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Vernonia SD 47J board authorizes outside investigation into complaints received Dec. 8
Summary
At a Dec. 15 special meeting, the Vernonia School District 47J Board recessed into executive session to discuss complaints received Dec. 8, 2025, then unanimously authorized the board chair and district legal counsel to retain a third-party investigator.
The Vernonia School District 47J Board of Directors met in a special session Dec. 15, 2025, and authorized an outside investigation into complaints the board discussed in executive session. The meeting was called to order at 5:06 p.m. and recessed into executive session under O.R.S. 192.660(2)(b) at 5:07 p.m.
The minutes state that the board ‘‘discussed complaints received on December 8, 2025.’’ The board returned to open session at 6:41 p.m., and Joanie Jones moved "to authorize Board Chair, Greg Kintz, to authorize the District's Legal Counsel to secure a third party to investigate the complaints received on December 8, 2025." Amy Cieloha seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously with those in attendance. The special meeting adjourned at 6:43 p.m.
Board members recorded as present were Javoss McGuire (participating virtually), Greg Kintz, Lisa Curry, Alicia Mahoney, Amy Cieloha and Joanie Jones; Tony Holmes was listed as absent. Barb Carr, administrative assistant, was recorded as staff present and Scott Laird was listed as a visitor. The minutes do not identify the complaint subjects, the complainants, or any details of the allegations; the board's recorded action was limited to authorizing the legal counsel to retain a third-party investigator.
The board cited Oregon Revised Statutes governing executive sessions, O.R.S. 192.660(2)(b), as the authority for the closed discussion. The minutes do not specify a timeline, scope, or selection process for the third-party investigator; those details were not included in the posted record.
Next steps, per the minutes, are for the district's legal counsel to secure an outside party to conduct the investigation at the direction of the board chair. No further public meeting date or reporting requirement was specified in the minutes.
