David, how are you?

I guess uh brother Hammond is is uh virtually John Hey good afternoon, Mayor.

How are you doing?

How are you?

Um well, sir.

Good, good.

Well, thank you for joining us virtually.

I'm glad to do it.

It's uh early morning here, but late afternoon where you are.

So tell me what time is it?

Well, it's five AM here.

Oh, we're gonna have to give you overtime.

No, save the money.

Save the money.

That's we're fine.

Well, welcome everyone.

Um I guess uh maybe first things first, Mike.

Um that is we need to make you official.

And of course now we'll take it line.

Okay.

Are we all ready?

Okay, I asked all of you if you could stand.

And uh please uh oh gosh.

Um raise your right hand and repeat after me.

Okay, very good.

Right hand raised, and please repeat after me.

I state your name.

I'm sorry.

Do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America.

The Constitution of the State of Indiana, the laws of the United States, the laws of the United States, and the State of Indiana.

And the state of Indiana.

I will faithfully execute the duties.

As a member of this governing body, as a member of the body.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

And it's a pleasure as the chair of the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation to call this inaugural meeting to order.

Uh Mayor, we're honored to have you here at our first meeting.

Thank you so much for being here.

We appreciate it.

Um I see Dr.

Johnson in the back there.

Dr.

Johnson, great to have you here at this meeting as well.

Um and then a special thank you to all the board members of the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation for being here today, but more importantly, for your willingness to serve and uh embark on this journey.

And it will be a journey, uh, a lot of learning uh to for all of us.

Uh and then a special thank you to all the people who helped to get us here, the members of ILEA and all the other people who participated in the process that resulted in us being where we are today.

Uh I'm just gonna quickly go through the agenda.

We have actually switched to items two and three from when we originally posted this.

So the law requires us to adopt rules of procedures for how to operate, which we will do at the very beginning of the meeting.

Until we do that, uh Mr.

Hammond cannot participate because you have to have a rule to allow you to participate electronically.

But as soon as we adopt that, he will be able to participate.

And so we are going to talk about those today, and there's some action that we'll need to take for some of them.

One, we want to preserve the opportunity to pursue a referendum.

And so there's some things we have to do in the short term, and we'll talk about those today.

So we'll consider that appointment.

And IPAC needs to begin to get funded so we can hire a permanent executive director and staff and do the work that we're doing.

So we'll take some action related to that.

But now I'm going to call on Mike O'Connor, who's been the point person on this work, both for ILEA and now working with us to give us a little history of how we got here and what our charge is.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

I would I would um point out, and and I brought props for us today.

So in the legislative session of 2025, uh the legislature created and passed House Enrolled Act 1515.

Um and it was a culmination of discussions uh at the legislature with uh Indianapolis Public Schools, uh the Indapolis Mayor's Office, Mayor Hogzett and his team, um, to um really ask a question about how can we better perform transportation and facilities in particular and also look at a broader accountability standard um on behalf of all children.

And so it called upon the mayor to create the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance.

Uh he he appointed uh the members of that education alliance and chaired uh the board.

Um and as I said, it charged the ILEA with making recommendations for a better coordinated transportation and facility system to serve all public school families and children within the IPS district, and as I said, a comprehensive performance framework system.

Those meetings, I was brought in um by the mayor's office to help um manage that effort and keep them moving along those required time frames.

That effort resulted in a 430-page document that if you'd like a copy of, I will present all of you a copy.

Maybe Mayor, would you sign all the copies for the education board members?

No, thank you.

Um that document um is the minutes of all the meetings and and final sets of recommendations of the Indapolis Local Education Alliance.

Uh, that was presented uh and voted on on December 17th of 2025, and then presented this document itself was presented to the Indiana Legislative Council for drafting of a piece of legislation called uh numbered House Enrolled Act 1423.

House Enrolled Act 1423 created the Indapolis Public Education Corporation and is really, in fact, why we are all here today, and will be the foundation of uh the discussions uh and actions that we do today.

Um, as part of my contract uh with the city, I brought in my colleague John Mays, who's helped us in all of the legal matters that are required in setting up a new municipal corporation, as well as making sure we meet all the required deadlines that will allow you all to make decisions on whether you do or don't wish to pursue a referendum.

