Jordan Public School District board elects officers, sets meeting time and affirms routine financial authorities

The Jordan Public School District board elected new officers and approved several routine administrative and financial authorizations at its organizational meeting Jan. 5.

Board members nominated and elected Deb Pauley as chair by acclamation; Molly Moniak was confirmed as vice chair after Lauren Patterson withdrew her name, Lauren Patterson was approved as clerk, and Corinne Hennen was reappointed treasurer. The board approved a treasurer's bond of $100,000 after Superintendent Nielsen told members that the finance director recommended no change to the longstanding amount.

The board confirmed its depositories — Franzen Bank, Riverland Bank, the Minnesota School District Liquid Asset Fund, Hometown Bank and Minnesota Trust — and approved delegating investment authority to the superintendent and the finance director, described in the meeting as standard procedure. Members also delegated electronic fund-transfer authority to the finance director.

After discussion about evening events such as concerts, the board voted to move its regular meeting start time from 6:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Board members said the earlier start could better accommodate attendance at school events; some members noted it could make punctual attendance harder for guests who work out of town. The change was approved and the annual board calendar was updated accordingly.

The board approved retaining the law firm Ratwig, Rosak, and Maloney for legal representation and reserved the district’s right to engage other advisers when needed. It also limited authorized contacts with legal counsel to the board chair and the superintendent.

Committee assignments were finalized (budget/finance; city–school; community education; district advisory; facilities; negotiations; policy/APAC; boosters; education foundation; legislative; SEAC; Southwest Metro alternate positions) and the board approved maintaining its existing compensation levels for elected members. The board approved routine consent items including December minutes, monthly finance reports, donations (notably a $80,000 gift from the Jordan Pride/Bridal Booster Club for activities), and personnel actions including new hires and a retirement.

Votes at a glance: - Election of officers: elected by acclamation (no roll-call tallies recorded) - Treasurer's bond ($100,000): approved (motion carried) - Depositories: approved (motion carried) - Investment authority delegated to superintendent and finance director: approved (motion carried) - Electronic funds-transfer authority delegated to finance director: approved (motion carried) - Meeting time change to 5:30 p.m.: approved (motion carried) - Legal counsel retained (Ratwig, Rosak, and Maloney): approved (motion carried) - Compensation schedule (status quo): approved (motion carried) - Committee assignments and board calendar (with time change): approved (motion carried) - Consent agenda (minutes, finance reports, donations, personnel): approved (motion carried) - Kids Company front-desk terms (see separate item): approved (6–0–1; abstention recorded)

The meeting adjourned after routine closing items.