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MSD Steuben County Board approves consent agenda, hires and appointments
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Summary
At its Feb. 17 meeting the board approved minutes, claims, personnel hires (including custodial and substitute hires), travel requests, a Trine University donation, Carnegie Library board appointments, disposal of obsolete books and a Department of Education grant application among routine business.
The MSD Steuben County Board of Trustees approved the consent agenda and a series of routine items during its Feb. 17 meeting, including minutes, claims, personnel actions, travel and several appointments.
Minutes and financial claims: Speaker 4 moved to approve minutes from Jan. 13 and the board of finance meeting; the board approved the minutes by recorded vote (chair announced motion carries 6-0). A separate motion to approve claims also carried 6-0.
Personnel and hires: The superintendent requested two late additions to the personnel list: Lehi Dunsworth (custodial services, listed with SIOCA) and Laura Morton (to be certified through Willsub as a substitute teacher). The board moved and unanimously approved hiring both. The larger personnel packet for 02/17/2026 (retirements, resignations, appointments and a reassignment) was also approved on a unanimous vote.
Travel, donations and appointments: The board approved out-of-state travel requests for Angola High School teams and classes to Michigan, accepted a donation from Trine University to support literacy collaboration (noting the district typically uses these funds for professional development), and approved Carnegie Library Board appointments (Emily Yoder, Jen Craig and Haley Billows) to fill the district’s allotted seats.
Disposal of books and grant application: The board authorized media centers to remove and either bid out or recycle obsolete or outdated books. The district also authorized applying for and accepting a Department of Education pilot grant to review special education IEP practice; the grant range is $5,000–$25,000 to cover reviewers, staff release time, travel and follow-up training.
Votes at a glance: - Approve Jan. 13 minutes: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve claims: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve hires (Lehi Dunsworth, Laura Morton): 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve personnel packet (02/17/2026): 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve summer school/iRead remediation plan: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Appoint redevelopment commission representative (Kevin Beard willing to serve): recorded vote included one abstention by Mister Beard; motion carried 5 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain - Accept Trine University donation: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve Carnegie Library Board appointments: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve disposal of obsolete books: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried) - Approve application for Department of Education educational benefit review pilot grant: 6 yes, 0 no (motion carried)
Board members voted by roll call for the listed items; where names were spoken during roll call, the record shows responses from Mister Archibald, Mister Beard, Mister Caswell, Missus Maggart, Mister Port and Mister Ridenour. Where the meeting record showed an abstention, it was Mister Beard on the redevelopment appointment.
No item was tabled or failed during the meeting, and staff indicated follow-up meetings or reporting where implementation steps were needed.
