Little Falls board elects officers, approves routine authorizations and approves resolution directing superintendent to propose 2026–27 reductions

The Little Falls Public School District reconvened its annual reorganization meeting on Feb. 5, electing board officers and approving a series of routine administrative and financial items before passing a resolution that authorizes the superintendent to recommend reductions for the 2026–27 budget.

Presiding at the meeting, an unidentified board member opened nominations for chair and nominated themself; a motion to approve the chair nomination was moved by Dan and seconded by Kelsey and carried by voice vote. Kelsey was approved as clerk and Mark was approved as treasurer after separate motions and voice votes.

The board also approved standard administrative actions including board member remuneration, designation of the Morrison County Record as the district’s official newspaper for 2026, authorization of official and facsimile signatures for the chair, clerk, treasurer, superintendent and business office manager, designation of banking depositories, authorization to invest excess funds, and authority for the superintendent to expend funds within budget guidelines. When the board designated Little Falls Pine Country Bank as a depository the presiding officer noted they would abstain from that vote because they are an employee of Pine Country Bank.

During the reorganization the board considered and approved a resolution that "directs the superintendent to make recommendations to the Board of Education for the 2026–27 school year for the discontinuance, elimination, modification and or reorganization of programs, staff, positions, services, offerings, employee contracts and other areas as the superintendent deems appropriate for purposes of adopting the 26–27 budget." The resolution was read aloud and adopted by roll-call vote, with votes recorded in the transcript for Dan, Doug, Julie, Mark and the presiding officer as "yes." The resolution gives the superintendent authority to bring forward recommendations for possible reductions as part of budget adoption deliberations.

The meeting record shows the board accepted several donations and approved personnel matters (see separate items), approved an early-retirement incentive (the district will pay TRA contributions for a period of three to five years or until retirement for those who take the incentive), and later moved into a closed session to discuss labor negotiation strategy under Minnesota statute cited in the meeting.

The board reconvened in open session and adjourned the meeting. No final action on labor negotiations was taken during the closed session, and the chair stated that any decisions resulting from closed-session discussion would occur in open session.