March 9, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Meeting Agenda
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CALL TO ORDER
Description:
Tom Buffett, Jason Burns, Katie Cavanaugh, Shulawn Doxie, Andrew Phelps, Leeni Shrestha and Jillian Winn
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WELCOME AND MEETING FORMAT (2 Min)
Description:
Welcome to this regular meeting of the Okemos Board of Education held in public for the purpose of conducting the business of the school board.
There are two opportunities for public comment: Citizens who wish to address agenda or non-agenda items will have an opportunity at the beginning of the meeting, as well as near the end of the meeting. In-person individuals who wish to address the board must complete a blue form, located with the agendas near the room entrance, and present it to the board’s secretary prior to the start of the agenda item. Virtual participants must submit their name and address in a message through the chat box located in Zoom’s meeting controls prior to the start of the agenda item. At the appropriate point in the agenda, the board president will call upon individuals who have submitted a blue card or chat message and that individual’s microphone will be un-muted for their comments. |
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ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION - Contract Negotiations
Description:
Pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Open Meetings Act, the Board of Education may adjourn to executive (closed) session for the purpose of discussing contract negotiations.
Recommended Motion(s):
That the board adjourn to Executive Session pursuant to Section 8 (c) of the Open Meetings Act for the purpose of discussing contract negotiations (Roll Call).Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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RECONVENE
Description:
Tom Buffett, Jason Burns, Katie Cavanaugh, Shulawn Doxie, Andrew Phelps, Leeni Shrestha, and Jillian Winn
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Mission Minute/Around The Pack (5 Min)
Description:
An opportunity for individual board members to highlight events, activities, and other items of interest.
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CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Description:
At this time in the meeting, citizens have an opportunity to address the board regarding items of interest that that may or may not be part of the evening’s agenda. Citizens are required to limit comments to three minutes, except when this requirement is waived by the board president during the meeting. A designated timekeeper will communicate to the individual who is addressing the board at three minutes. The board highly values public comment and input; however, the board meeting format is designed to facilitate the evening’s agenda and, therefore, restricts board members from engaging in conversation with speakers or immediately responding to questions. Questions and concerns may be addressed by the board later in the agenda and may be assigned for follow-up by the board or superintendent at a later date.
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT REPORTS/REQUESTS (5 Min)
Description:
The high school student representative will highlight events and issues of interest and take questions from the board.
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DISCUSSION MOVED FORWARD: Uninterruptible Power Supply Replacement Project - Tech Bond (5 Min)
Description:
Executive Finance Director Elizabeth Lentz will share information on behalf of Director of Media and Technology Tom Isom regarding replacement of the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) across all district buildings.
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DISCUSSION MOVED FORWARD: Bid Pack 7 New Cornell Elementary (10 Min)
Description:
Representatives from the Okemos Schools Bond Team will present information on the Bid Pack 7 Bid Results for the New Cornell Elementary.
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DISCUSSION MOVED FORWARD: CMS Servers and Wireless Access Points (5 Min)
Description:
Executive Director of Finance Elizabeth Lentz will present information on a potential technology equipment purchase to support the NEW Chippewa Middle School.
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PRESENTATION: BP5A Turf (10 min)
Description:
District bond partners will present the results and their recommendation for the BP5 turf fields for boys' baseball and girls' softball.
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SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS/REQUESTS (10 Min)
Description:
The superintendent will highlight events and issues of interest and take questions from the board.
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BOARD REPORTS/REQUESTS (10 Min)
Description:
The board will acknowledge receipt of correspondence.
Individual board members may request follow-up on other matters of concern. Board sub-committees may present their reports or deliver updates. |
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ACTION ITEMS
Description:
Within Action Items, there is a Consent Agenda to expedite the business of the board which groups a number of items together to be dealt with by one action of the board. However, items in the consent agenda may be extracted by individual board member request for further discussion or clarification.
