School board meeting cut short by county superintendent
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RONAN — The Ronan School Board meeting ended abruptly on Monday evening when Lake County Superintendent of Schools Gale Decker accused the school board of illegally administering trustee oaths.
The district clerk had just sworn-in the three newest trustees to the school board when Decker asked permission to address the board. Decker stated that the board was violating school board policy and Montana state law which required county superintendents to administer oaths to new trustees. He also stated that without quorum, the three-person school board could not legally hold the meeting.
The school board was operating under the interpretation of the Montana code that district clerks can administer oaths.
Montana Code Annotated 1-6-101 states that, “Every court, judge, clerk of any court, justice, notary public, and officer or person authorized to take testimony in any action or proceeding or to decide upon evidence has power to administer oaths or affirmations.”
But Decker stated that this code refers to the courts and trials and is not relevant in the school board setting.
He referred to MCA 20-3-205 that lists the powers and duties of the county superintendent including “…(to) administer and file the oaths of members of the boards of trustees of the districts in the county in accordance with provisions … ”
Decker decided to voice his concerns at the public meeting after attending a county superintendent meeting workshop this spring.
At the workshop, consisting of lawyers and other county superintendents, the attendees discussed the necessity of having the county superintendent administer oaths to the school board trustees.
Decker stated that a county superintendent reserves the right to refuse to administer an oath if he deems there is a discrepancy.
“The clerk doesn’t have that option,” Decker said, explaining that the district clerks work under the direction of the board.
Decker said that Ronan has never contacted him to administer an oath, but he has sworn-in trustees in Charlo, Polson, St. Ignatius and Arlee.
Decker also stated that he has been in contact with the school board members and with Holmlund about other violations of the school board policy and Montana state law, but to no avail.
“This board and the administration has regularly violated their own school board policy and laws in Montana for quite some time,” Decker said. “And quite frankly, I’m tired of it.”
Decker said that his decision to announce the violation during the meeting was also a result of frustration with the lack of feedback he received when voicing his concerns to the district.
In a phone interview after the meeting, Holmlund said that he has been in communication with county superintendent’s office and Decker had never mentioned this particular discrepancy.
Many school board members, staff and members of the public expressed their surprise when the meeting was adjourned after only 10 minutes, while some school board trustees conveyed their frustration stating that the meeting was a “waste of time.”
“I apologize for the inconvenience of the community and staff,” Holmlund said. “Time is valuable and precious.”
The school board rescheduled the school board meeting for Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the high school library.
Decker will be present to swear-in the three newly elected trustees.
