DRAFT

High Plains Educational Cooperative

Board of Director’s Meeting

December 19, 2024

7:00 PM

Attendees:

611  Shelly Harris, Director

611  Marlene Dodge, Asst. Director

611  Chrissie Mangels, Guest

611  Terra Neatherlin, Temporary Board Clerk

611  Flor Galindo, Treasurer

214 Diana Nunez, BOD

209 Brian White, BOD

452  Rhett Seyb, BOD

217  Kimberly Hull, BOD

467  Maegan Berry, Alt. BOD

214  Corey Burton, Supt.

Mathew Medill, Auditor

Via Zoom:

507  Benjamin Fuentes, Alt. BOD

476  James Loepky, BOD

218  Angela Abney, Alt. BOD

200  Shea Stewart, BOD

215  Clifford Williams, Supt.

467  Lori Maxwell, Supt.

363  Scott Myers, Supt.

507  Karen Burrows, Supt.

611  Alexa Beltz, Asst. Director

626   Jen Stelter, Guest

1. Call to Order

Diana Nuñez, Board President, called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM.

2. Approve a temporary Clerk of the Board

Diana Nuñez moved to approve Terra Neatherlin as a temporary clerk of the board for this meeting.  Brian White seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

3. Consent Agenda

Approve Consent Agenda

         a.      Agenda  

         b.      Minutes of Regular November Meeting

         c.      Accounts payable         

Brian White moved to approve the consent agenda with the changes of:  #11 making it an action item to discuss and approve HPEC’s Policies, Practices, and Procedures; #12 to make it an action item to act upon Contracts and Resignations; #13 to go into an Executive Session to discuss the position of Director of HPEC; and to add item #14 to adjourn.  Rhett seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

4. Comments from the Public

There were none in writing.

5. Committee Reports

         a.      RSC

Jen Stelter, education consultant, gave the report.

         b.      Council of Superintendents

Corey Burton gave the report.  They have appointed a task force to look at educational funding formula.

6.  Para Personnel Actions/Teacher Contracts

Shelly shared that HPEC has changed our policy to get para personnel actions and teacher contracts signed and on file at the HPEC Central Office.  Rhett moved to approve that, going forward, payment will be withheld from employees until a signed contract or personnel action is on file at the HPEC Central Office.  Brian seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

7.  Audit Report

Mathew Medill from Medill and Thooft, CPA was here to give the audit report for FY24.  He found that several employee contracts were never signed and other employee contracts contained preferred names instead of legal names for employees.  We will need to ensure going forward that we use employees’ legal names and retain signed employee contracts and personnel actions in the Central Office.

He says that overall it was a very clean audit, with federal funds starting at a zero dollar balance and ending with a zero dollar balance.

Brian White moved to approve the audit report as presented.  Rhett Seyb seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

8.  Staff Development

Shelly shared that ECSE teachers and School Psychologists met in the Central Office in the past month for staff development.  There will be more staff development opportunities in January when we come back from break.

9.  Winter Break for Central Office 

The Central Office will be closed December 23 – January 3 for Winter Break.

10.  Maintenance of Effort (MOE) 

Shelly expressed her thanks for all districts completing their Maintenance of Effort and Excess cost reports.

11. Policies, Practices, and Procedures (PPP)

Marlene shared that more detail on behavior intervention plans and what steps to take have been added to HPEC’s Policies, Practices, and Procedures manual.  Brian White moved to approve the PPP Manual as presented.  Rhett Seyb seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

12. Contracts and Resignations 

Brian White moved to accept, with appreciation, the resignation of Shelly Harris, Director of High Plains Educational Cooperative, at the end of FY25.  Rhett Seyb seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

13. Discuss Director’s Replacement – EXECUTIVE SESSION

Brian White moved to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing the Director’s replacement and that the board return to open meeting at 7:43 P.M. in this room.  The executive session is to include board members, superintendents, and the director.  Rhett Seyb seconded the motion.  Motion carries 9 yes, 0 no.

Alexa Beltz left the meeting at 7:37 P.M.

14. Adjourn

Rhett Seyb motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 P.M. Brian White seconded. Motion carried 9 yes, 0 no.

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President, Board of Director