But we want to make sure you have that option as opposed to missing a deadline, and there is no option at all.

So that is the introductory comment, Mr.

Chairman.

Um I hand it over back to you.

Great.

Um, did you want to introduce uh oh, you've done that.

Sorry.

Um great.

So we will now move to our first action item, uh, the consideration of the rules of procedure for the board, and turn it over to Mr.

Mays to walk us through that.

Good to uh be with you.

Uh you have in your packet the rules of procedure, as Mr.

O'Connor recognized House Enrolled Act 1423 directed that this board shall adopt rules of procedure.

And this is uh a first draft that we will no doubt or that you will adopt, but but no doubt we will add as this board grows as this organization grows and we take on new complexities to uh improve on these.

But these are the first working procedures that we're going to have as a board to then go forward.

And they're gonna cover things like parliamentary procedure, uh, Roberts Rules of Order, General Board Governance.

You'll also note uh it incorporates some of the statutory language on meetings, uh, how often that they shall be held once every three months as the chair already recognized the electronic participation uh policy that's under the open door law, Indiana's open door law to allow uh from time to time electronic participation by uh board members and uh as Mr.

Hammond is uh representing, and then also uh making a provision for board officers.

Uh the statute uh House Enrolled Act 1423 specifically addresses the the chair person uh but we have the ability to set vice president and secretary as well, and so it makes a provision for that, like uh other municipal corporations here in uh the city county.

Public comment can be permitted from time to time by this board, and I understand very much will be in the future.

So we have a provision here for that uh as well as time place and manner restrictions that you see customary with those types of of provisions and public comment, as well as uh how this board adjourns, and then also uh where the records are kept and how they are kept.

Uh so that that's the very high level summary of the rules of procedure that you have before you.

Great, thank you, Mr.

Mays.

Any questions before we take action on this item?

If not, I will entertain a motion to adopt the rules as presented.

So moved.

We have a do we have a second?

Second.

Great.

All those in favor?

Opposed?

I'm sorry.

I've already made a mistake.

I need to because of uh John Hammond being electronically joining us.

We need to take this vote by a roll.

So Commissioner Thompson.

Aye, Miss McNeil.

Aye, Commissioner Thomas, I.

Mr.

Taylor, aye.

Ms.

Castañeda.

Aye.

Mr.

Wrangle.

Aye.

Commissioner Duke Starr.

Aye.

It has passed unanimously.

Great.

As part of the rules, we will have to appoint a vice chair and a secretary.

And I will be in touch with all of you between now and our next meeting to gauge any interest in fulfilling one of those roles.

Um, my own view is we might think about having someone from each of the categories that are represented here, the IPS board, um, the community, and the charter sector.

I am an officer and I'm already part of the charter group, so um, just something for board members to consider as we think about filling these roles.

And Mr.

Hammond may now participate in this meeting.

So and a special thank you again to him for joining from Japan.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Appreciate that.

So there are we're gonna move on to the next item, the referendum.

Uh obviously a very very important, in fact, the most important immediate item that we have to consider.

Um, and we want to make sure that we are, as uh Mr.

O'Connor said, meeting every deadline and taking all of the necessary steps to make sure that we can move forward with whatever decision this board makes related to a referendum.

Um Mr.

Mayes has set out a very detailed list of dates and actions that need to be taken between now and when we would have to finalize this, and would call on him to present that for our consideration.

Thank you.

Uh so before this board can make any decision, uh indeed it has not and cannot until it follows certain steps.

And that those steps begin with uh gathering information.

Um in the statute, the last several years, the General Assembly has changed the procedure for approval of an operating referendum, and it starts 60 days before you ever consider yay or nay, whether you want to go forward.

And then also the notice to those charter schools and an opportunity for them to provide notice those charter schools that they wish to participate in the operating referendum.

And all of that, those steps need to take place regardless of this board's decision, just to give you the ability to make that timely decision.

And by August 1st, there's certain steps and notifications, both to state officials and to city county officials that must be complete as well.

