Board approves 2023–24 audit, personnel appointments, expulsions and reinstatements; several routine finance items pass

The Visalia Unified School District Board of Education on Monday took a series of formal actions including approval of the 2023–24 Annual District Financial Audit, confirmation of closed‑session personnel appointments to take effect July 1, 2025, and votes to approve recommended expulsions and multiple reinstatements.

Key outcomes

- The board approved the 2023–24 Annual District Financial Audit presented by external auditors (Crowe). The auditors issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the district’s financial statements and federal program testing; one state compliance area (classroom teacher salaries) received a qualified finding related to a deficiency in the 55% minimum calculation. The audit was approved by motion and passed unanimously.

- In closed session the board reported three actions: on a motion by Board Member Villegas, seconded by Board Member Beldt, the board unanimously approved an agreement with employee number 2880; on a motion by Board Member Villegas, seconded by Board Member Odo, the board unanimously approved a settlement agreement to resolve CRD case number 202310‑22319213; and the board voted to defer a remaining closed‑session report until after item 4.2. Later in the meeting the board reported personnel reassignments approved in closed session: the board unanimously agreed to reassign and appoint Eric Koehrer to Administrator of Operations effective July 1, 2025 (Mr. Koehrer will continue as Chief Operations Officer until June 30, 2025), and to reassign and appoint Andrew DeMeo to Director of Communication and Engagement effective July 1, 2025 (Mr. DeMeo will continue as Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services until June 30, 2025).

- The board approved recommended expulsions (motion passed; student representative abstained) and approved recommended reinstatements (motion passed; student representative abstained). Trustees discussed the district’s increased use of reinstatement as a path back to traditional campuses and noted the cultural shift toward encouraging returns following expulsions.

- The consent agenda passed as moved, with one pulled item (item 6.26, an architectural agreement). Item 6.26 was approved after discussion with one abstention recorded by the board member who disclosed a family relationship with the firm. The consent agenda (excluding the pulled item) passed on a recorded vote; the pulled item passed with 6 votes in the affirmative and 1 abstention.

- The board adopted a resolution authorizing participation in the California Classified School Employee Summer Assistance Program (employees working less than 12 months may set aside pay to receive a July paycheck). The board also approved the warrant list for Nov. 23–Dec. 19, 2024 (vote recorded with one abstention).

- The Visalia Financing Corporation annual officer selection was held and the board confirmed officers for calendar year 2025 as presented. The board recessed and reconvened as the district board to adjourn the meeting.

Details and vote records (as reported)

1) Closed‑session agreement with employee number 2880 - Motion (as reported): approve agreement with employee number 2880 - Mover: Board Member Villegas - Second: Board Member Beldt - Tally (reported): unanimous approval; student representative voted in the affirmative; motion described in meeting report as passing "7‑0." - Outcome: approved - Provenance excerpt: report out from closed session beginning with the announcement of approved agreements.

2) Settlement to resolve CRD case number 202310‑22319213 - Motion (as reported): approve settlement agreement to resolve CRD case number 202310‑22319213 - Mover: Board Member Villegas - Second: Board Member Odo - Tally (reported): unanimous approval; outcome described as unanimous in report out. - Outcome: approved

3) Reassignment and appointment — Eric Koehrer - Motion (reported from closed session): reassign and appoint Eric Koehrer to Administrator of Operations, effective July 1, 2025 (will continue as Chief Operations Officer until June 30, 2025) - Mover (reported): Board Member Villegas - Second (reported): Board Member Gaby - Tally (reported): unanimous approval - Outcome: approved; effective July 1, 2025 - Notes: Mr. Koehrer’s service history and education were read into the record as part of the report out.

