From Caldwell, the anatomy of an eight-minute shakeup

How long does it take to shake up leadership in Idaho’s 10th-largest school district?

Eight minutes of open session. And that’s a high-end estimate.

Jodie Mills
Jodie Mills, Caldwell’s interim superintendent

On Monday night, the Caldwell School Board named curriculum director Jodie Mills the district’s interim superintendent for 2015-16, moving former Superintendent Tim Rosandick and Assistant Superintendent Luci Asumendi into consultants’ roles. (Click here for our story from Monday’s meeting.)

The district also posted video from Monday’s special meeting. You can watch it for yourself — or refer to this handy viewer’s guide.

  • 0:12. Roll call.
  • 0:29. Pledge of allegiance.
  • 0:45. Approval of meeting agenda, approval of amended agenda, approval of motion to move the “consent agenda” to top of the docket.
  • 2:44. Board votes on the consent agenda. Typically, consent agenda items are routine matters, and the entire agenda is approved by a single board vote. That’s what happened Monday.
  • 3:25. Board motion to hold executive session to consider employee matters. The board votes unanimously to go behind closed doors, joined by district attorney Bill Gigray.
  • 4:34. Coming out of Executive Session I, the board votes to amend contracts for Rosandick and Asumendi — without any discussion in the open session. Board Chairman Charles Stout voted against the motions, which passed 3-1.
  • 5:51. The board votes to go into a second executive session, again joined by Gigray. Said Stout, “And we would like to ask Jodie Mills to join us.”
  • 6:40. The board comes out of Executive Session II.
  • 7:27. Trustee Amy Rojas makes a motion to name Mills interim superintendent. There is no discussion. The motion passes on a voice vote; Stout does not appear to vote.
  • 8:04. Stout brings down the gavel, ending the meeting.

So, what does the law say?

Idaho’s open meeting law does allow public agencies to go into executive session to discuss personnel matters, including dismissals and hirings. According to the law, “No executive session may be held for the purpose of taking any final action or making any final decision.”

Technically, no final decisions were made in executive sessions. Votes were held, albeit quickly, in open session.

Idaho Education News has requested contract information from the Caldwell district, under the state open records law.

According to state records, Rosandick was paid $131,300 in 2014-15, and Asumendi was paid $92,234.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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