The meeting was called to order at 7:07 p.m. by Palouse School Board chairman Jerry Schwartzman.

Present: Garfield board members Mike Cronk, Warren Neal, Jill Palmer, Roger Pennell and Craig Cochran. Palouse board members Mike White, Jerry Schwartzman, John Leendertsen, Kent Keller and Paula Echanove.

Also Present: Principal Bill LaMunyan, Principal/Superintendent Beverly Fox, Business Manager Patsy Dunning and Recorder Cindy Kimberling.

Guests: Charlotte Hemingway, Diana Bridge, Mickie Sell, Sheila Cook, Alli Bennett, Janet Barstow, Craig Brantner, Debbie & Marc Arrasmith, Tom Johnson, Robin Woltering, Wendy O'Neill, Martin & Pauline Abrego, Vickie & Dennis Griner, Lyn Pennell, Teddy Brown, Darlene Perkins, Kurt Kimberling, Mike Allen, Holly & Tom Thomas, Jennifer & Troy Roach, Debbie & Jiggs Anderson, Jody Akins, Kathy & Randy Pinter, Marv Pillers, Patty Cottrill, Randy Zehm, Erik Newman, Jack Neal, Sabrina & Robert Wride, Cheri Curtis, Roger Guiney, Phil Weagraff, Rebecca & Dean Walker, Corinne Kent, Tammy Howard, April & Dave Pfaff, Marcia McCracken, Sue Love, Shelley Slocum, Mike Burt, Dan Parrish, Mickie & Richard Leinweber, Jeanne McCown, Becky Manning, Patty Kent, Steve & Frankie Swinney, Debbie Dawes, Debbie Mitzimberg, Joan Reidinger, Ann Holbrook, Laura Culton, Mike & Wendy Delzer, Jill Wallace, Diane Main, Sandy Jamison, Jack Doebler, Ron Redman, Kris Gist, Tim Boone, Nancy Hegg, Ron Rosebrook, Scot Cocking, Beth Rudzinis, Louanne Deerkop, Lisa Fisher, Sue Redman, Alice Rockhill, Tim & Tina Coles, John Bofenkamp and Patty Rippee.

Committee Report and Public Comment were added to the agenda. The Administration Re-organization item was moved to a different location. Board member resignation was deleted from the agenda.

Toshia Smith was approved for the High School Girls Softball Assistant Coach with a motion from Jill Palmer and Warren Neal for the Garfield board. Paula Echanove and Mike White made the same motion for the Palouse board and both boards passed the motions unanimously.

Paula Echanove expressed support for the current administration. She feels that there have been too many negative feelings and comments within the communities lately. She also added her support for Patsy Dunning. She is one of the districts' finest employees. John Leendertsen added thanks to the staff of certificated personnel and classified personnel. He also thanked the people that volunteered this past year in light of the budget cuts that were made. All cuts are not easy. The districts need to support the administration and move forward in a positive motion.

Erik Newman, Becky Manning and Patty Cottrill reviewed the Budget Survey results with the boards. There were a total of 180 surveys returned to the two districts. It was a good response.

Randy Pinter presented a proposed budget "costs - savings" from a group of patrons and parents in the Garfield community. Their proposal was:

3/4 time superintendent & 1/4 time AD MS and HS.

FT principal in Garfield/504 Special Education

FT principal in Palouse/Student activities

Garfield - .5 elementary cert. Position (.5 funded I-728) ( Possibly additional 1 FTE for 4 FTE in the elementary)

Coop 5th grade class in Garfield transported with 6-8 grade.

Add pay to transport for extracurricular activities.

Eliminate cheerleading in HS/MS with maybe pay to play

FT counselor 1/2 G 1/2P

Clerical staff $30,000 cut.

Elementary art to be cut — no pull out art. With this proposal, Garfield would realize

approximately $130,000 savings and Palouse would realize approximately $60,000 savings.

Roger Guiney addressed the combination classes. He has experienced combination classes as a student and as a teacher. Students can learn a lot from the combination classes. He asked the board to examine the offerings for the Middle School. He said the district should have diversity for the students. He added that Mrs. Fox is a true professional.

Tom Thomas is a concerned patron and parent. He suggested that the changes in the budget/staffing should reflect the economic development of the town. The town is losing business and interested homeowners.

Jennifer Roach believes that the addition of new staff members/administration has helped the district. She added that she hoped that the boards would consider the proposal brought to them by the community committee.

Debbie Anderson sighted the unfairness of name usage by previous speakers. She wanted the board to remember that our schools are for the children. She stated that the school did not belong to the board or the administration, it is our school (which means board, administrators, patrons, community, etc.).

April Pfaff stated that the board needs to remember how best to provide an education for the students of our districts. There must be open lines of communication.

Dave Pfaff said he would like to echo the statement that there should be a separate principal and separate superintendent. This would give balanced power. He stated that the proposal brought to the board by the community committee needs to be looked at. It is the best way to go in his opinion.

