Columbus Elem board approves baseball co-op with Red Lodge, hires 6th‑grade coach and OKs substitute list

At a regular meeting, the Columbus Elem board approved several personnel and athletics items, including an interschool baseball cooperative with Red Lodge, the hiring of Ryan McPherson as the 6th‑grade football coach, acceptance of a six‑day extended leave request, and the annual substitute list.

The board approved a cooperative baseball arrangement after a board member explained that Brid(al) Lodge had approached Columbus to join its coop and that Red Lodge would likely contribute 8 to 12 players. "There’s gonna be anywhere between 8 and 12 athletes that would play baseball," the board member said, and added that the joining school would pay $5,000 to be part of the arrangement. The board member said the team would play under the Columbus name and use Columbus buses and field facilities. Jay (board member) raised concerns about practice time and field lighting; a staff member said practices could start no later than 4:30 p.m. to accommodate travel.

Board discussion touched on classification questions for the athletic association. "It would not change our classification because right now in Montana, it’s a B baseball," the presenting board member said, noting the coop would not move Columbus to a higher class. After discussion the board moved and approved the cooperative by voice vote.

The board also voted to hire Ryan McPherson as the 6th‑grade football coach. A board member described McPherson as someone who "will only be missing 1 game that he can't attend due to work, but he will be at all the other games," and said his stipend would be prorated and split among those helping on days he is unavailable. "I would move to hire Ryan McPherson as the 6th grade football coach," the chair said; another board member seconded the motion and it passed by voice vote.

Separately, the board accepted an extended leave request for Rachel Ryan. A board member reported that "she'll be gone for a total of 6 days, per the CBA," and that Mr. Browning had approved the leave on his end; the board voted to accept the leave request.

During the meeting a board member read aloud the annual substitute list — naming previous and newly recommended substitutes — and the board moved to approve the list as presented.

All votes in the meeting were voice votes recorded as "aye" or "opposed" in the transcript; individual roll-call votes were not recorded. The meeting concluded when a member moved to adjourn and the board approved the motion.

Items not specified in the transcript include the meeting date, exact vote-by-name roll call, and the formal title for some participants who spoke; those details were not provided in the record.