Chairman Jerry Schwartzman called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m.

The flag salute followed.

Present: Palouse board John Leendertsen, Jerry Schwartzman, Paula Echanove, Mike White, and Kent Keller.

Garfield board Mike Cronk, Warren Neal, Craig Cochran, Jill Palmer.

Also Present: Superintendent Beverly Fox, Principals Bill LaMunyan and Skip Wilson, Business Office Manager Patsy Dunning and Recorder Jody Akins.

Guests: Rich Olsen, Tim Coles, Tina Coles, Theresa Pfaff, Marvin Pillers, Dan Parrish, Debbie Anderson, Patty Kent, Mike Burt, April Pfaff, Louanne Deerkop, Patty Rippee, Janet Barstow, Frankie Swinney, Steve Swinney, Alli Bennett, Joanna Shafer, Ron Rosebrook, Carmen Bolyard, Nancy Fealy, Becky Manning, Neil manning, Valorie Fisher, Sherry Partch, Randy Zelm, Chris Bofenkamp, Darlene Schwartzman, Sue Redmon, Scott Bolyard, Norm Schorzman, Sandy Schorzman, Wendy Delzer, Tom Johnson.

Cooperative

Members of both boards discussed how to restructure the two districts so they could remain a cooperative with their own administrations, i.e., superintendent and principal.

Consideration was given to the cost each district would bear if they were to form their own administrative positions and pay for it with their own funds. Business Manager, Patsy Dunning, was consulted for numbers on the funding of administrators to see approximately how much each district would have to spend on their administrators. Garfield currently spends $103,000 and Palouse spends $144,000.

Both boards looked at what the chain of command would be if each district filled their administrative position with one person as superintendent and principal. Both bodies felt they should consider implementing some sort of committee that would represent the joint board. This would be for a patron issue that goes beyond the superintendent and before going to the board. Pros and cons for such a committee were discussed. All agreed it is important to try to work out employee problems internally before going to the board.

Thought was given to the employees that work in both districts—e.g., employed by one district but works in the other, who would they report to, who would do their evaluation, cost sharing, etc.

The business office will stay in Palouse. It works best for the business manager and both boards are fine with that. It was agreed that the way we run the business office now is the most efficient way to do it.

Next, the two boards discussed how the hiring of teachers and coaches would be handled. The superintendent is responsible for the hiring recommendations of teachers and coaches. Their recommendation is subject to board approval. Discussion ensued by both boards’ members, with some community input, about whether the joint board or the district’s board would decide about the superintendent’s recommendation. The recommendation would be presented to the joint board and the hiring board will consider the other board’s recommendations.

How the districts would cost share salaries for teachers and coaches was looked at next. The cost sharing would be agreed to when the employee was hired. Both boards felt cost sharing should not be an issue with the employees. This would be a bookkeeping issue, only.

Chairman Jerry Schwartzman called for a 10-minute break.

Chairman Jerry Schwartzman reconvened the meeting at 8:46 p.m. with a summarization of the matters agreed upon by both boards.

Each district will hire and pay for their administration for 1 year, on a trial basis.

Staffing below administration will stay status quo for this year.

The only hiring they will do is to fill a position if there is a resignation.

Each board will do their own hiring for their respective districts. They will agree to take advisement from the other board. The hiring administrator and each board will determine their own procedures.

The Administrative Review Committee will be comprised of 2 members from each board and 1 community member that the boards agree on, and that person will be from one community one year and the other community the next year.

Chain of command for parental grievances will be: Parent -- Teacher -- Principal -- Superintendent -- Administrative Appeal Committee – School Board. This will also affect all supplemental contracts and volunteers.

If the employee that works in both districts wants the security of working for one building, they will have that option. If the employee chooses to be employed by one district, they would report to and receive their evaluation from that district’s principal. The non-employing district would agree to cost share their portion of the employee’s salary. This will be cost shared on a monthly basis and the employee will continue to be paid like they are now. If the employee chooses to be employed by both districts, then they receive an evaluation by both building administrators. The employee reports to the principal that does their evaluation.

Both boards will agree to work with both attorneys on board related issues. They will set up a meeting to start that process after spring work.

Board meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month and they will flip-flop the town that will host the meeting. The hosting district will begin their meeting at 7:00 p.m., followed by the next district’s meeting at 8:00 p.m., and the joint meeting will begin at 9:00 p.m. If the meeting is not done by the time the next meeting is scheduled to begin, they need to recess and then reconvene after the joint meeting is done.

The board chairman, only, will make all requests to the business office for confidential information.

All that has been agreed upon at this meeting will be put in writing and then signed by the respective boards. Instruction was given to Mrs. Fox to prepare this document for the boards’ signature at their next scheduled meeting on April 24, 2003.

There being no further business the meeting was recessed at 9:30 p.m.