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CONSENT AGENDA (5 Min)
Description:
In an effort to expedite the business of the board of education, but in no way meant to diminish the importance of each item, a Consent Agenda has been developed.
Recommended Motion(s):
That the board approve items 1 through 8 for immediate implementation and appropriate action.
Item 1: Approval of the Minutes of the Special Meeting of February 18, 2026.
Item 2: Approval of the Minutes of the Executive Session Meeting of February 18, 2026.
Item 3: Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 19, 2026.
Item 4: Approval of the Minutes of the Executive Session Meetings on February 19, 2026.
Item 5: Approval of the Minutes of the Special Meeting on February 23, 2026.
Item 6: Approval of the Minutes of the Special Meeting on February 24, 2026.
Item 7: Approval of the Minutes of the Special Meeting on February 25, 2026.
Item 8: Acknowledge receipt of the February financial statement and approve payment of bills for February.Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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Furniture Purchase (2 min)
Description:
Director of Operations Brian Lieber and Assistant Superintendent Stacy Bailey presented a recommendation of furniture updates for the business office as funded by the 2022 bond at the Regular Meeting on February 19, 2026.
Recommended Motion(s):
That the Board approve the furniture purchase for the Business Office not to exceed $41,420.00 as funded by the 2022 Bond.Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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Adequate Information to Proceed
Description:
Board policy 2503A (Adequate Information to Proceed) indicates that it is the policy of the Board not to take action on an item for first time it is brought to the attention of the Board at a public meeting. The board may waive this requirement by motion.
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Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) Replacement Project
Recommended Motion(s):
That the Board waive the requirements of Board Policy 2503A and approve the replacement and modernization of Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems across the district not to exceed $233,000 and paid for by the 2022 Bond. (Roll Call).Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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Bid Pack 7 New Cornell Elementary
Recommended Motion(s):
That the Board waive the requirements of Board Policy 2503A and approve BP7 results for the new Cornell not to exceed $31,991,519.00 as funded by the 2022 Bond. (Roll Call).Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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CMS Wireless Access Points
Recommended Motion(s):
That the Board waive the requirements of Board Policy 2503A approve the purchase of network technology for the new Chippewa Middle School not to exceed $429,884.00 as funded by the 2022 Bond. (Roll Call).Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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OTHER ACTION ITEMS
Description:
The Other Action Items require additional discussion prior to board action.
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DISCUSSION ITEMS
Description:
Discussion items are intended to provide an opportunity for review of material and interaction concerning the individual items. Action is not taken during the board meeting. Discussion items may be acted upon by the Board of Education at a later date. The board president may move a discussion item forward in the meeting agenda to facilitate timely discussion and/or community input on that discussion item.
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COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Description:
At this time in the meeting, citizens have an opportunity to address the board regarding any item(s) of interest. Individual comments at this time will be limited to three minutes but may be extended at the discretion of the board president. A designated timekeeper will communicate to the individual who is addressing the board at three minutes. The board highly values public comment; however, our meeting format does not allow the board to engage in conversation with speakers. Questions or concerns may be assigned for follow-up by the board or the administration at a later date.
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OTHER MATTERS (5 Min)
Description:
Superintendent Search Update: Final Round Interviews will take place on Tuesday, March 17 at the Okemos High School Library.
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WORKSESSION: PFM Financial Advisors (75 Min.)
Description:
Superintendent Hood, Executive Director of Finance Lentz, and Nathaniel Watson, Managing Director at PFM Financial Advisors, LLC., will present financing scenarios in consideration of a potential future bond and/or sinking fund.
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ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE (CLOSED) SESSION - Contract Negotiations
Description:
Pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Open Meetings Act, the Board of Education may adjourn to executive (closed) session for the purpose of discussing contract negotiations.
Recommended Motion(s):
That the board adjourn to Executive Session pursuant to Section 8 (c) of the Open Meetings Act for the purpose of discussing contract negotiations (Roll Call).Board Member #1Board Member #2Carried
Action(s):
No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.
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ADJOURN
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