Columbia Heights Public Schools board elects officers, sets member pay and appoints counsels, banks and liaisons

Mary Granlund was elected school board chair and Laura Palmer was elected vice chair as the Columbia Heights Public Schools Board of Education completed its annual organizational business on Jan. 7 during a meeting in the district community room.

The board set monthly member pay, confirmed committee and intergovernmental liaisons, named depositories and legal counsel, and authorized routine administrative delegations including contract authority up to $175,000 under Minnesota Statute 123B.52.

The organizational meeting formalized roles and administrative housekeeping the district uses through the year. Board officers were chosen by acclamation for the calendar year; several standing liaison and committee appointments were approved as a single slate by voice vote. The board also set salaries and per-diem rules for members, confirmed banking and investment depositories, designated outside legal counsel for the district, and named The Life as the district’s official newspaper.

Most votes were taken by voice or acclamation. The board approved a recommended compensation package for members that sets base pay at $500 per month and an additional $100 per month for the chair; it also authorized per-diem payments for approved meetings ($50 per day up to four hours; up to $100 per day for more than four hours).

Administrative designations approved included Northeast Bank, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo and Bank of America as operational depositories and PMA Financial Network for investments; director-level staff were authorized as designees to execute electronic transfers. The board reappointed Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A., and designated Andrea Hedke of Dorsey & Whitney LLP for specialized bond/levy matters as the district’s legal counsel.

The board voted to delegate to the superintendent and the director of finance and operations the authority to enter into lease-purchase agreements and contracts within the approved budget for amounts up to $175,000 under Minnesota Statute 123B.52, consistent with the statute’s limits and the board’s annual renewal of that delegation.

Elections and many administrative appointments were brief and uncontested. After the chair and other officers were declared elected by acclamation, Mary Granlund said, “I am school board chair,” as she assumed the role. The board also approved a slate of external liaisons and committee representatives (including BrightWorks, the Minnesota State High School League, AMSD and the Northeast Metro Intermediate District 916), and assigned board members as liaisons to individual district schools for the remainder of the school year.

The board adopted Robert’s Rules of Order (12th edition when available; the board will use the 11th edition until the new edition arrives) and appointed a parliamentarian to support meeting procedure.

Closing business included appointment of an election clerk (Stephanie Alvarez) and designation of The Life as the district’s official legal publication for 2025; The Life was selected after it submitted a bid and because it publishes weekly and covers the whole district, while a competing paper did not expand its distribution.

Votes at a glance: • Agenda approval — motion carried (voice vote). • Mary Granlund elected chair — elected by acclamation. • Laura Palmer elected vice chair — elected by acclamation. • Michelle Pettway elected board clerk — elected by acclamation. • Julie (treasurer) elected treasurer — elected by acclamation. • Adopt Robert’s Rules of Order (12th edition when available) — motion carried (voice vote). • Appointment of parliamentarian (Jessica Maderas/Medaris) — approved by appointment. • Set regular meeting schedule (2nd and 4th Tuesdays, with July/December exceptions) and work sessions (3rd Tuesday) — motion carried (voice vote). • Committee and intergovernmental liaison slate — motion carried (voice vote). • School liaisons slate (assignments for Columbia Heights High School, Columbia Academy, Highland, North Park, Valley View, Family Center) — approved (voice vote); assignments take effect July 1 per customary school-year rotation. • Mentor assignment for new member Karina Smith (mentor: Laura Palmer) — approved (appointment). • Board salaries and per diem (base $500/month; chair +$100/month; per diem rules $50 up to 4 hours / $100 over 4 hours) — motion carried (voice vote). • Designation of depositories (Northeast Bank, U.S. Bank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America; PMA Financial Network for investments) — resolution approved (roll-call; ayes noted by clerk). • Electronic-transfer designees (director of finance and operations and deputy director) — approved (motion carried). • Legal counsel designation (Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A.; Andrea Hedke of Dorsey & Whitney LLP for bond/levy matters) — approved (motion carried). • Superintendent and director of finance authorized to enter contracts/lease-purchases up to $175,000 under Minn. Stat. 123B.52 — approved (motion carried). • Appointment of election clerk (Stephanie Alvarez) — approved (motion carried). • Designation of official newspaper (The Life) for 2025 — approved (motion carried).

What the board did not decide: there were no changes to the district’s salary schedule beyond the annual approval; no new budget appropriations or bond measures were considered at this meeting. Several items flagged for future attention included scheduling of targeted 916 site visits for board members and an expressed intent to review policy that governs subcommittee membership and chair assignments.

The meeting concluded after the organizational agenda items were completed; a number of routine appointments and procedural votes will guide the board’s operations through the year.