Pauline Abrego stated that she looked back into the minutes of the previous year. She believes that the board has not made a reactive response to the budget problems of the districts. The schools need to attract students.

Mike Allen asked the boards to look at the curriculum with an open mind. Students need more than just math, science and writing. The students need diversity.

Diane Main stated that this year is going very well with the new administration. She stated that the communities need to have faith in the school boards to make the right decisions.

Frankie Swinney stated that she feels that the board has been generous in receiving public comment on the budget and the upcoming decisions. She feels that the administration is doing a very good job this year. She added that the superintendent and the business manager are very organized that makes her job more efficient.

Steve Swinney stated that the school board members have a tough job. He added that with the present superintendent and principal he had the smoothest year ever as a basketball coach. The business manager is doing a good job.

Dan Parrish is concerned about the MS extracurricular activities. Sports are important. When deciding on cuts, the board needs to consider the number of students participating in a sport and how many students a cut would effect. The school board is doing a fine job.

Mike Burt had a question about the athletics. He added that the board members are doing a good job. If community members don't like what is being decided, then he suggested that they run for a board position.

With 350 students in the district, it does not warrant a half time superintendent. Three choices from the current administration were addressed to the board and reviewed.

Garfield's goal to reduce is $100,000.

**Garfield elementary staff.

Garfield Elementary will maintain 3 certificated classroom teachers and utilize combined classrooms in a K-5 program. The 3 classroom FTE includes .5 time of I-728 funding. Consensus vote - Garfield Board 5 yes.

Garfield Elementary will offer one period of art per day.

Consensus vote - Garfield Board 4 yes/1 nay.

Garfield Elementary will offer one day a week of music.

Consensus vote - Garfield Board 0 yes/5 nay.

**Palouse Elementary

Palouse Elementary will maintain 4.5 certificated classroom teachers and utilize one combined classroom for a K-5 program.

Consensus vote - Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

**Garfield/Palouse

Para-educator time in Garfield and Palouse will be maintained at 33.25 hours per day. Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Garfield/Palouse will maintain 1.3 FTE of counselor/social worker services with .5 Garfield and .8 Palouse ( .3 being all Palouse's expense).

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 4 yes/1 nay.

**Extracurricular

Athletics will be maintained except for HS/MS Track.

Consensus vote - Garfield 0 yes/5 nay & Palouse 0 yes/5 nay.

HS/MS Cheerleading will be maintained with volunteer coaches and be required to use existing transportation.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

**Transportation

Parents responsible for transporting their students to driver's education.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Maintain MS after school study for 2 days a week.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

One transportation route for MS/HS athletics and extracurricular activities for after school practice.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

A $25 transportation fee per student, per activity will be initiated. There will be a $100 cap per family for the year.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

*Add 2 days - one hour per day of MS after school study (cost of personnel).

Consensus vote - Garfield 4 yes/1 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

*Garfield/Palouse school psychologist/testing director will be maintained at .3 FTE. Consensus vote - Garfield 4 yes/1 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

*Administration

FT Superintendent/Special Ed Director, FT Garfield Principal/MS AD, FT Palouse Principal, HS AD.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

*Extracurricular

Pay for MS Baseball if participation numbers are sufficient.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Utilize paid coaches for MS FB.

Consensus vote - Garfield 0 yes/5 nay & Palouse 0 yes/5 nay.

Maintain MS FB through the use of volunteer coaches and parents transport if evening practices or utilizing existing transportation.

Consensus vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Reinstate district paying for HS officials.

Consensus Vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Reinstate portion of FFA.

Consensus Vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Utilize a zero hour for FFA.

Consensus Vote - Garfield 0 yes/5 nay & Palouse 0 yes/5 nay.

Reinstate portion of AV.

Consensus Vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Reinstate portion of Jazz Band.

Consensus Vote - Garfield 4 yes/1 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

Reinstate portion of FCCLA.

Consensus Vote - Garfield 5 yes/0 nay & Palouse 5 yes/0 nay.

The meeting recessed at 11:20 p.m.

The joint meeting reconvened at 11:33 p.m.

The Program to be Retained for 2002-03 as listed in the table above was approved by the Garfield board with a motion from Warren Neal and a second by Craig Cochran. The motion passed unanimously. Paula Echanove and Mike White moved to approve The Program to be Retained as listed above for the Palouse board. The motion passed unanimously. The joint board's unanimously approved the Program to be Retained as listed above with a motion from Mike Cronk and Kent Keller. It passed unanimously.

The joint meeting was recessed at 12:20 a.m.

The meeting reconvened in closed session to discuss labor relations at 12:25 a.m.

The joint meeting reconvened at 1:00 a.m.

Kent Keller moved and Mike White seconded a motion to accept the 2001-02 Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent contracts. The motion passed. Craig Cochran and Warren Neal moved to accept the 2001-02 Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent contracts. The motion passed.

There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 1:02 a.m.