Douglas County School Board meeting at Lake Tahoe Tuesday

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - It's just been a few days since their special meeting, but now the regularly scheduled board meeting of the Douglas County School District (DCSD) will be held on Tuesday, October 10. The 4 p.m. meeting will be held at Whittell High School, 240 Warrior Way, Zephyr Cove.

The two bigger agenda items are expected to be the first reading of new bylaws and Joey Gilbert's large invoice for legal services.

On Friday, the newest members of the DCSD Board of Trustees failed to get enough votes to remove the district's superintendent. The board's lawyer and Superintendent Lewis's lawyer had come up with an agreement about a termination, but the motion to accept the agreement failed 3-4. Almost 100 community members spoke to support Lewis, many saying it should be some of the board members who should be leaving. Lewis has been with DCSD for 27 years, the last three as the district leader, and even though his termination wasn't approved he needs to take time to consider the tensions with the fractured board.

Superintendent Keith Lewis released a statement this weekend:

“I am deeply humbled by the outpouring of support from the community. It remains to be seen whether the disdain that a faction of the Board has toward me will be so great that my continued presence as superintendent will be detrimental to the future operation of the District. While it is my intent to be at the October 10, 2023 board meeting, I intend to take a few days away to reflect on what’s best for my family, health, and future.”

Bylaw changes will be heard after the past bylaws were suspended during the board's September 13 marathon meeting.

The bylaw changes up for a vote on Tuesday:
Approve Board Policy No. 502 - Entrance Age, as a first reading. This moves the date for entering kindergarteners. They must be five by August 1 instead of September 30.

Review by Board Members of Board Bylaw 070 (Code of Conduct) as a First Reading. The Board will review and take possible action on Bylaw 070, to rescind all adoptions, amendments, and/or revisions made by the prior Board on June 9, 2020, and on March 9, 2021, and to adopt, amend, and/or revise language to outline in detail the process by which information may be requested pursuant to a Board Member's right to know.

Review by Board Members of Board Bylaw 060 as First Reading. The Board will review and take possible action on Bylaw 060, to rescind all adoptions, amendments, and/or revisions made by the prior Board on March 9, 2021, and on March 8, 2022, and to adopt, amend, and/or revise language pertaining to the development, review, and setting of the agenda, its items, and the order and length of public comment that may be taken at each meeting.

In the past, the agenda of the Board of Trustees was created by the superintendent with the board president's approval. They are now recommending change to be developed by the Board President, Vice President, and Clerk, and shall be prepared by the Superintendent and the Board President. All agenda items shall be reviewed by counsel to ensure compliance with State laws and regulations, and Board Bylaws. The Board President shall provide final approval of the agenda prior to its posting, whether internally or externally. The proposed agenda will be posted in compliance with NRS 241.020.

Review by Board Members of a Whistleblower Policy as a First Reading. The Board will review and take possible action on a Whistleblower Policy, to adopt a policy with language to outline the District's policy for whistleblowers.

Review by Board Members of Board Policy 902 as a First Reading. The Board will review and take possible action on Board Policy 902, to amend when and how public comment shall be taken. They are planning to change public comment to be only at the beginning of the meeting before any items on
which action may be taken are heard by the public body and again before the adjournment of the meeting, not during each item.

The District's Counsel Joey Gilbert's latest invoice is on the consent agenda. It totals $74,056.60, bringing the sum of presented invoices to the District for two months to $109,838.35. The annual budget for legal fees is $160,000.

This month's tab:
Retainer - $7,500
General Administration (outside of retainer) - $57,326.60
Negotiations - $3,737.50
Public Record Requests - $5,492.50

At $325 per hour, the invoices equal 204.79 hours of work in one month after the $7,500 retainer.

Trustees Linda Gilkerson and Carey Kangas have both questioned the validity of Gilbert's contract since the superintendent and board did not approve it, only the board president and board clerk.

To view the agenda and for instructions on how to watch the meeting on Zoom, visit https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Organization/1502.