Items on the agenda of the regular meeting of the Becker Board of Education Monday night included the acceptance with regret of the resignation of board member Phil Norgaard, approval of the canvass of the Nov. 3 election results and a discussion of strategic goals for the 2016-17 school year.

 

Norgaard had informed Board Chairman Aaron Jurek and Supt. Dr. Stephen Malone of his intention to resign in a letter dated Nov. 2, in which he stated that he had accepted a position with a firm in another state and will shortly be moving away from the district.  He informed the district that his resignation would be effective as of Jan. 5, 2016.

 

He had been appointed to the board to fill a vacancy that took place last fall, and he took over that seat in December last year.  Prior to that, he had been originally been drafted to fill a vacancy more than a decade ago and had then run for consecutive terms.

 

All of his fellow board members expressed their thanks to Norgaard for his service.  Bryan Olson, who served with Norgaard on the board for a many years, said: “You will be missed,” and he further cited the “transparency and integrity” Norgaard had brought to the board with his service.  Jurek thanked him for making his joining the board a “seamless transition” last year, and Malone thanked him for his service after accepting appointment to the board.

 

The resolution accepting his resignation passed, with Mark Swanson, who was attending on-line from a location in Indiana, cast a symbolic “No” vote for his friend and colleague.

 

Following a discussion, the board agreed to use the same process for filling the vacancy that had been in place last year.  In that instance, the board had advertised the position in the official newspaper, “The Citizen”, and on the district website.  Candidates will complete a four-question application that would outline background and skills of candidates, position on the role of the school board, a definition of the role of a responsible board member and top objectives for a member of the board.  Applications will be due in the district office by the close of business on Mon., Nov. 30.

 

The board unanimously approved the canvass of the results of the Nov. 3 election at the Monday meeting.  Question One, which would maintain student programs for the next 10 years, and Question Two, which would restore some programs that had been removed, were both approved by district voters.  Voters rejected Question Three, which included maintenance and repairs, which “will be incorporated into our 10-year capital plan and addressed over time through the available budget,” Malone stated in his board meeting notes.

 

The board approved a second reading for Policy 210, which deals with conflicts of interest for school board members.

 

A discussion of strategic planning for the 2016-17 school year included more advanced “life skills” training, including money management, activities funding and examining new sources of revenue.