So we work back and we've created a timeline based on that that by the end of this month we need to make that outreach to IDUE to gather the information that they have, and it usually takes them a day or two to respond, not very long, and then get those necessary notices out to charter schools in the May time period, aiming for a consideration to again meet the the August timeline and what needs to happen before that, aiming for consideration at the end of June, toward the end of June.

And so with that overall time frame, again, just to give us the ability, and then between that will be as I understand it, um, public hearings or or public comment opportunities at other meetings.

Um those are the overall timelines that need to take place that that IPEC needs to undertake so that it may timely consider a resolution and if passed proceed uh toward that November 3rd consideration by voters great, thank you.

Questions from board members, Commissioner Thomas.

So thank you for this timeline.

Um it's been running through my mind uh for a long time.

Um but I'm curious about if we are clear on the timeline that the IDOE has around what's the timeline on notices to schools within the boundary, because I want to make sure that we are really clear on like we got to wait for their process in order for us to finalize anything on our process, and you know the timeline's really tight, so just curious if you're aware of that.

Um yes, then the notice is once we get from DOE the list of charter schools, then uh we send notices to each of those schools, and they have the opportunity to respond and we give them notice of when this board would be considering a vote uh up or down on that, and they have to respond at least 30 days before that vote.

So they'll have a couple of weeks, if not more, notice to respond.

Great question.

Other questions, Mr.

Mays, maybe a question for me.

Once the assuming that this board approves a referendum, uh what's the process after that that this entity would be engaged in related to the passage?

Um so there would there would be particip well formally you've got to certify the question to Department of Local Government Finance, and then also the city election city county election board, it goes to them for consideration and approval in the August or really July before the August 1st timeline.

This board then would consider uh advocacy uh on that public question and taking steps to uh advocate if it does indeed pass a resolution uh to put that question on the ballot would undertake a plan to to advocate for its passage.

Great, thanks.

Any other questions?

Commissioner Duk Starr.

Thank you so much again for the timeline.

Um, though it is dense, and we all knew that coming in, but I am I think you said something earlier about engagement, and then you also just mentioned advocacy, and I think those two things go hand in hand.

So I'm wondering what is the plan, or are we going to discuss how we will engage others to help us make some decisions about where we what the public taste is for this next referendum?

Yeah, I mean legally there are several different options.

I think that may be something the executive director, the chair, others from more of a public relations perspective with different skill sets than me would be involved in counseling you and consulting you on.

Okay.

Mike, I don't know if you have anything else that you want to provide there.

A little later in the meeting, we'll talk a little bit about um forming some work groups that will then begin that sort of external communication back and forth to define what we think.

You know, that there are real two real questions, and I'm jumping ahead of myself.

There are two real questions that this board will have to entertain is one, how much of a referendum, how how many dollars, and then two, how many years.

Um, and so because you're gonna have to answer those questions relevant to relative to pardon me, uh, a system you're building when do you expect that system to be built out and then cost it?

Because while we're asking taxpayers to fund certain things, how long do we think they will be funded at level before we have the new system built?

So those are those are the fundamental questions, and and I think you're asking the right question, which is there's a lot of folks other than those of us around the table who ought to be involved in those decisions.

And so I'll detail a little bit more about sort of how we as an organization can begin that process of having those communications.

Thank you for the response.

I'm glad that we're all in agreement that that's important.

Great.

Other questions, comments before we move on.

Yes, a very, very important um early action item for us to take.

Uh given the amount of work that is going to be involved in this, we feel as if it's important we have someone who can be acting on our behalf until we hire an executive director.

And so the next item on the agenda is to appoint Mr.

O'Connor as the acting executive director, uh, a role he would fill until the mayor names his selection to be the executive director, and we take action on the mayor's selection.

Any questions or comments about that.

If not, I will entertain a motion.

I will move to Great.

We have a motion.

Second.

And a second.

Great, thank you.

Um Commissioner Thompson.

Yay.

Miss McNeil.

Yes.

Commissioner Thomas.

Yes.

Mr.

Taylor.

Yes.

Ms.

Castaneda.

Yay.

Mr.

Wrangle.

Yes.

Commissioner Duke Starr.

Yay.

Great.

Motion has carriage.

Oh, and still participate.

And Mr.

Hammond.

Great.

