The Board of Education has requested that the information below be posted on the website under News items. 

May 19, 2023

Dear Members of the GPPSS Community,

The Board of Education, staff and our community have been involved in an important discussion regarding the 2023-24 budget.  The Board anticipates that it will have the required public hearing on the budget at the June 12th Board meeting, followed by a formal vote on the budget at the June 20th Board meeting.

At the Board meeting this Monday, May 22nd, the Board will have two budget related resolutions that we will be discussing, but not voting on until the June 12th meeting.  It is important that the Board has an opportunity to discuss these resolutions in public and it is equally important that the community has an opportunity to provide comments on those items via public comment at the May 22nd meeting as well.  

I have added an item to the agenda for the meeting this Monday titled ‘Board Discussion - Budget Proposals.’  The intent of this item is to provide each Board member an opportunity to discuss the various aspects of these resolutions that they are comfortable with as well as various aspects of these resolutions that they are uncomfortable with.  These discussions are not a ‘vote,’ instead they are an opportunity for each Board member to share their current thoughts in a public setting.  This sharing of the current thoughts of each Board member is critical so that the administration can understand the current viability of the various aspects of these resolutions so they can do the following:

1. Prepare an actual 2023-24 budget that can be published prior to the Public Hearing on June 12th.

2. Begin the various staffing processes, including staff assignment as well as potential layoffs, in advance of the end of the school year.  It is important that our employees know their assignments as well as their employment status as soon as possible.

While the final budget may change prior to formal adoption on June 20th, the process identified above will allow administration and our staff to move forward with the staffing process.  This process will also allow the public to comment on these resolutions multiple times, on both May 22nd and June 12th, prior to a formal vote being taken.

Sincerely,

Ahmed Ismail

Board President

Agenda Number and Title: 5.4                    IA Program Relocation, Boiler Replacement & Counseling Area HVAC

• Packet Materials for Monday, March 20  
• Clarifying paragraph 3/16/23 on relocation of Small Engine Repair class: 

  At both the F & F meeting and the BOE meeting administration shared that we did not have plans to move the Small Engines program over to South Main.  When that was shared, it was working off of info from Plante Moran CRESA that indicated we had not designed a space for small engines in South Main. The good news is that Principal Hamka and the teacher at South had already made a plan for small engines to be housed in South Main in the Cotton Innovation Center (a maker space behind the main gym that currently is used for iTech classes and the solar car).  It was confirmed with our architects that the space meets the requirements to house small engines.  The short answer is that this concern has been addressed. 

• South PE Meeting Summary 3/9/23
• Memo Regarding the Practice Gym 3/6/23
• Plante Moran CRESA response letter to F&F Committee 2/27/23

Agenda Number and Title: 5.4                    Engagement of Independent Legal Counsel

Preamble

A resolution to engage an independent law firm to provide legal counsel directly to the Grosse Pointe Public School System Board of Education (“Board”).

Background

1. Whereas, the Members of the Board have been entrusted by the residents of the Grosse Pointe Public School System (“System”) to act as independent trustees invested with fiduciary duties to provide oversight of the System;

2. Whereas, the Board creates and sets the policy of the System and the Administration executes on that policy;

3. Whereas, some members of the public and the current Board have been concerned that prior Boards have been over-reliant on the advice and guidance of the administration, and not sufficiently fulfilled their own roles and responsibilities;

4. Whereas, the prudent governance of the System depends on a collaborative relationship between the Board and administration, while also maintaining the independence of its fiduciaries in order for them to properly exercise their duties of care, loyalty, and good faith;

5. Whereas, it is concluded that in order for a Member of the Board to exercise their fiduciary duties they must have access to sound and independent legal advice in order to exercise their duty of care and their duty of good faith; and

6. Whereas, the Counsel Engagement Procedures outlined below will provide for the above in the most cost-efficient manner.

Motion

That the Board retain Collins & Blaha, P.C. to serve as Independent Legal Counsel for the Grosse Pointe Board of Education.

Counsel Engagement Procedures

1. Board Members and Committees shall petition the President of the Board ("President") to seek legal advice on specific legal matters from independent legal counsel;

2. Prior to seeking advice from independent legal counsel, the President shall confer with the Superintendent to decide whether the System already has an opinion on the requested matter;

3. Prior to seeking advice on Board specific matters, the Superintendent shall take direction from the President on whether to seek advice from law firms retained by the System;

4. Upon a determination by the President that a unique legal matter has been presented and that independent legal counsel is the appropriate counsel, the President shall direct independent legal counsel to research and provide advice on the specific legal matter;

5. All opinions will be shared with the Superintendent, except for privileged matters related to the Superintendent's evaluation or contract;

6. The President shall share every opinion from independent legal counsel with every Member of the Board;

7. Any second opinion requested on an issue where the System has already received an opinion from another law firm requires Board approval;

8. Any individual matter for advice from independent legal counsel that is expected at inception to cost more than $5,000 will require Board approval;

9. The Board shall not expend more than $50,000 in a fiscal year without Board approval;

10. The Board will review and evaluate the effectiveness of its independent legal counsel annually; and

11. The Board will use independent legal counsel only for the official business of the school district, and seek to minimize these expenses to preserve school funds for educational purposes.

APPROVED by the BOARD

February 27, 2023

Click here to see all the resolutions.