New Albany-Floyd County School Board elects officers, confirms appointments and approves consent agenda

The New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Board on Jan. 13, 2025 swore in two newly elected members, elected board officers for 2025, approved a resolution that designates committee and agency representatives, and adopted a consent agenda containing routine contracts, bids and personnel actions.

The actions set leadership for the board’s regular and finance business and assigned board representation to local redevelopment commissions and to the Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA). The approvals also cleared purchases, construction bids and personnel changes included in the consent agenda.

Anne Crothers and Elizabeth Gavigan each took the oath of office during the meeting. Superintendent Dr. (first name not specified) Madison introduced the oath and recognized the new members before the board moved to elections and appointments.

Nominations opened for board president and Becky Gardner (nominated as “Becky Garner” in initial remarks) received the only nomination. The board voted; the chair reported the motion passed with six members voting yes and one abstention (the transcript recorded a single abstention but did not clearly identify which member abstained). The board likewise elected Leigh Ann Weishard as vice president and Anne Caruthers as board secretary; those officer votes were recorded as six yes and one abstention on each motion.

The board then considered a resolution that codified meeting times (Appendix A), named district officers authorized to sign district documents (including corporation treasurer Chris Street and Deputy Treasurer Cindy Maitland), adopted the district bylaws and policies, and made specific committee and external appointments. The resolution lists appointees or designees for the New Albany City Redevelopment Commission, the Floyd County Redevelopment Commission, the Georgetown Redevelopment Commission, a legislative liaison and a delegate to the ISBA, as well as the corporation’s legal counsel and medical consultant. Superintendent Madison said the board would appoint members to those commissions and confirmed several continuing assignments: Chris Street as corporation treasurer, Cindy Maitland as deputy treasurer, Tammy Layman as deputy treasurer (payroll), Michelle Cooper as legal counsel and the Floyd County Health Department as medical consultant. Anne Crothers was named legislative liaison to ISBA; Melanie (surname not audible in the transcript) was affirmed as a redevelopment representative and other routine committee placements were confirmed.

Board members moved to approve the resolution as a single motion; the chair announced the resolution passed unanimously (vote reported as 7–0 on the record). The board then approved the consent agenda, which the clerk read as including: approval of Dec. 16, 2024 minutes; claims and payroll; monthly and categorical transfers among education, operations and other funds; a career navigator memorandum of understanding with Ivy Tech Community College; field trips; appointment of a Floyd County Library Board trustee for the district; awards of multiple construction bids including AC chiller and cooling tower work at Highland Hills Middle School and MCC replacement equipment at Floyd Central High School; and a finalized property and casualty insurance renewal, among other routine items. The consent agenda passed as recorded (7–0).

Votes at a glance - Election of president (Becky Gardner): Passed — tally reported 6 yes, 1 abstention (abstaining member not identified in audio). - Election of vice president (Leigh Ann Weishard): Passed — tally reported 6 yes, 1 abstention. - Election of board secretary (Anne Caruthers): Passed — tally reported 6 yes, 1 abstention. - Resolution adopting meeting times, appointments, bylaws/policies and officers (includes appointments of treasurer, deputy treasurers, legal counsel, medical consultant, ISBA liaison and redevelopment commission representatives): Passed 7–0. - Consent agenda (minutes, claims, payroll, transfers, bids, contracts, staffing and related routine approvals): Passed 7–0.

Discussion and context Superintendent Madison emphasized that Appendix A of the resolution sets the board’s regular meeting schedule (second Monday of each month at 6 p.m., as stated in the packet) and noted the president has authority to appoint board members to committees and external organizations. The superintendent and staff named routine financial officers and legal/medical consultants to ensure administrative continuity for cash-handling and contract authority. Board members confirmed a mix of continuing and new appointments for local redevelopment commissions, wellness and safety committees, and ISBA representation.

The meeting included the ceremonial recognition of award-winning district administrators earlier in the agenda, but the votes described above constituted the formal governance and routine business actions recorded in the meeting minutes.

What the board decided next After approving the resolution and consent agenda, the board adjourned the regular session and opened the Board of Finance meeting to consider investment policy and the investment report (covered in a separate finance update at the same meeting).