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Walled Lake Consolidated Schools board meeting, Sep 10, 2026

1 h 57 min · 5 public speakers

Safety, weapons and police ▶ 56:23

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 1 h 57 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Walled Lake board votes 5⁠-⁠2 to accept Section 31AA safety and security funding 1:55:44

  • The board heard a legal presentation on Section 31AA, which the presenter said requires a district accepting the funding to waive privilege held by the district after a mass casualty event. 22:18
  • Board members asked how long the privilege waiver would last, and the presenter said the most natural interpretation was that it would end September 30th of '28, though the statute is ambiguous. 37:12
  • The board approved a transportation services contract extension with Dean Transportation by a 7⁠-⁠0 vote. 1:34:30
  • The board voted 5⁠-⁠2 to direct the superintendent to accept safety and security grant funding pursuant to Section 31AA of the State School Aid Act. 1:55:44

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (15)
  1. Call to order and pledge 2:56
    • Stephanie Kaplan called the meeting to order and asked those present to rise for the Pledge of Allegiance. 2:56
  2. Golden Apple Awards and state champion recognitions 3:20
    • District staff presented Golden Apple Awards to an options room paraeducator and a wrestling coach. 3:28
    • The board recognized a Walled Lake Western track athlete who won state championships in the 200 and 400-meter dash, and the Walled Lake Northern softball team, which a staff member said won the first state championship in school history. 8:25
    • The Walled Lake Marching Band was recognized for earning the 2025 Michigan Competing Bands Association Flight 1 State Championship. 17:38
  3. Section 31AA legal presentation 22:18
    • The presenter said the Michigan Court of Appeals affirmed the Court of Claims decision that the privilege waiver applies only to the school district, not to individuals, and that a federal case was dismissed. 23:48
    • The presenter said revised language defines a mass casualty event as significant physical injuries to 3 or more individuals or an incident resulting in 2 or more fatalities. 26:49
    • The presenter said a mental health pot of money is not tied to the privilege waiver, while the safety and security pot is 2/3 of the total allocation, and a staff member said the district has over $2 million in carryforward funds. 39:39
  4. Public comment 55:25
    • Speakers at public comment raised concerns about contracts for paraprofessionals, preschool teachers and secretarial staff, paraprofessional compensation and the handling of special education. 56:23
    • A speaker at public comment asked the board for copies of a $55,000 contract with GoGuardian and for information on safeguards for student data. 57:55
    • Other speakers thanked the district for adding a 4th section to a 5th grade cohort at Keith and announced parent advisory committee events, including a resource fair on September 22nd. 59:43
  5. Administrative reports 1:09:12
    • A staff member said the audit was completed and the financial statement was expected to be presented to the board on October 15th. 1:11:03
    • The staff member said Student Services was working on enrollment ahead of the October 7th student count that provides most of the district's funding. 1:11:03
    • A staff member said schools used shelter procedures during a tornado warning last Thursday and that the response went smoothly. 1:13:01
  6. Board member comments 1:14:11
    • One board member said they would be voting no on 31AA, citing concern about waiving the district's privilege. 1:16:25
    • Michael Smith asked whether enrollment data such as class size averages is public, and a staff member said class sizes typically are not made public but could be provided to the board. 1:19:03
    • One board member said the board should develop policy and protocol on e-bike use to and from school and on district property. 1:23:19
  7. Consent agenda 1:28:50
    • The consent agenda included minutes from August 20th, personnel recommendations, and financial reports with disbursements of $18,482,813 from June and $32,318,771 in July. 1:30:02
    • The consent agenda was approved 7⁠-⁠0. 1:30:44
  8. Geisler furnishings package bid 1:30:41
    • A staff member said administration recommended a 2024 bond program furnishings package for Phase 2 of Geisler totaling $802,065.03. 1:30:52
    • Lisa West moved to approve the furnishings package. 1:31:21
    • The motion carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:31:58
  9. Transportation services contract extension 1:31:58
    • A staff member said administration recommended a 5-year extension with Dean Transportation from July 1st, 2026 through June 30th, 2031, with performance requirements for safety ratings. 1:32:02
    • Lisa West asked how much the district saved by contracting out transportation, and a staff member said the answer would be provided later. 1:32:57
    • Marc Siegler said savings were over $7 to $8 million over at least 6 years and that the district still owns its buses. 1:33:21
    • The motion carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:34:30
  10. Depositories and investment of district funds 1:34:34
    • The board considered the list of banks, financial institutions and brokerage firms as depositories for the 2026⁠-⁠2027 fiscal year. 1:35:01
    • Lisa West moved to authorize the business office to invest district money as prescribed by the Michigan Revised School Code. 1:36:09
    • Ronald Lippitt asked how return expectations are set, and a staff member said returns are benchmarked against investments available to other public entities. 1:36:27
    • Both motions carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:35:30
  11. Proclamation reading 1:37:32
    • Susie Crafton read a proclamation that listed Pink Out games at the district's high schools. 1:37:46
  12. State association delegate assembly representative 1:40:37
    • One board member moved to nominate another board member to represent the board at the MASB 2026 Annual Leadership Conference Delegate Assembly on October 15th, 2026. 1:41:07
    • The motion passed 7⁠-⁠0. 1:41:47
  13. Board meeting location change 1:41:45
    • Dr. Andrea Zellner moved to change the location of regular board meetings to the Geisler Educational Services Center beginning with the October 1st, 2026 regular meeting. 1:42:30
    • Ronald Lippitt asked whether all meetings would be held there, and a staff member said yes. 1:42:45
    • The motion carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:43:01
  14. Facilities utilization study 1:43:01
    • The motion asked the board to approve the superintendent engaging Plant Moran RealPoint for a facility utilization study focused on high school and elementary buildings. 1:43:01
    • Lisa West asked about the cost, and a staff member said it would cost the district $0 because it is included in the owner's representative package. 1:43:33
    • The motion carried 7⁠-⁠0. 1:43:56
  15. Section 31AA safety and security funding 1:43:56
    • Marc Siegler moved to direct the superintendent to accept safety and security grant funding pursuant to Section 31AA of the State School Aid Act. 1:44:15
    • Three board members each said they would vote yes or were in support. 1:45:41
    • One board member said they would be a yes because the funds are important for safety and security. 1:53:52
    • The motion carried 5⁠-⁠2. 1:55:45

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

What was said

What board members said, in order

Can you characterize for the board the districts that have chosen not to accept this money in the past and, to your sight, are not going to accept this future 31AA money. Can you characterize for us what has been, from your experience, their number one concern?Ronald Lippitt · Secretary46:12
Other meetings

Other meetings of this board

Video: posted by the district as “WLCSD Board of Education Meeting - September 10, 2026”