Crosby‑Ironton board elects Laura Lee chair, names Hannah Weezner vice chair in reorganization

The Crosby‑Ironton Public School District board completed its annual reorganization at a regular meeting, electing Laura Lee as board chair and Hannah Weezner as vice chair and confirming clerk and treasurer appointments.

Board members opened nominations for chair, placing Laura Lee and Hannah Weezner in contention. An initial roll‑call vote on a motion to appoint Weezner as chair ended in a three‑to‑three tie and failed for lack of a majority. The board then moved on to other officer business and later returned to the chair nomination; in the subsequent roll‑call vote Laura Lee received a majority and was elected chair, with Hannah Weezner named vice chair.

The reorganization included other officer appointments. The board unanimously appointed Tommy Sablon as clerk; Mark Taylor was appointed treasurer by a 5–1 roll‑call vote and accepted the post.

The changes conclude the board’s leadership slate for the coming year and set the officers who will preside over committee assignments, budget reviews and other governance duties. The meeting record shows members debated continuity versus rotation of leadership: some argued keeping the current chair would provide stability during recent administrative changes, while others urged rotating duties so no single member is solely responsible for continuity.

The board adjourned after completing officer elections; members confirmed the next work session will be held Monday at 6:00 p.m.

Votes and formal actions recorded in the meeting: - Failed nomination: motion to appoint Hannah Weezner as chair — roll call result: 3 yes, 3 no (motion failed). - Clerk appointment: Tommy Sablon — unanimous approval (all voting in favor). - Treasurer appointment: Mark Taylor — approval by roll call, 5 yes, 1 no (Mark Taylor accepted the appointment). - Chair election (final): Laura Lee — elected by majority vote (board roll call reflected a majority in favor). - Vice chair election: Hannah Weezner — elected; roll call shows unanimous support for vice chair in final vote.

Proper names and authorities referenced in the meeting materials include district policies cited as policy 202 and policy 213, the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) referenced in background discussion, and materials prepared by district staff (Mr. Toliffson and Mr. Ali). The meeting packet also included the 2026 pay‑equity report, which staff said uses the Department of Management and Budget’s formula (converting to 173.3 hours per month) for consistency across job classifications.

The board did not take disciplinary or policy actions beyond these organizational appointments; the meeting primarily set leadership and housekeeping for the coming year.