January 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Scottsbluff Board of Education Special Meeting

• Tracie Barrett, Scottsbluff
• Kathryn Preston, Scottsbluff
• Heather Neu, Minatare
• Jenna Pruitt, Gering
• Katy Fleming, Scottsbluff
• Dail Eastman, Minatare
• Sara Treffer, Scottsbluff'
• Taylor Luikens, Scottsbluff
• Nikki Hoffman, Scottsbluff
• Reginald Preston, Scottsbluff
• Alexa Graves, Scottsbluff
• Brett Moser, Minatare
• Matt Fleming, Scottsbluff
• Dave Wolf, Scottsbluff
• Thad Kuntz, Minatare
• Amber Kuntz, Minatare
• Zach Zitterkopf, Scottsbluff
• Sandy Massey, Scottsbluff
• Garrett Fulk, Scottsbluff
• Megan Dockery, Scottsbluff
• Krystle Schaneman, Minatare
• Mike Enderson, Minatare
• Ryan Barrett, Scottsbluff
• Judson Hall, Scottsbluff
• Shara Schluterbusch, Student
• Justin Vance, Student
• Andrew Preston, Scottsbluff
• Justin Shaddick, Scottsbluff

Board President Scott Reisig clarified information regarding the projected cost savings in reference to the closure of Lake Minatare Elementary. He noted the correct projection is approximately $750,000, and emphasized the effect of the revenue cap.

Board Member Mark Lang stated that he is not ready to vote for the closure of Lake Minatare, noting that it is a great school where he has attended almost every soup supper, and that he wishes every school had such a great parent club. He noted this decision is tough. He stated he believed the administration has been transparent during this process.

Board Vice President Beth Merrigan requested that Bryan Flansburg, Senior Location Manager at First Student, provide more details regarding transportation. Bryan stated that First Student would be able to reduce two routes should Lake Minatare Elementary be closed. Currently, there are five routes running with two buses transporting middle and high school students, with the remaining three going directly to Lake Minatare Elementary. Bryan noted the buses would no longer stop at Lake Minatare, but instead run directly into town. He stated the reduction in cost is based on the price First Student charges per bus, per day.

Board Member Rob Polk stated he trusts the management and leadership of both Executive Director of Finance, Marianne Carlson, and Dr. Andrew Dick, Superintendent, after having worked with them for multiple years. He noted district families are very passionate, which he appreciates for the Lake Minatare community and the whole district. He stated he was "on the fence" during the previous decision, leaning toward dipping into financial reserves again in order to see if things would change in the future, such as the declining birth rates or state legislature for revenue. He stated that those things he hoped for did not happen, and now he was leaning toward the whole District coming together into four elementaries and welcoming Lake Minatare families into the in-town schools. He stated he was unsure, in his responsibility as a Board member, that he would support continuing to dip into cash reserves. He noted he valued the education the students receive at Lake Minatare. 

Beth Merrigan acknowledged that the conversation was a difficult one, noting it must have also been difficult for those giving public comment to do so, and also noting many public commenters acknowledged the difficulty of the discussion for Board members as well. She noted this is a personal topic for families. She stated she believes every elementary in the District provides a high-quality education for students. She stated a primary responsibility of the Board is budget planning, including forecasting, and acknowledged that the budget is a moving target. She noted many of the "disconnects in our conversation over the years" have been about budget details. She stated she does not see false information within the budget, and the Board attempts to share the information as accurately and clearly as possible, but that "we've missed each other" on understanding the budget, for which she feels remorse. She noted she will continue to ask questions of the Executive Director of Finance, complete her own research, and come to decisions that are fiscally responsible for the District.

Board Member Tory Schwartz stated the staff and parents of Lake Minatare are what makes the school phenomenal, noting those things wouldn't change if students attended in-town schools. He stated he believes the students would continue to be successful, also noting that the teachers of in-town elementaries are also phenomenal. He commented that he heard the emotion and passion of the public commenters. He noted the Board had heard the word "equality" previously from parents during discussions and stated that, due to smaller class sizes, students at in-town elementaries do not comparatively receive an equal experience. He noted many teachers would love to teach at Lake Minatare. He noted he has concerns about "the deception and misrepresentation" that patrons believe to be happening, and stated the District is very lucky to have Marianne Carlson. He stated the financial information she provides are "numbers that she has poured herself into and looked at many, many times." Tory stated there is no "ulterior motive" behind the discussion of Lake Minatare. He noted the decision is tough and "comes down to the numbers." He reiterated his belief that the students will be fine, should the decision to close the school be made.

Scott Reisig noted he had made a list of budget cuts the Board has considered over the previous years, including reducing the specialized elementary science teacher positions, a significant revamp of the CHOICES program, scaling back the auditorium project significantly, making the decision not to place concrete in the Splash building, and considering the possibility of not replacing the Assistant Principal at Roosevelt Elementary. During this time, he noted that these were not easy decisions, some of which were personal to Board members and some of which the Board members did not agree on. He noted the discussion regarding Lake Minatare is one the Board has been "churning over" for years. He agreed with Rob Polk, noting that he was also previously willing to take money from cash reserves to keep the school open. He noted Lake Minatare is an amazing school where the staff does an amazing job, and commented that this is a "financial decision." Scott also agreed with Beth Merrigan, stating his regret that the Board hasn't "managed to close the gap in communication" with the public. He also reinforced that taxes have significantly fallen over the previous years, which is a direct result of the revenue cap, noting he does not believe this is negative, and the District has still been able to continue to provide all services on a tighter budget each year. Scott commented on the Board's choice to pay off the bond early, as well as completing building projects. He noted bond repayment is a separate fund that does not come out of the regular property tax assessment, and those funds may not be used for other purposes. He noted that by accelerating those payments, the Board saves the taxpayers money. Scott noted that ESSER funds were used for elementary modernization projects. He also commented on the responsible use of funds for larger building projects, which are coming to an end. 

Board Member Paul Snyder noted that on the last slide of the presentation, the District administration made a recommendation. He stated the Board members rely on those administrators, as they are the experts in their respective areas, including education and curriculum, facilities, and school finances. He stated he has no reason to distrust any district administrators and stated he trusted each of them deeply. He stated he leans toward the recommendation of the district administrators because of that trust. He noted Lake Minatare is a "model school center" and a "model community." He stated the recommendation was made due to the information provided during the presentation. He reiterated that he has seen no information which might cause him to not believe the district administration, and stated that this information has brought him to the decision to support the closure of the school. He noted the decision is not simple, and stated, "The bottom line is that a staff of professionals, whom I trust and the Board trusts, recommends that for the benefit of every student, every day, we close the school." He stated the Board has a fiduciary duty to all students and all patrons of the District. 

Rob Polk noted this has been one of the most difficult decisions. He thanked the patrons for their patience and stated he hoped to have their continued support. He stated he believes he should "do what I think is right rather than what I might want to do."