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Board authorizes application to destroy non-sensitive paper records after tense debate
Summary
After trustees debated whether to retain documents tied to an open police investigation, the Fenton CHSD 100 board voted to seek state approval to destroy non-sensitive paper records (excluding student records). Trustees said investigation-related records have been secured; one trustee voted no and another abstained.
The Fenton Community High School District 100 board voted July 22 to apply to the state for permission to destroy non-sensitive paper records, after a prolonged debate about the timing of any disposal.
Trustee (S5) raised the primary objection, citing an ongoing police investigation involving a former district employee and warning against destroying records until the inquiry and any state licensing hearing were resolved. "I do have a very significant concern with this, in that we have a as far as I know, the last time I looked, there's an open police investigation regarding a former employee of this school district," S5 said, urging that the district "retain everything that we can."
Administrator (S4) responded that staff have separated and secured records tied to investigations and recommended proceeding with the regular disposal process for other items. "I can assure the board, as your employee who is responsible to you and then to our community, we have pulled those records," S4 said, adding that the board could pause or amend the application if it wished.
Other trustees noted the statutory process and timing: the state review typically takes one to three months and there is an additional 60-day waiting period before destruction can begin, giving the board time to respond if new information arises. Trustee (S8) summarized the timeline, saying approval and the statutory waiting periods mean "we're really looking at 5 months before we even begin any disposal process at all."
The motion the board approved directed district staff to apply to the state for permission to destroy the specified paper records, excluding student records. The board voted by roll call: Miller, Brzezinski, Lewis, White and Figueroa voted yes; McCullough voted no; Goodrich registered what the transcript records as "I'm staying" (treated as an abstention for the public record). The motion passed by a majority.
The board chair clarified that the agenda item was an application to the state (not immediate shredding) and reiterated that sensitive records flagged for investigation were not included in the proposed disposition. The board asked staff to return with an updated motion next month if trustees wanted to exclude additional categories (for example, student-related materials) before formal application.
The board cited the Record Disposal Act and related state processes during the discussion. The vote concluded a heated exchange in which trustees balanced annual retention cycles and storage limitations against concerns about ongoing investigations.
