ISD 728 board elects officers, affirms routine governance items

The ISD 728 (Elk River School District) board completed its organizational business on Monday, Jan. 12, electing Director Nordos as board chair and approving a slate of routine governance measures.

Director Nordos won the chair race in a 4–3 roll-call vote after nominations from the floor. The board subsequently elected Director Steinbrecher as vice chair (4–3 by roll call), Director Freiburg as clerk, and Director Hamlin as treasurer (reported unanimous). The board then approved holding the district's regular and special meetings as listed in the agenda and accepted the board meeting schedule for January 2026 through the 2026–27 school year.

The board approved a number of standard administrative resolutions: designating the Elk River Star News as the district’s official newspaper for legal notices, confirming official depositories listed in the agenda, adopting the Minnesota records-retention schedule for school districts, authorizing the chair and clerk to sign district checks, and naming the director of finance and the district accountant as authorized staff to make electronic fund transfers on behalf of the district. The board also adopted a resolution delegating authority regarding purchase, lease and contract goods and services as presented.

A motion to allow specified district leaders — including the board chair, superintendent and designated assistant superintendents and executive directors — to contact legal counsel carried after discussion clarifying that the chair would have discretion to engage different outside firms when specialized expertise is needed.

The organizational session adjourned and the board immediately called the regular meeting to order where business continued.