Board approves interim superintendent, appoints new member and authorizes legal and lease actions; several measures pass unanimously

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education on June 25 took a set of formal actions including the immediate appointment of Melissa Reed to a vacant board seat, approval of an interim superintendent contract for FY2026, authorization to engage outside counsel in a charter-school lease dispute, and approval of a lease amendment for district office space at the White Cliff facility.

The board also held an executive session earlier in the meeting to consider candidate interviews and later held votes in open session to formalize several outcomes. Several motions passed unanimously; one lease amendment passed 6–1 and one personnel confirmation vote passed 3–1. The full set of recorded actions and tallies appears below.

Votes at a glance

- Appoint Melissa Reed to the vacant board seat (effective immediately): motion carried; roll-call recorded as Robbins Jr.: Aye; Guthrie: Yes; Ginter: Yes; Thomas: Yes; Tabb: Yes; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion recorded as passing 6–0 when first voted, with the formal appointment motion later reflected as 6–0.

- Approve employment contract for interim superintendent PJ (P.J.) Ford Slack, PhD, for FY2025–26 (commencing 07/01/2025): motion carried, roll call: Thomas: Yes; Robbins Jr.: Aye; Reed: Yes; Ginter: Yes; Guthrie: Yes; Tabb: Yes; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion passed 7–0.

- Engage attorney Leif Thompson to represent Ketchikan Charter School (KCS) in a lease-agreement dispute: motion carried; roll call recorded Guthrie: Yes; Reed: Yes; Tabb: Yes; Ginter: Yes; Robbins Jr.: Aye; Thomas: Yes; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion passed 7–0. KCS APC (the charter’s governing council) will pay the legal fees per statements at the meeting.

- Approve lease agreement amendment No. 5 with the Ketchikan Gateway Borough for office space at the White Cliff facility: motion carried, roll-call recorded Tab: Yes; Robbins Jr.: Aye; Reid: Yes; Thomas: Yes; Guthrie: Yes; Ginter: No; Tatsuta: Yes. Motion passed 6–1. Board discussion said the district consolidated or relocated some staff and reduced leased square footage, producing a roughly $22,000 annual lease reduction.

- Affirm earlier non‑retention hearing outcome (administrative/HR action): the board voted to confirm the written decision from the informal hearing; the recorded vote among members eligible to vote (those who were present for both hearing days) passed 3–1.

- Consent calendar (as modified to remove one item): motion carried on roll call; recorded as passing 7–0.

Other formal actions: the board voted 6–0 to enter an executive session to compare and contrast candidates under the referenced Alaska Supreme Court precedent and board policy; later the board returned to open session to complete business.

Why it matters

Taken together, the votes finalize immediate leadership coverage for the district, alter the district’s real-estate footprint, and commit a charter school to pursue legal representation in a lease dispute. Those outcomes affect district operations (interim leadership for 2025–26), district finances (lease amendment savings and budget planning), and the charter school’s budget (legal expense responsibility).

What the board recorded

The meeting transcript records roll-call tallies for each formal vote; motions that require implementation (the interim superintendent contract, lease amendment) include contract start dates and effective language in the motions. Several votes were unanimous; the White Cliff lease amendment drew one dissenting vote and remains in effect as approved.

What the board did not decide

No permanent superintendent was hired. The board postponed any permanent-search restart until fall/holiday timeframe. The charter‑school lease dispute remains active and privately negotiated settlement discussions were described by counsel as ongoing; the board approved outside counsel engagement but did not disclose settlement terms.

Meeting evidence

Transcript excerpts show the roll-call language, motions and swearing-in for the newly appointed member, and statements that the charter school would cover attorney fees. The board’s public-presentation packet and the motions in the minutes will provide the signed contracts and the lease amendment text.

Ending

The board’s actions set immediate administrative direction for FY2026 and authorize legal and property steps the district and the charter school will implement next. The board indicated it will resume a permanent superintendent search around the holidays and will return to public discussion of policies and budget amendments in future meetings.