Edina — At its Jan. 5, 2026 organizational meeting, the Edina Public School District board elected new officers for the coming year, removed a proposed board-compensation item from the consent agenda for discussion and then voted to approve the compensation.

Karen Gabler was elected board chair by voice vote. Cheryl Berry was elected vice chair, and the board chose the nominee recorded in the transcript as Allenberg as clerk. Jen (transcript surname variants recorded) was elected treasurer. Elliot Mann was elected assistant treasurer, and two nominees identified as Dan (transcript surname varies) and Michael Bergman were elected assistant clerks.

The meeting began with the board approving the agenda and proceeded to the slate of officer elections. When the consent agenda was presented, Director Bergman asked that the board-compensation item be pulled for separate discussion, saying the topic has been a concern since he joined the board four years ago and that revisiting pay is about creating accessibility and opportunity for prospective members. “This is an election year. In ’26, there’s gonna be 4 positions that are open,” Director Bergman said. He added that the chair’s responsibilities are substantially greater than other seats and that pay had not kept pace, urging the board to discuss possible changes at an upcoming retreat with any change timed to take effect when a newly seated board begins its term.

The presiding member (unnamed in the transcript) thanked Director Bergman and said the compensation item would be added to the retreat topics; board members indicated they were open to that discussion. The board subsequently moved to approve board compensation; the motion carried by voice vote and the transcript records that board compensation was approved.

Separately, the presiding member reminded newly seated officers about Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) offerings, including board-officer training and the Learning to Lead workshop, and asked outgoing committee chairs to orient incoming chairs. The superintendent thanked the chair and members of the board for serving and said the district has “plenty to do” in the coming year.

The meeting adjourned after a motion and voice vote.

Next steps: the board indicated it will add board compensation to retreat discussions; any change the board decides on would be timed to take effect when the new board is seated in January (as discussed during the meeting).