Kallstrom retains School Board Chair as new year begins

by Michael Smith
W-K School Board Chairman Roland Kallstrom will retain his familiar seat at the head of the table in 2015 even though he lost a re-election bid last November, after accepting an appointment to the board January 5th.
Kallstrom won a 4-3 vote over former board chairman and current member John Danckwart at the board’s annual reorganizational meeting that evening in the High School Family and Consumer Sciences Room. It was the first meeting for new member Mary Jo Bussian, who was the top vote-getter in the five-way race last fall for four open seats on the board.
Even though Kallstrom lost the election in November, he will serve on the board for at least the next two years after his appointment that evening, as he will fill the remainder of the term of Holly Diepenbrock, who said at the December meeting that she needed to resign for personal reasons. She said at the time that she felt Kallstrom should be the one to fill the vacancy, that “he deserves to be on the board.” Other board members agreed. After thinking over the offer since the December board meeting, Kallstrom chose to accept the appointment, took the Oath of Office with the other elected board members, and then was nominated for the chairmanship. Danckwart was also nominated and a paper ballot was cast. The result was four votes for Kallstrom and three for Danckwart. While it was not revealed that evening who voted for whom, the vote is public information and is available upon request, according to Supt. Jim Freihammer.
Also taking the Oath that evening were board members Bussian, Danckwart, Lalena Blaschko and Rita Rabehl. Freihammer administered the Oath.
The Election of Officers was one of the many items taken care of at this meeting. They also filled all the committees and set the salaries for the board for 2015-choosing to leave them the same as they were in 2014.
Election of Officers
Once Kallstrom was elected Chairman, Danckwart was elected Vice Chair.
Blaschko originally nominated Kallstrom as Chairman, but Danckwart said that the board’s usual practice was to move the Vice Chair up to Chairman or at least name an elected member as Chair. “That’s just for your information,” he said. “I’m not trying to suggest anything.”
However, Vice Chair Phil Rosendale said he didn’t have the time to be Chairman. “I’m very comfortable where I’m at.” He then nominated Danckwart. “He has the time. I don’t.”
When asked, board member Al Nelson also said he wasn’t interested in being Chairman this year, and moved to close nominations at that point.
Rabehl nominated Danckwart for Vice Chair after Kallstrom accepted the gavel and Rosendale moved to close nominations with a unanimous ballot cast for Danckwart.
Freihammer then explained that the Clerk and Treasurer positions must now be separated. Rabehl has been the Clerk/Treasurer this past year. Danckwart nominated Rosendale as Clerk and Rosendale nominated Rabehl as Treasurer and both were elected on unanimous ballots.
Compensation
Later discussion involved the compensation for these positions, with the Chair and Clerk positions, as well as members, compensations remaining as they were in 2014. The Treasurer’s compensation was not set, as the board chose, under Freihammer’s advice, to learn and determine the new position’s duties first.
Salary for the Chair and Clerk positions remained at $1,600/year; and the members’ salaries remained at $1,300.
There was considerable discussion about compensation for Special and Off-School Grounds committee meetings, with Blaschko saying she believed off-grounds committee meetings don’t need to be paid for.
“I’ve always felt that was part of my job as being a board member,” she stated. Danckwart said he disagreed, reminding her that there was a lot of time and expense involved in attending these meetings and they are often held at inconvenient hours, with occasional travel involved. He felt the current $60 per meeting was fair.
There was some confusion over what constituted “off grounds” meetings and Freihammer said that they may have to more carefully define and/or re-label that in the future.
Once discussion had ended, a vote to keep the compensation for Special and Committee Off Grounds meetings at $60 passed 6-1, with Blaschko casting the No vote.
Compensation for Negotiations/Negotiations Year was kept at $450/year for both Teachers and Paraprofessional Negotiations Committees.
Official Designations
The First state Bank of Wabasha was designated again as Official Depository. No vote was needed for this designation.
The following official designations were unanimously approved:
•Newspaper—Wabasha County herald
•District Office Bulletin Board—Outside of District Office
•District Posting Locations—School District Website, Official District Bulletin Board, Wabasha Public Library
Authorized Signers for Checking & Savings Account and Certificates of Deposit will continue to be the Chair/Clerk (facsimile), Superintendent and Bookkeeper.
Authorized Credit Card Purchasers will remain Freihammer, District Bookkeeper Jean Feils and High School Secretary Tammy Wobbe.
Meeting Dates
The board voted unanimously to keep the Regular Monthly Meeting Dates as the Third Wednesday of the Month at 6:30 p.m. in the FCSR. The one exception will remain the October meeting, which will move up to 5:00 on the Third Wednesday, even if there is no conflicting football game that evening. “People are used to this now,” Freihammer felt.
The Board Work Sessions will be held on February 4, April 29, August 5 and November 4.
The Truth In Taxation Meeting was set for December 2 at 6:30 p.m., with the “if necessary” meeting December 9 at 6:30 p.m.
All Meeting Dates were approved in one unanimous motion.
Committee Assignments
There was a considerable amount of discussion involved in setting the committees for the coming year, with Bussian saying she was willing to step in and fill Diepenbrock’s assignments.
Rabehl asked if the Health and safety Committee meetings could be moved to the afternoon from mornings because she had difficulty in making the morning meetings.
Freihammer said he was reluctant to move any more meetings to the afternoon, because the principals wouldn’t be able to attend then due to their IEP sessions with students and staff.
“But we could separate Building and Grounds and Health and Safety for four meetings a year if that would help.”
That idea worked, with Danckwart saying he’d take the lone Health and Safety spot and Rabehl willing then to remain on B & G. Rosendale also took the Staff Development Committee spot Rabehl wanted to give up due to time conflicts.
“Thank you John and Phil for taking those spots,” she smiled.
Rosendale said he was comfortable with his assignments, and Blaschko said she was happy with hers, but would be willing to change with anyone that wanted to.
Once all the assignments were worked out, this is how things stand for the 2015 Calendar year:
2015 School Board
Committees/Representatives
Activities Advisory—Bussian, Nelson
Administration Evaluation & Negotiations—Danckwart, Kallstrom, Rosendale
Board Grievance & Meet & Confer—Nelson, Rabehl, Rosendale
Building & Grounds—Blaschko, Rabehl, Nelson
Common Board—Danckwart, Kallstrom, Rosendale
Community Education Advisory—Bussian, Kallstrom
Community Relations—Blaschko, Nelson, Rabehl
Curriculum Advisory—Blaschko, Bussian, Rabehl
Delegate Assembly/Legislative Liaison Representative—Rosendale
Health and Safety—Danckwart
HVED Representative—Rosendale
Insurance—Danckwart
MSHSL Representative—Nelson
Paraprofessional & Classified Negotiations—Blaschko, Danckwart, Rabehl
Policy—Blaschko, Bussian, Rosendale
Resource Selection—Bussian
Staff Development Advisory—Rosendale
Teacher Negotiations—Danckwart, Kallstrom, Rosendale
Technology Advisory—Kallstrom
Transportation—Danckwart, Kallstrom, Nelson
Section 1A (Elected)—Nelson
SSC Rep. (Elected)—Nelson
Three Rivers Conference Rep. (Elected)—None
*Bold indicates change from last year