Swartz Creek board votes to enter closed session to review applicants and select interview finalists

The Swartz Creek Community Schools Board of Education voted 7-0 on Monday to enter a closed session to review job applications and select finalists for interviews, approving representatives from Ray and Associates to attend.

Ken Engel made the motion, seconded by Autumn Henry, "to approve going into Closed Session for the purpose of review and selecting finalists for interviews. OMA 15.268 Closed sessions Sec. 8(f) To review and consider the contents of an application for employment," which the board approved on a roll-call vote with Carrie Germain, Chuck Melki, Autumn Henry, Kim Winter, Ken Engel, Andrea Fick and Jenni Wolgast recorded as voting yes.

Under Michigan's Open Meetings Act provision cited by the board (OMA 15.268 Sec. 8(f)), a public body may hold a closed session to review employment applications when confidentiality is requested. The motion also authorized Kathy Schoenfelder and Sheila Alles of Ray and Associates to attend the closed session as representatives of the consultant firm; both were explicitly named in the motion.

The special meeting was called to order by Board President Chuck Melki at 5:04 p.m. in the Joan Ferris Board Room at the Administration Office. The board noted that Interim Superintendent Wayne Wright and Interim Deputy Superintendent Dave Simonsen were absent. No public comments were offered before the board voted to go into closed session. The board reported entering closed session at 5:11 p.m.

No further actions or public deliberations were recorded in the public portion of the special meeting. The board's public materials list the purpose of the closed session as review and selection of finalists for interviews; the transcript does not specify which position(s) are under consideration.