4) Reassignment and appointment — Andrew DeMeo - Motion (reported from closed session): reassign and appoint Andrew DeMeo to Director of Communication and Engagement, effective July 1, 2025 (will continue as Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services until June 30, 2025) - Mover (reported): Board Member Gaby - Second (reported): Board Member Gamoyan - Tally (reported): unanimous approval - Outcome: approved; effective July 1, 2025

5) Consent agenda (items except 6.26) - Motion to approve consent agenda (with item 6.26 pulled) - Mover (reported): Board Member Gamoyan - Second (reported): Board Member Gaby - Tally (reported): motion passed; board vote recorded as 7‑0 on the consent items taken together. - Outcome: approved

6) Consent item 6.26 — architectural agreement (pulled) - Motion to approve item 6.26 - Discussion: Board member disclosed a family relationship with the architect’s firm and abstained to avoid a perceived conflict of interest. - Tally (reported): motion passed; board 6 in the affirmative, 1 abstention (student representative voted yes) - Outcome: approved with one abstention - Note: the transcript records the abstention and the mover/second but does not provide the vendor name in the public record excerpt.

7) Recommended expulsions - Motion to approve recommended expulsions - Tally (reported): motion passed; board vote 7‑0; student representative abstained (as reported) - Outcome: approved

8) Recommended reinstatements - Motion to approve recommended reinstatements - Tally (reported): motion passed; board vote 7‑0; student representative abstained (as reported) - Outcome: approved

9) Notice of intent to employ certificated personnel and provisional internship permit requests - Motion to approve (two provisional internship permit recommendations) - Tally (reported): motion passed; student board representative voted yes; reported as 6‑0 with one absence - Outcome: approved

10) 2023–24 Annual District Financial Audit (action) - Motion to approve audit - Tally (reported): motion passed unanimously; student rep voted yes; board vote reported as 7‑0 - Outcome: approved - Note from auditors: unmodified opinion on financial statements and federal program testing; single state compliance qualified finding related to the classroom teacher salary percentage calculation (55% requirement shortfall by approx. $22 million in the calculation reported by auditors).

11) 2023–24 Measure A Financial and Performance Audit — first read (information only) - Status: first reading and distribution to bond oversight committee; second reading/board approval expected in February.

12) Resolution — California Classified School Employee Summer Assistance Program - Motion to approve resolution authorizing district participation (employees working less than 12 months may set aside pay for a July paycheck) - Tally (reported): motion passed; student representative voted yes; board vote reported as 7‑0 - Outcome: approved - Note: district reported approximately 500 employees participate and an annual district cost of about $100,000 (as explained by the CBO during the presentation).

13) Warrant list (Nov. 23–Dec. 19, 2024) - Motion to approve warrants - Tally (reported): motion passed; student representative yes; recorded as 6 yes, 1 abstention - Outcome: approved

14) Visalia Financing Corporation — annual meeting and officer selection - Action: board confirmed recommended officers for calendar year 2025 and closed the corporation meeting to return to district session. Motion passed as reported.

What the record shows and what it does not

- The transcript records motions, movers/seconders for many items and tabulated tallies as announced by the president or clerk. Individual roll‑call vote records by trustee name were not consistently printed in the public excerpt; the meeting minutes or official board vote log should be consulted for line‑by‑line roll calls. - Several approvals reported from closed session were summarized in the public report out; specific settlement or personnel agreement text was not read into the public record in full during the excerpt provided.

Provenance (representative excerpts) - Topic intro (closed session report out): "Now report action taken in closed session... on a motion by board member Villegas and second by board member Beldt, the board agreed unanimously to approve an agreement with employee number 2880." (transcript segment) - Topic finish (adjournment of meeting after Visalia Financing Corporation): meeting adjournment and VFC close/reconvene statement (transcript segment).

Notes for readers: this roundup lists board actions as announced in the public meeting transcript. Where the transcript recorded only a tally (for example, “motion passes 7‑0” or “student representative abstains”), this summary records those tallies and any explicit abstentions or absences shown in the record. For full votes, text of motions, contracts, settlements or confidential personnel agreements, consult the official minutes, closed‑session minutes where permitted, and posted exhibits.