and what it does not The meeting transcript contains the motions and verbal "aye" votes but does not record named roll-call tallies or abstentions for the motions above; when numerical tallies were not stated, this report notes that the transcript did not specify counts.

Ending: The board will take up several discussion items — including graduation-attire policy and an update on senior fees — at a future meeting.