Uh thank you all.

So an important uh next action item is the resolution before you that will allow funds to be distributed to IPEC, which is obviously going to be very important in moving this organization forward.

And so I will now turn to the recently named acting executive director, O'Connor, to give us some details on this resolution.

And if I might, I might do a little more introductory remarks on some of the things we're doing administratively to set up so we can function now now that we exist.

So we will be performing those functions with under the direction of the chair.

But also there are other administrative things that will need to be done.

I want to do Sydney Moody and Roman uh Moreno, who will be working as part of our team to get these things set up.

Um we have uh reserved the electronic domains for Indianapolis Public Education Corporation.com and dot org.

Um and we will this week uh issue you all each email address is probably using the dot org email address until we work with the appropriate authorities here and get a a dot gov email address and a dot gov website.

We will stand up a website for the public education corporation that details when the next meetings will be.

We will detail your email addresses for that for that purpose.

Um I would ask that you think about as you're using whatever we set up initially that will ultimately transfer it over that those are official email addresses.

So it'd be for purposes and expect that people might want to see them as they're in you know thinking about things.

So those will be set up.

Um we will have a basic um website containing the basic information so that essentially the public will can transparently see the things we're doing.

We'll locate the minutes from these meetings and others on there.

So as uh the chair mentioned House Bill 1423 did anticipate this organization would need funding, uh, and it spelled out how IPEC will be funded in its first year, and then to add to sort of your responsibilities as we think about what we've got to do from that year forward, you will establish a budget for uh the the corporation and as part of the the um the taxation for the for the district.

So um what I'd like to do is have John Mays then explain the details of how we will go through that process.

So with uh HEA 14 uh 23, um it again sets out the ability of this board to do two things.

Uh first is to set a uh percentage not to exceed three percent of the available uh property tax revenues that are reserved for IPS and for uh charter schools that get distributed within IPS boundaries.

Uh so it it authorizes uh this board to set that percentage and then second authorizes this board to then make those requests to the county treasurer and auditor, city county treasurer and auditor here in Marion County.

And so this uh resolution uh is to those two ends and setting that percentage and also making that um authorizing that request uh because this body did not exist last year, you couldn't pass a budget that would take effect January 1st of 2026.

So there will be uh at a future meeting what's called an additional appropriation resolution uh that is also contemplated in HEA 1423 that allows once those funds are uh distributed, allows those this body again to appropriate those funds and be able to use them for the the various purposes that it has.

Any questions?

Yeah, any questions of board members.

So when would the funds be given to this board to for usage?

Um that's that's a good question.

I um I I think the statute contemplates all deliberate speed given what we face.

Um only the the county auditor and treasurer could um answer those internal working questions um, but I think the statute contemplates pretty pretty quick action.

Okay.

Any other questions?

Just um wanted to know if there was any uh if there were any restrictions on uh or any parameters as to what how the funds are used the first year that we need to be aware of.

Um is there any guidance on that?

Yeah, this this statute is uh about as as broad as you see with similar statutes addressing the powers of school boards.

Obviously, this board is is very different, but it it borrows from that and and it really is as broad as any purpose authorized under HEA 1423 and then authorized by this board to address the particular mission in uh in the statute.

So it is it is fairly broad.

So my follow-up question would be are we going to put some structure to those funds for the first year as part of our work as we're putting a budget together for the following years.

That's part of what we're gonna be doing, right?

Absolutely.

So I have a follow-up to that.

Then do we have to report to back to the legislator and ask them to put whatever parameters we're gonna be doing back into legislation?

Uh the that's not necessary.

Um you would be putting the parameters by virtue of your your budget process going forward, and then also any appropriation resolution, and then ultimately uh approving payment of claims at your meetings going forward.

Okay, got it.

Mr.

Mays, I know you've thought a little bit about the need to get financial advice for this body.

Maybe you could make a comment or two about that.

Yeah, it especially given the decisions that this board is is facing.

I think um, and I uh would would guess that an executive director that the the mayor recommends and that this board appoint would would be thinking along these same lines of having somebody with financial expertise um on the team as well, um, in addition to that, oftentimes with issues of of referenda or um other other type of matters, you're getting it a financial analyst perspective on uh modeling some of those as well as even some property tax analysis to help in some of the financial planning.

