Fountain Hills board approves meeting schedule, fees and donations; tables personnel questions

The Fountain Hills Unified School Board on Sept. 6 approved several routine items — including the 2023–24 meeting schedule, extracurricular fees for middle‑school clubs and yearbook, and donations — while tabling a personnel actions report for further clarification.

Board members voted 4–1 to table the personnel actions report after questions about employees listed with duplicate additional workday dates and whether delaying approval would affect pay. Libby asked for an explanation about entries showing an employee listed twice for additional elementary workdays and noted timing anomalies for dates appearing on different board agendas. The board agreed to delay final approval until staff could provide details.

The board approved the 2023–24 meeting schedule, eliminating separate work‑study sessions and setting regular meetings to 6 p.m. except the Sept. 20 meeting (5 p.m.) to allow board participation in the homecoming parade. That motion carried 4–1.

On consent items, the board approved payroll vouchers and, after a separate vote, approved accounts‑payable vouchers and donations. A member raised questions about specific vendors and line items — including recurring charges from Pitney Bowes, an Apple Inc. purchase for $11,000 and two payments to Orcut Winslow — and requested an updated contract figure for the library work covered by Orcut Winslow. The accounts‑payable vouchers passed by a 3–2 vote.

Board members also approved updated extracurricular fees that add volleyball, basketball, track, baseball and softball club fees at $25 per trimester and a $25‑per‑year yearbook club fee for Fountain Hills Middle School.

Next steps: staff will provide the detailed explanations requested on the personnel action entries and the Orcut Winslow contract so the board can act at its next meeting.