LASD Board Meeting January 15, 2024: A Whole Lot of Appreciating Going On

[XLFD]

The January meeting of the Ludington School Board was actually two meetings in one, according to their agenda packet.  Like past years, the district has a special organizational meeting just before their regular meeting where they primarily choose officers, appoint standing committees, and make various assignments. 

As board personnel hadn't changed from last year, no real changes were expected, but the only member absent, Chairman Steve Carlson, declined that position in a letter, opting to switch places with former vice-chairman, Dr. Bret Autrey, who now serves as chairman/president after getting consent from their peers.  Stephanie Reed and Mike Nagle retained their prior jobs as treasurer and secretary respectively, in other uncontested races.  

After choosing Scott Foster, Steve Carlson and Stephanie Reed as board representatives to the ESD, MASB, and Recreation Board, respectively, they adjourned that meeting and got down to the regular meeting, which had two items for consideration, primarily ceremonial like the organizational meeting.  One was approval of the spending of $2.8 million of the 2019 bond on the school reconstruction, the other was to amend the budget to reflect a couple of minor changes.  

Even with the light, uncontroversial agenda, there were still about two dozen in attendance, mostly teachers and school administrators, but LPD Chief Chris Jones was also present, signifying that the district was still worried about the mother that was improperly 'trespassed' from district athletic facilities this year turning out and discussing her trauma experienced because the district would not provide her with any kind of due process.  This issue will not go away quietly and the school will need to address it, correct it, and should apologize for it before it becomes a costly federal case against them.  Unfortunately, our tax dollars will fund their collective arrogance, and I don't see these people doing the right thing.

They did, however, recognize a few other things at this meeting.  They gave the Soaring Oriole Award to bus driver Brandy Ruggero for not only her normal activities, but for heroically helping out during a medical incident on her bus.  Student City Council President Jack Jubar gave a short report due to winter break and snow days.  They also briefly acknowledged it was MLK Day and that it was School Board Appreciation Month. 

As the only commenter at this school board meeting, I started off by prefacing my words with saying; "In the spirit of School Board Appreciation Month, I am here to do some appreciating."  Some laughter (perhaps of the nervous variety) occurred and then I launched into my comment, which was actually appreciative of the board, but granted with my left-hand:

XLFD:  "I want to personally thank the superintendent and the board for three things they did last year.  First, they set some reasonable boundaries on the Unbounded program to help protect the kids and inform the parents.  Second, they helped inform the work crew installing the Astro-turf at Oriole Field that they needed to wear proper personal protective equipment to deal with the toxins that they were being exposed to-- and are still there.  Third, and most importantly, the board stood up to an increasingly arrogant Ludington City Council, initially by deflecting their counterattack on Trustee Scott Foster when three of them came to a meeting and did exactly what they accused him of, and then by not entertaining the use of school property for an ill-conceived deer cull for this school year.  

To my knowledge, the school has not yet been notified that three of the areas where the city plans on doing this year's deer cull is directly adjacent to this district's school grounds, as defined by federal law.  This is exceedingly reckless since the work initiation forms used by deer management service providers have a stipulation in them that requires the cooperators to either certify that they are not within a school zone, defined as within 1000 ft. of school grounds, or that they have received permission from the school district after they heard of all the activities to take place.  Mayor Barnett, who was the staunchest advocate for bringing back the deer cull, just so happens to be the property owner of one of those lots bordering school property.  

The three councilors who came to one of your meetings to chide Scott Foster for having a strong opinion on parking fees at Stearns Park have no problem with letting the taxpayers of Ludington pay for Mayor Barnett's personal deer cull.  These jokers passed a deer cull without having any idea of where exactly it would be held at, and the good mayor never publicly told us that his property would be one of its homes.  Nor was the public told that they would be shooting suppressed high-powered rifles on the backs of ORVs in Lakeview Cemetery.  

Some of you trustees have ancestors buried in that cemetery, I know my parents, my paternal grandparents are buried there.  And I know that I will not welcome any strangers here to desecrate these sacred burial grounds, just as I didn't when they planned to defile our sacred school grounds.  [END Comment]

The comment accomplished multiple goals.  It reminded them of how the City of Ludington used them and kept them in the dark last year about that year's proposed deer cull.  It reminded them of city officials coming onto their 'sacred board grounds' and chiding one of their own over a technical issue.  it informed them that those rascals from the city were still planning to do these violent acts within a school zone without their permission, that they were even planning on defiling graveyards, and it supported their ongoing stance of staying out of the deer cull debate.  

And best of all, it informed the police chief of the city that his mayor and city council were acting outside the law, and there was a "new sheriff" in town planning on doing something about illegal shooting in school zones,cemeteries, and parks if he won't.  The recall on that errant mayor started the next day is only the beginning of the reinstatement of law and order in the city.  I pity the chief, who has to figure out a path between his conscience and his career to navigate a course of action during this period.  

[Willy]

Thanks for this report X. You are correct on all your points. And your right on the money regarding the Chief walking that political vs ethical behavior tightrope. It will be interesting to see how this conflict between the LASD Board and the CIty Council resolves itself. Again, thanks for your diligence and work because neither the school or city would have figured out that a conflict existed or even cared about it if not for you and others advocating for those in charge to follow the law and respect the citizens and taxpayers.