And so I think those are going to be some important partners as we go forward in in this work.

Quick question.

You may or may not know this answer.

Um we can actually within the budget ask for up to three percent.

If we ask for less, what happens to the balance of what we don't ask for, what we don't use.

Uh the the balance is distributed pursuant to statute to either IPS or the charter schools uh participating in in those distributions.

Okay, thank you.

Yeah, Mr.

O'Connor.

I might just add as the legislature was building this language out, they anticipated staffing, you know, sort of what are the appropriate expenditure staffing if if a if a decision is to be made about a referendum, as as um my my colleagues said, you will need financial advice, you'll need others to sort of say it, you know, this is this is the impact on tax rates if you do this much, this is the impact on the tax rates if you do this this much.

This is how distribution, because there'll be new uh participants in the distribution of those funds.

This is how the distribution will look and what the impact on current recipients versus new recipients might be.

So there are a variety of things they envisioned spending it on, but you will all have to do an additional appropriation that will be uh uh attached with the budget that says here's how we think we will spend this money.

Any other questions or comments?

Mr.

Chairman John Hammond.

Yes, Mr.

Hammond.

I just to add to the other uh questions uh and some comments that that are implied.

I think this board will expect to have a very sophisticated build-out of of staff expertise to help us you know accomplish what is an extraordinarily large job that we have in front of us.

So I'm glad you talked about that, John uh Mays and Mike.

Uh we will need um as much financial advice and um fiscal you know approach to our work as possible so we can fulfill our mission, which I think is uh among other things.

We're here to make sure that all students are served equally and equitably, and the taxpayers are confident of what we're doing.

So I I'm glad that we've got some plans to build that out.

Just a just a comment.

Thank you.

Great, thank you very much.

Any other final comments before we entertain this resolution?

All right.

Well, I would take a motion to consider the resolution setting the distribution percentage and authorizing requests for funds.

So moved.

We have a motion.

Second.

We have a second.

Commissioner Thompson.

Yes.

Ms.

McNeill.

Yes.

Commissioner Thomas.

Yes.

Mr.

Taylor.

Yes.

Ms.

Casanade?

Yes.

Mr.

Engel.

Yes.

Commissioner Duke Starr.

Yes.

Great.

It passes.

You forgot one more.

Keep doing that.

I love John Hammond, but uh, Mr.

Hammond.

All right.

Great.

And now we are going to have a conversation led by our acting executive director around some working groups to help us think through some of the critical issues that we have to deal with here in the very immediate term.

So, Mr.

O'Connor.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

So I would I would articulate that there are three particular areas that I see need to focus kind of in the immediate term.

There will obviously be other work streams as we think about transportation plans as we think about facility plans, but the there are things that have immediate need, as we know the referendum is one of them.

And as uh Commissioner Duke Starr mentioned, sort of this ability to bring people together to provide input on how much referendum should be, how long it should be, all those all those pieces of advice and guidance I think you all are going to be looking for as a as a board.

Uh and and I know as you mentioned, Superintendent Johnson is in the room, and she would punch me in the head if I don't didn't say this was our first and highest priority.

So that'll be a working group we will establish.

The chair will talk to folks and say who's interested in being part of that working group so we can have members there listening uh as we convene those meetings.

Also, we will as we've thought about staffing.

Obviously, we know the the executive director is a decision made by the mayor, and we'll talk a little bit about the processes later about what we have to do for to create that position and fund that position and those things that'll be later.

But there will be other staffing questions, sort of how do we answer those financial questions?

How do we create a team that provides you the data and information you need is making uh in making those very complicated decisions?

So we talk about putting a working group together on that, and then we talked about the there is an August deadline for an update on accountability and a performance standards, and in the statute it it uh created what was uh I think they called an advisory group, Jonathan, if I'm not mistaken, of charter school leaders, IPS school leaders, and and charter authorizers to begin to provide input on how that accountability standard ought to be framed and what it ought to look like.

