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Steffl Re-elected Board Chair; Rotter Elected Vice Chair After Split Vote
Summary
The Detroit Lakes Public Schools board re-elected John Steffl as chair and selected Mary Rotter as vice chair following a split vote; other officers were chosen by acclamation and routine district designations were approved.
John Steffl was re-elected chair of the Detroit Lakes Public Schools Board at its regular meeting on Jan. 5, 2026, which opened at 5:30 PM in City Council Chambers. Mary Rotter nominated Steffl for chair; the nomination was carried by acclamation.
"Rotter nominated John Steffl for the position of Chair of the Board," the minutes record. The meeting then moved to elect a vice chair. Julie Smith-Yliniemi nominated Mary Rotter and Sanford Nelson nominated Michelle Okeson. Votes split: Walther, Nelson and Okeson supported Okeson while Steffl, Rotter and Smith-Yliniemi supported Rotter; Rotter was elected vice chair.
The board also selected officers by acclamation for other roles: Julie Smith-Yliniemi was elected clerk after a nomination from Rotter, and Michelle Okeson was elected treasurer after a nomination from Nelson. These office elections finalize the board's leadership for the 2026 calendar year.
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