Board approves tax-levy resolution, contracts, personnel changes and raises adult lunch price to $5.05

The Lake of the Woods School Board approved a package of agenda items and motions at its Sept. 22 meeting, including a tax-levy certification, contracts for transportation and food service, personnel appointments and a modest increase to the adult lunch price.

Key actions approved

- Resolution 2025/2026-05 certifying the proposed tax levy for 2025 payable 2026. Motion by Kayla Johnson; second by Craig Severs. Voice vote carried the motion.

- Bus storage contract with Paul Bunan Transit. Motion made and seconded; board asked staff to confirm after-hours access arrangements before implementation; motion carried.

- Bears' Den food-service contract with Sarah Luchek Foods for the 2025–26 school year. Board noted this is a second-year renewal; motion carried.

- Appointment of Micah Hack as kitchen supervisor for the 2025–26 school year. The appointment was approved after a roll-call vote; the transcript records multiple board members voting in the affirmative and one abstention (Jerem Hack). The motion carried.

- Personnel appointments and resignations. The board approved new hires (Pete Jens, full-time custodian; Sarah Saloway, PAR professional) and accepted resignations (Richard Gwennon, bus driver; Julie Newiller, pool safety attendant). Motion carried.

- Resolution 2025/2026-06 appointing election judges for the Nov. 4, 2025 special election. Motion and roll-call vote carried the resolution.

- Approval of FY26 superintendent goals and the FY26 superintendent evaluation plan. Motions to approve were carried.

- Adult lunch price increase. The board set the adult lunch price to $5.05 (previously $5.00). Motion by Kayla Johnson; second by Jerem Hack; voice vote carried the measure. Board discussion noted that most adult meals are bought by staff and that payments are charged to staff accounts.

Several items were approved by voice vote with no detailed tally recorded in the transcript. Where roll-call votes were recorded, the transcript lists individual board responses; the board clerk completed the roll call in those instances.

What this means: The tax-levy certification advances property-tax paperwork for the district; the contract approvals secure bus storage and food-service vendor relationships for the year; personnel actions fill custodial and other operational roles; the small adult-meal price increase aims to better cover meal costs for adult purchasers.

The board adjourned at 7:19 p.m.