So coming out of today's meeting, moving pretty quickly tomorrow morning, beginning to set working groups around each of those conversations so that again no no real daylight uh is seen between when we finish up tonight and when we start doing that work, particularly on the referendum, because there are uh a lot of important deadlines to meet so that we can present you with that decision, but then also a lot of data that needs to be gathered about those questions, right?

Those questions about total amount of the referendum and the time frame of that referendum.

Um so we are um at the suggestion of the chair going to roll out and and with him having further conversation, I think with each of you individually gonna begin to present both work groups from this board, but then other external parties that have significant interest in those three items.

Great.

Important questions, comments related to the working groups Commissioner Thomas.

Yeah, um, we'd like to see um how we're gonna pull these together.

Will it just be IPEC board members?

Uh will we be able to have experts coming in to these spaces as well, community members or leaders as well, um, just to make sure that we're like tapping in to a really strong small group.

So yeah, absolutely.

I think we have to be very conscientious.

You are a municipal corporation board, and we have to be careful of quorum issues where you're not in a public meeting making decisions, but the intent of the working groups is to do exactly that, Commissioner, is to make sure we've got the people who have the information, the people have opinions also, and I think as John and the the chair have mentioned, probably some external open meetings to have conversations about what do we think the right amount is, what do we think the right time is?

But certainly the the the right people at the table so that you are making the best decision on behalf of all the kids within the IPS district.

Any other questions or comments about the working groups?

Commissioner Duke Starr.

Are we going to be looking at a particular number for them or more just the skill set?

Do we see the how is there any thought yet about the size of these groups?

I don't think we've talked about a specific number of people.

I think the question is we want to make sure that we get the expertise that we need to make good decisions in these areas and that we're inclusive in the process.

One of the things that I've thought about as well, I mentioned this related to the officers is drawing IPAC board members from the different categories, so they're represented across the working groups that may or may not work out based on people's interests, but that's one of the things that I think we should at least aspire to.

But but for sure, we we're gonna need a lot of uh external support and help uh and expert advice.

So yes, but in terms of the exact numbers, we haven't talked about an exact number.

Mike, do you have anything to uh thank you, Mr.

Chairman?

No, I I would I would suggest that that for in you know within manageable amounts, the more people we can get together to have discussions about these things, the better.

Um as we as we think about again sort of what is this gonna look like, how long is it gonna last until we till you do the rest of your work that is more forward looking?

Um so that there is no limit except what is a manageable group number of people.

Any other thoughts or questions?

We I do have another one just about community parents and that type of engagement in these work groups.

We're talking I I agree with uh Mr.

Hammond that we need sophisticated high-level certain thoughts around some of the work we're doing for staffing purposes, and then when we look at these groups, if we don't know particularly the size, how will we include others in the conversation?

So you know, I would just like to put out there if we give some thought to a parent or two, or how we will staff those or with the combination of folks would be.

Yeah, that's a great, great idea.

And be thinking, all of you about the kinds of people that should be on these different working groups, uh, because we'll very much want your input and advice on all of those working groups, and also be thinking about other working groups that we may need to create to meet future needs.

So these feel like the the immediate concerns that we have, but we obviously have a lot of work, and over the course of the life of this body are gonna have to engage lots and lots of people from all kinds of different backgrounds.

Uh but parents are an important voice, so thank you.

Any other comments, questions?

So the last item on our agenda before we get into the dates of the next meeting is the discussion around the hiring of the executive director.

That is uh a decision that the mayor of Indianapolis makes and will forward his selection to us for our approval, and wanted to turn it over to the acting executive director to talk about how we replace him.

As soon as possible is the answer to that question.

The the as uh as the chair has uh mentioned, the mayor is tasked with hiring a full-time executive director and then presenting that person to this board for approval.

Um and as you have heard about all the things we've got to get moving, that is, and the mayor sitting with us today is a is an estimation of his priority about this matter.

Um so just to give you a sense of the things that are necessary as we think about creating this position.

We've got to um create a job description, we have to create a formal position within the municipal corporation structure.

There is obviously um examples of that because there are other um heads of municipal corporations.

Um we have to develop a salary range that is both competitive uh and appropriate for the job of this nature.

Um we've begun collecting that data across a wide spectrum to make sure we we know what is again competitive but also appropriate, uh casting a wide net of potential candidates that assures a deep and diverse set of interested parties.

