Rush City school board holds special session, approves agenda and consensus agreement

The Independent School District #139 (Rush City Public School District) board convened a special session Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, at 5:03 PM with Kristin Papke serving as clerk for roll call. Board members present were William Schmidt, Ken Lind, Kristin Papke (Clerk), Teri Umbreit, Rory Roth and Kevin Haugrud; Brent Stavig attended as ex officio. Others in attendance included Kerstin Quigley, Coleman McDonough and Attorney Michael Ervin.

Board member Rory Roth moved to approve the agenda as presented; Kevin Haugrud seconded the motion and it carried 6-0. The meeting record shows the board subsequently addressed two closed-session items under Minn. Stat. 13D.05, subd. 2(b): a continuation of an attorney-client privileged discussion regarding the district’s response to a Level III grievance, and a separate, preliminary consideration of allegations against an individual.

After the first closed session, the board re-opened at 5:38 PM, recessed briefly to the chair's call, then approved a consensus agreement related to the Level III grievance (motion by Rory Roth, seconded by Kevin Haugrud; motion carried 6-0). The board later closed the meeting again at 5:49 PM to consider allegations against an individual and re-opened at 6:29 PM. A motion by Teri Umbreit, seconded by Rory Roth, adjourned the meeting at 6:30 PM (motion carried 6-0).

The minutes cite Minn. Stat. 13D.05, subd. 2(b) as the statutory basis for closed sessions on attorney-client privileged matters and preliminary personnel allegations. The record does not disclose the substance of the grievance, the terms of the consensus agreement, or the identity of any individual involved; those matters are noted as handled in closed session.