ROCORI board holds organizational meeting; elects officers, approves 2% per‑diem increase and contract with local bakery

At its first organizational meeting of 2025, the ROCORI Public School District board confirmed officer roles and standing committee assignments, approved a 2% increase in board per diems and adopted a board calendar with one date change. The board also approved a resolution to allow the district to contract with a business owned by a current board member and recorded that member’s abstention on that matter.

The board re-affirmed its leadership structure and selected officers for the coming year. After three calls for nominations with no opposition, the chairperson remained in place; the board confirmed the vice-chair role for Lynn and elected Robin as treasurer and Jenna as clerk. The board chair noted that many routine clerk duties can be delegated to district administrative staff when necessary.

The meeting included a detailed discussion of committee assignments. Board members were placed on the district’s five standing committees — negotiations and personnel, policy, buildings and grounds (long‑term facility maintenance), finance/budget and technology — and on multiple ad hoc and regional liaison assignments such as the Stearns County Family Collaborative, the Minnesota State High School League, and the district’s community education advisory. Several newer board members were assigned to negotiations alongside an experienced member; the board chair said negotiation work can require many evening meetings and occasional full‑day mediations.

On compensation, the board approved a 2% increase in the per‑diem rates for calendar year 2025 consistent with the state formula. The administration presented example monthly figures for context (an approximate increase of $6–$7 per month for most board positions and a small additional stipend for the treasurer and negotiators). The motion to adopt the 2% increase was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board adopted a proposed meeting calendar for 2025 with one revision: the second January meeting was moved from Jan. 21 to Monday, Jan. 27, to give members more time around a strategic planning session and the MSBA leadership conference. The calendar was adopted by motion and voice vote.

As part of routine organizational business the board approved a consent package of annual procedural items, including: delegation of expenditure authorization to the superintendent and the district business manager; designation of the district’s official depositories (Granite Bank of Cold Spring, PMA Minnesota Trust and the Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund); authorization for named district officials to make electronic transfers; retention of multiple law firms for legal counsel; and adoption of the IRS standard mileage rate for 2025. The board also recorded annual direction that the district maintain a fixed‑asset inventory and a fixed‑asset accounting system in compliance with UFARS, with a per‑item capitalization threshold noted by the administration at $10,000 and a $25,000 threshold discussed for certain grouped purchases.

On a separate, required resolution to permit the district to contract with a business owned by a board member, the board approved a resolution authorizing continued contracting with Cold Spring Bakery for district purchases. The resolution was adopted after a motion and second; the record shows at least one roll‑call affirmation and one abstention by the board member who owns the business. The board chair reminded members that the owner abstains from any votes in which payments to the bakery appear on the warrant list.

During discussion the board also reviewed policy items to return to committee for later work. Members asked the policy committee to revisit the rule that student board representatives be drawn from the student senate, and the chair said the policy committee will consider whether other student leadership groups should be eligible. The board was told that MSBA offers trustee training and negotiation training; negotiators were encouraged to complete available MSBA training.

The chair closed the meeting by reminding members of an upcoming strategic planning vendor interview session the board will hold the following week and saying staff will contact members to schedule standing committee meetings and share materials. With no further business the meeting was adjourned.