Board authorizes superintendent to sign leases as district continues land-lease renewal steps

The board voted to authorize Superintendent Ruben Diaz to sign lease documents related to district land use after staff summarized a long-running renewal process. Diaz told the board some leases had been expired (one noted as 2019) and staff have been following a multi-step checklist since November 2024 to renew leases for school sites, administration and transportation facilities. He said most steps have been completed but that a required letter of support from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)/Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) remained outstanding and staff have experienced difficulty securing a response.

Diaz explained that for one of the sales‑district leases a signed resolution and checklist items were in place but that the district needs board authorization for the superintendent to execute documents and to arrange a meeting with legislative staff to complete the process. A board member thanked Diaz and HRDC partners for sustained effort and asked staff to continue attempts to obtain the BIA/BIE letter. Members approved the motion to give the superintendent authority to sign; the vote was recorded in the affirmative.

The board asked staff to keep lease documents and the accreditation certificate visible in boardroom materials to avoid administrative oversights in future renewal cycles. Diaz said staff will continue outreach to the BIA/BIE and will coordinate with HRDC and legislative contacts to schedule the required review.