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Votes at a glance: Houston Public Schools board approves budgets, MOUs and contracts; food-service bid cleared pending state approval
Summary
The Houston Public School District board voted unanimously to approve the district's adjusted 2024-25 and proposed 2025-26 budgets and multiple labor and personnel agreements; the board also accepted two small donations and authorized a food-service contract pending Minnesota Department of Education approval.
The Houston Public School District board voted on a series of financial and personnel items at its regular meeting, approving the district's adjusted 2024-25 budget, the proposed 2025-26 budget, several memoranda of understanding with the teachers' association and multiple staff contracts. The board also accepted donations and authorized a food-service contract pending Minnesota Department of Education approval.
Why it matters: The approved budgets and MOUs set the district's financial and personnel framework for the coming year, including staffing allocations and grant-funded intervention positions. The food-service contract will determine who operates student meals; the board approved it conditionally on state approval.
What the board approved (roll-call/motion outcomes reported in meeting): - Approval of the agenda and consent items: motion and second noted; general voice vote recorded as "Aye." Outcome: approved. - Acceptance of donations: American Legion Auxiliary $500 (sixth-grade trip) and American Legion Post 423 $250 (band activity fund). Motion carried by roll call; recorded votes described as unanimous "Aye." Outcome: approved. - Acceptance of grievance response and teacher MOAs (memoranda of agreement) negotiated with the teachers union: motion, second and unanimous "Aye." Outcome: approved. - Approval of MOUs between the district and the education association (labor-related agreements): motion and second; unanimous approval. - Approval of confidential and supervisory staff contracts (includes director/supervisory positions and transportation/staff salaries): motion, second, unanimous voice vote recorded as "Aye." Outcome: approved. - Approval of the adjusted 2024-25 budget: motion and second; unanimous approval. - Approval of the proposed 2025-26 budget: motion and second; unanimous approval. - Resolution for Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) membership for 2025-26: motion, second and unanimous roll-call recorded as "Aye." Outcome: approved. - Approval of a single food-service bid (hurricane heroes vendor) conditional on Minnesota Department of Education approval: motion, second and unanimous voice vote recorded as "Aye." Outcome: approved pending MDE approval.
What remained undecided or was tabled: A co-op arrangement for speech activities and the hockey co-op with La Crescent were discussed; board members asked for additional documentation and local options and agreed to table further action until additional details are provided.
Meeting evidence: Motions, seconds and board "Aye" votes were recorded repeatedly and described as unanimous in the transcript. Several items were explicitly described as "pending MDE approval" (food-service bid) or were tabled for lack of documentation (speech co-op, hockey co-op).
Ending: Board members said they will circulate summaries of negotiated contract changes and return any tabled co-op contract decisions when supplemental information is available.
