At the meeting, the board voted to dismiss a handful of complaints filed against the board, the union and former board member Jon Sullivan. No details were given about what the complaints entailed.
Board members also voted to select private investigator Keith Ussery to look into other complaints.
One complaint was filed by former employees against Superintendent Shauna Schmerer, alleging a hostile work environment and intimidation. Another was filed by the teachers union against Schmerer, alleging retaliation as well as dishonest and manipulative communication.
In addition, Schmerer requested a contract amendment to receive a lower salary increase: 4% rather than the 10% to which she's entitled.
She took the salary reduction at the start of this fiscal year but said she didn’t realize the board must sign off.
"I thought that if I took less, the board didn't need to approve it," she said. "But our auditor said the board needs to approve it if you take less and that they have to know that you're the one that is asking to take less, and they're not forcing me to take it.
She’ll be paid over $159,00 with the adjustment, which the board unanimously approved.
The board also accepted the resignations of two members — Sullivan and Claudia Powers — and declared vacancies for those positions.
Those interested in applying can submit a letter of interest until Feb. 4. The seats will be filled on Feb. 9.
In a December email announcing his resignation, Sullivan said he had been "targeted by people inside and outside the district over a period of months going back to June of this year. False accusations have been raised against both me and my family."
"The escalating vitriol in this community is counter to our collective goals. It has negatively impacted my health and my family's safety in real ways that I can no longer ignore," he continued.
At the meeting, Schmerer also announced that more staff changes will happen next school year to keep the budget balanced as enrollment declines.
That comes after some teachers said the district didn’t follow the union's contract last year when employees were involuntarily transferred. Some claimed that teachers didn't meet with principals before their transfer, weren't told about vacancies and didn't have any say in where they were reassigned, as the contract describes.
"We will be looking at absorbing as many positions as we can, like we did this year," Schmerer said Monday. "I know principals already sent an email out to staff to say, what is your preference?"
The final action on Monday, after an executive session, was for three board members to vote, with two abstentions, to send one more complaint to the investigator, made by Sullivan against Schmerer, board chair Angela Cardas and board member AJ Kimball.
However, members were then informed that with two vacancies and two abstentions, there was not a quorum to conduct the vote properly. They needed four voting board members and only had three. The matter will be discussed again at the March meeting.
