January 6, 2026 at 5:30 PM - Organizational Meeting

1. Election of Chair
2. Election of Vice Chair
3. Election of Clerk
4. Election of Treasurer
5. School Board Committee Assignments and Working Groups 2026
6. Review Policy 209 - Code of Ethics
7. Designate District Depositories of Major Accounts
8. Authorizing Use of Facsimile Signature
9. Authorizing Administration to Develop Specifications and Solicit Bids.
10. Authorizing Chief Financial Officer / Supervisor of Financial Services / District Accountant to make Electronic Fund Transfers
11. Designate Official Publication
12. Authorizing Administration to lease, purchase, and contract for goods and services
13. Authorizing Administration to Utilize Joint Purchasing Agreement
14. Designate Deputy Board Treasurer and Deputy Clerk
15. Designation of an Identified Official with Authority for Education Identity Access Management

As a practical matter, the District must authorize the use of facsimile signatures for purposes of conducting financial affairs. Minnesota Statutes § 47.41 authorizes such facsimile signatures. If the District maintains insurance to protect its depositors against the misuse of facsimile signatures, under Minnesota Statutes § 47.42 the authorized signers are protected against personal liability for losses arising from the misuse of their facsimile signatures (unless the loss is caused by that authorized signer’s own wrongful act). Staff recommends the Board adopt the following resolution:
1. The Board Chair, the Board Clerk, and the Chief Financial Officer are hereby authorized to sign checks, drafts, warrants, warrant-checks, vouchers or other orders on public funds on deposit in a depository bank ("Instruments").
2. The School District’s depository banks are hereby authorized to honor any Instrument bearing the facsimile signature of the Board Chair, the Board Clerk, or the Chief Financial Officer, and to charge the Instrument to the account on which it is drawn as fully as though the Instrument bore the manually written signature of such officers.
3. The School Board hereby authorizes and directs Administration to procure and maintain the necessary insurance from an insurer authorized to do business in the State of Minnesota.

Minnesota Statute 123B.52 provides that the Board may not enter into certain types of contracts with an estimated cost or value over $175,000 without first advertising for bids or proposals. For items within the Board’s approved budget that require advertising for bids, the following resolution authorizes Administration to develop specifications and solicit bids for the Board’s consideration
1. The Board hereby authorizes Administration to develop specifications and solicit bids on budgeted items which, by statute, must be advertised for bid. This authorization is limited to items the Board has approved in the budget process.
2. The Board retains the discretion to elect to review any specifications before soliciting bids.
3. The Board retains the sole authority to review all bids and accept or reject any or all bids based on that review.

The purpose of this report is that the District is required by statute to designate a newspaper for official school publications (Minnesota Statute 331A.04) each year.
Administration requested proposals from the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twin Cities Pioneer Press) and Stillwater Gazette.  Criteria for evaluation of proposals included cost per column inch to publish Independent School District 834 legal notices and proceedings, the schedule for newspaper publications including deadlines for submission of notices and pertinent newspaper service/circulation data.
The Stillwater Gazette is published once a week, on Fridays, for submission of legal notices, with circulation to approximately 1,144 households in the St. Croix Valley area zip codes. The St. Paul Pioneer Press is published daily for submissions of legal notices, with circulation primarily serving Anoka, Dakota, Ramsey, Washington counties and Western Wisconsin. The following table shows the proposed rates for 2026 as well as historical costs.

After evaluating all criteria, Administration recommends that the Board of Education designate the Stillwater Gazette as the newspaper for official publications from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026, based on circulation.

Minnesota Statute 123B.52, subdivision 2, states that the Board may authorize its Superintendent or Business Manager to lease, purchase, and contract for goods and services within the budget as approved by the Board.  In our Administration, the title of Business Manager is the Chief Financial Officer or the Assistant Director of Finance. The current statutory limit on the delegated contracting authority is $175,000. (see Minn. Stat. 123B.52, Subd.1 & 2; and Minn Stat. 471.345, Subd.3).:
1. The Board hereby authorizes the Superintendent, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Assistant Director of Finance are authorized to lease, purchase, and contract for goods and services up to $175,000 per transaction within the budget as approved by the Board.  Any financial transaction in an amount of $175,000 or greater must be approved by the Board prior to contract execution.
2. Any proposed lease, purchase, or contract for goods and services for an item outside the Board’s approved budget must be submitted to the Board prior to contract execution.
3. Notwithstanding the delegation of authority in Paragraph 1, the Board retains the discretion and authority to review, approve, or reject and proposed lease, purchase, or contract for goods and services before it is executed.

Minnesota Statute 471.59 authorizes governmental units to make cooperative purchases. To enjoy the mutual benefits of these cooperative purchases, the governing bodies of the units must first authorize entry into joint purchasing agreement.  In an effort to further enhance the District’s buying power, the Finance Department requests the opportunity to participate in cooperative purchases, bids and contracts with school districts, counties, and other purchasing cooperatives (see attached list).  There is no cost to the District.
1. The Board hereby authorizes The Superintendent, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Assistant Director of Finance are authorized to utilize joint cooperative purchase agreements for procurement of goods and services.
2. The Superintendent, the Chief Financial Officer, and the Assistant Director of Finance shall maintain a working list of joint cooperative purchase agreements for refer.