Um, and then coordinating interviews with the the person who has a very busy schedule, um, the mayor, and assisting him in what is really his decision alone.

Um, but making sure right, the the widest um net is cast to bring people who are both capable.

I mean, I think our job description is gonna come really from within uh House Enrolled Act 1423 and the responsibilities of this organization for building a transportation that works efficiently and effectively and serves all of our kids, building a facilities program that assures all of our children are learning in a safe uh and and welcoming environment, and then an accountability system that represents the needs of all of our kids is developed and then and then maintained.

And so again, I assure you it is the mayor's motivation, it is my motivation.

I think Mayor, can I say it's your motivation to move as quickly as possible?

Certainly to get this done as quickly as possible.

And and there will also there will obviously be need as you know it's one person who's trying to build a staff and building other things, so we will maintain that environment, but I as acting director will only do those things that keep us moving.

The whoever the hire is as executive director on a full-time basis will be bringing you all policy decisions and other things like that.

So it's just this gap is to make sure we don't drop the ball and miss the opportunity to bring you decisions that you need to make.

We need to make sure we don't make mistakes and we don't create a an environment where we can't bring you that decision.

So that process will also start tomorrow.

Great.

Any questions?

Do we anticipate that we're gonna post the job description sometime in the immediate future?

Or do we is that still to be able to do that?

Yes, we will we will obviously uh through um the person on my right, making sure we're doing everything as legal uh and and appropriate with open door laws, and include your input on that job description, but yeah, as as quickly as possible.

You know, we the the steps, right?

We talked about the drawing down the money, the steps of drawing down the money, getting the money in a place, working with the auditor and the treasurer, getting the money in the place that is accessible, all those sorts of things I think all feed into then establishing this process, but getting the right people again, a diverse and and capable set of people that are are interested and ready to run this organization.

Great.

Any other questions?

Commissioner Duke Stark.

I'm happy uh that the process is going to start as you said, Mike, tomorrow.

Um and when that process starts, would we be able, should we anticipate and the last thing I want to do is tell the mayor what to do.

However, I am interested in a time frame.

So there's time frames around all this work and having that leadership is important.

So is it 30 days?

You know, I I'd like even internally for us to have some type of time frame deadline by which we'd like to have that higher.

I certainly think that we should aim for mid to third week of May for this position.

I don't know, Mayor, does that sound doable from your perspective?

Uh the sooner the better.

I I heard from the mayor yesterday how eager he is to make this appointment.

So I think he very much shares the sentiment with that you express.

So uh I think it's and nobody more than probably our new acting executive director.

Uh so that needs to be done as quickly as possible.

But I think we all can agree that we also want to take the time to get the right person.

And so that at the end of the day is the most important thing is that we get the right leader of this organization.

And it's gonna be a challenging role to fill because there's gonna need to be lots of diverse kinds of expertise, and this person is building something from scratch, and that is a challenging thing to do, and we don't even have a model anywhere else in the nation to draw from as we do this work.

So it's it's gonna be a very, very important hire.

Quick question.

Um it is on I guess I just need to get closer.

And um it's for clarification and being this a new body and uh the executive director you mentioned is the sole um choice of the mayor, he is hiring, and thank you for that, putting yourself up there.

Um my question is does that come from statute or what is the precedence for for that?

Well, the the executive director position is created in statute.

Yeah.

Um and and uh and created in statute in a way that says this is the mayor's appointment.

Okay.

Um by detailing the work need needed to be done by the public education corporation, I think really does set the the sort of framework for the job description.

Thank you for the clarification.

Quick question.

Great.

Um so I had this question earlier, and now it's coming up for me again.

So um the timeline, like when will the uh JD, when we are ready to post the job description, where will we be posting that at?

Um, just to make sure that there's some awareness and we can um support um we don't have a website up yet, so I was also having questions about the things that we're like, well, we're gonna have public comment and all of these documentations.

You gotta sign up by noon, but where will they go to sign up by noon the day before?

Um, and so that kind of thing probably goes into the website, but then also just like will it just simply be posted on the website for folks to actually apply so we can cast that net.

