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Grand Forks board approves Dec. 31 financials, adopts five policies, OKs $147,275 Kelly Elementary air‑handler and delegates restroom‑accommodation plans to pri
Summary
The school board approved the district's general fund financial statement through Dec. 31, adopted five policies on second reading, authorized $147,275 from the building fund to replace an air handler at Kelly Elementary and passed a resolution delegating restroom‑accommodation planning to building principals under North Dakota law.
At its Jan. 27 meeting, the Grand Forks Public School District Board approved several administrative actions: the district's general fund financial statement through Dec. 31, 2024; the second reading and adoption of five policies; a building‑fund expenditure to replace an air handler at Kelly Elementary; and a resolution delegating authority to principals to work with families on separate restroom accommodations under North Dakota Century Code 15.1‑06‑21.
On the general fund financial statement, Brandon Baumbach told the board he had corrected an earlier packet error (the original packet contained data through Nov. 30 instead of Dec. 31). For the first six months of the fiscal year staff reported total general fund revenues of $57,600,000 and expenditures of $49,700,000, leaving revenues ahead of expenditures by about $7,900,000. The board approved the financial statement on roll call.
The board also approved second readings and adoption of five policies listed in the packet as AAC, FDD, ACF, BA and IAD; the district administration and the policy review committee recommended adoption as presented and the board voted to adopt them on second reading.
On a building‑fund request, Buildings and Grounds Director Jonathan Alwine described a plan to replace an air handler serving the 1989 addition at Kelly Elementary. Using the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Agreement, the district will purchase the air handler directly to avoid contractor markup, with Johnson Controls performing installation. The cost breakdown presented was: air handler $73,350; installation $63,650; contingency $10,275; total $147,275. The board approved using building funds for the replacement.
The board also voted to adopt a resolution delegating to building principals the authority to establish, with a parent or legal guardian, a plan for separate restroom accommodations for transgender students under North Dakota Century Code 15.1‑06‑21. Legal counsel recommended the delegation to allow principals to meet families and establish plans promptly without convening special board sessions. Board members discussed ensuring consistent implementation across buildings and asked administration to confirm facilities and lines of responsibility for non‑principal‑run spaces such as the CIA and MSCC.
Roll calls recorded members' votes on these items; most motions passed by unanimous or near‑unanimous votes with one member absent on several roll calls. Where recorded, votes included: approval of the general fund financial statement (roll call: Manley—Yes; Lund—Yes; Larson—Yes; Palmasino—Yes; Kodak—Yes; Kleban—Absent; Flynn—Yes; Anderson—Yes; Berger—Yes; result recorded as unanimous yes with 1 absent); approval of the Kelly Elementary air‑handler expenditure (motion passed; roll call recorded all present voting yes with 1 absent); and passage of the restroom‑delegation resolution (vote recorded as 8 yes, 0 no, 1 absent, 1 abstain according to the roll call sheet).
Staff said the corrected financial documents and the procurement memo for the Kelly air‑handler are available in the board packet. The administration recommended final approval of the financial statement and the building fund expenditure as presented.
