Sartell–St. Stephen board review flags broken trust, stalemate over chair and calls for clearer communication

The Sartell–St. Stephen School Board spent most of a facilitated work session reviewing a board self-evaluation and debating how to repair frayed interpersonal trust after a year of contentious meetings and closely split votes.

Board members and Minnesota School Boards Association facilitator Gail Gilman agreed the group’s highest-priority issues are (1) the unresolved impasse over who will serve as board chair on a six-member board and (2) damaged trust among members tied to events from the prior year. The session produced no formal policy changes; participants identified follow-up steps including finishing a board handbook, launching a strategic-planning process and tightening communications with the public.

The question of who should serve as chair has produced a continuing 3–3 stalemate since the organizational meeting in January. The impasse has meant the group has twice failed so far this year to elect a permanent chair and has been opening meetings with the issue on the agenda, members said. One board member called that…