Yeah, I what I would suggest, and and haven't really walked through this, but there are any of these municipal corporations utilize uh a variety of posting mechanisms as as I articulated earlier.

We will be creating a website that will then ultimately be I don't know what the right word is, transitioned to a a dot gov website, but but certainly all every piece of information moving forward beyond a website, probably starting Roman tomorrow.

Um by the way, I he tells me what to say with regards to technology, so uh it will be posted then as as we work now that we are officially a municipal corporation sworn in and and moving, we'll work with the information services agency and others to create a public website.

But there are there are um there are a variety of mechanisms by which the municipal corporations post their vacancies and we'll utilize those as well as the website.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments related to the hiring of the executive director?

Great.

Well, we're coming to the end of this agenda.

We wanted to talk about the next meeting dates.

Now, as Mr.

May said, we're required by law to meet every three months.

Um this is a more aggressive meeting schedule than that.

We will not necessarily always follow this schedule, but we do have some things that need to be done in the short term, uh, some of which relate to the passage of the the adoption of a referendum.

Uh so some of these dates are related to some of the dates within statute for that.

Um what we are proposing is the next dates are May 28th, June 22nd, July 21st, and August 12th.

Um we'll have dates later in the year as well, but for now we wanted to just go ahead and make sure that that is those are dates that everybody is comfortable with.

Um to do that, I actually have to we have to take a motion.

Mr.

Chairman, I might add that we will we will in working with everybody's schedule find locations and times and get those out as quickly as we possibly can, but we don't have those set yet.

Right, right.

I do have one comment, so on the 28th.

Uh oh, I'm looking at the wrong month.

Yeah.

I just want to make sure it doesn't interfere with any of our school board meetings.

I was looking at the wrong month, sorry.

Yeah.

All right.

I think so.

Are we okay?

Yeah.

That's an important thing for us to make sure that we're checking.

Any other comments or questions about the dates?

Um, not the date, but want to make sure that we can um think about um the times.

Time of day.

Great for the meetings.

Do you have thoughts that you would like to for us to consider?

Well, and I know why we got to the place of today, um, but just want to consider some evening opportunities so that more of the folks who will be impacted by these decisions in any sector can join.

So 5 30, 6 o'clock.

Yeah.

Great.

We did have a special extenuating circumstance that you mentioned for why we're meeting a little earlier today.

But helpful and agree.

Any other thoughts.

All right.

I will entertain a motion to adopt these meeting dates.

We have a motion and a second and a second.

All right.

I'm gonna start this time with Mr.

Hammond.

So I don't forget him.

Aye.

Great.

Commissioner Thompson.

Aye.

Ms.

McNeil.

Aye.

Commissioner Thomas.

Aye.

Mr.

Taylor.

Aye.

Ms.

Kathana.

Aye.

Mr.

Wangle?

Aye.

Commissioner Duke Starr.

Aye.

Great.

Any other final comments before we adjourn this meeting?

If I might add just a couple of thoughts.

So this is a this is and and again, my my colleague who's a real lawyer here has commented on this more than once that this is a complex organization.

It is a municipal corporation that sometimes operating procedures is spelled out by statute acts like something here, might act like something here because of the way the law was drafted.

And so it's complicated.

We're gonna as we move through this, we're gonna learn things that one, we're probably gonna have to go back to the legislature and fix.com and a dot org email address for you all is because we couldn't do things until we existed.

So and it's also a very interesting board insofar as the the backgrounds of each of the appointees were spelled out specifically in statute to to ask us to come from different perspectives but come together with a shared commitment to serve all the kids of the district.

And so uh you know, I I've we will continue to to push those things and as as David articulated future meetings.

Anytime we take action on anything relative to taxes or budgets, we will have public comment periods around those uh those meetings.

Jonathan, did I miss anything?

No.

Great.

Well, Mayor, thank you so much for being here.

We're honored to have you participate in this first meeting.

Thank you so much.

And Dr.

Johnson, thank you as well for being here.

It's great to have you here.

Thank you.

I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

Second.

So moved.

Do we have a second?

Second.

Great.

Mr.

Hammond.

All right.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Great.

Thank you all so much, and thanks to everybody for being here.

Thank you.