School Board hires new law firm to represent district, after 44 years

The Van Buren Public Schools have had the Collins-Blaha law firm as its legal counsel since about 1974 and the school district was one of its clients when the firm formed.
After 44 years, the district has new legal counsel. On Monday, the board of education unanimously hired the Thrun Law Firm, P.C., as the district’s legal firm.
A committee of board members Keith Johnston, Susan Featheringill, Darlene Gerick, Supt. Pete Kudlak, Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun, Financial Director Shareen Barker, Special Education Director Karen Johnston, Curriculum Director Jeff Moore, and Building and Grounds Director James Williams met twice to interview law firms with the intention of making a recommendation to the board.
Moore and Williams were unable to make the second meeting.
The committee unanimously recommended Thrun of those considered.
In a memo to the board, Supt. Kudlak said, “This recommendation is based on the scope of services Thrun provides. They are a large firm that specializes in educational law. They are particularly strong in student matters, labor/employment, and special education. They represent more than 500 districts across Michigan.
“Their interview was detailed, personable, and professional. They built trust with the board members and confidence with the administrators. The committee is pleased to make this recommendation.”
Collins-Blaha was among those considered. It listed its cost at $195/hour, billed in 15-minute increments.
Thrun will be $245/hour billed in six-minute increments with a $2,200 retainer no charge for short phone calls less than six minutes.
In other business at Monday’s two-and-a-half-hour meeting, the board:
• Approved the Belleville High School math textbook purchase at a cost of $134,795.20 for six years. The Big Ideas textbooks are for the BHS Algebra, Algebra 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus courses. The program offers a physical copy of the textbook (one set for the classrooms) as well as an online version. Professional development costs for teachers is free with purchase of the Big Ideas. They are expecting the books in August before school starts. They replace the Carnegie Math program for McBride, BHS, and some of Owen which cost $660,000 for six years and has now expired;
• Unanimously approved Supt. Kudlak’s recommendation to change Owen Intermediate to an orange and black color scheme and change McBride Middle School to the Tigers and an orange and black color scheme, both to match BHS. Kudlak said the water damage to the Owen gym floor pushed forward his idea to unite the schools with a common color scheme and mascot for unity, consistency, and sense of pride. The floor is being sanded down to the wood and this is a good time to paint a new logo. He said the graduating class comes together in the fifth grade and this is when they will all be Tigers. He held a parent meeting where only two attended and both were in favor of the change. He put out a survey and received 124 responses, with overall 56% in favor. In the survey, 63% of community members were opposed, 56% of parents were in favor, and 81% of staff members were in favor;
• Heard building representatives from BHS, McBride, Owen, and Rawsonville give end-of-school-year reports on the instructional focuses for the 2017-18 year and what they plan moving forward;
• Approved extensions of bread and milk bids for another year as recommended by the Southeast Wayne County Buying Cooperative Group. Aunt Millie’s will continue as the bread vendor and Sun Valley/Berkshire Dairy the milk vendor;
• Approved the resignation for personal reasons of Pam Ackerman from the Haggerty School Adult Transitions program after less than a year of service, effective June 5;
• Heard Marina Gerick, daughter of board member Darlene Gerick, give a presentation on her Benches for Belleville project that she is working on to get her Silver Award from Girl Scout Troop 20414. Green Tree Plastics recycles plastic caps into benches and her goal is to “teach Belleville how this works.” She needs to collect 400 pounds of caps and raise $200 for the first bench, which she plans to give to BHS. To find drop-off locations for the plastic caps, email [email protected], on Facebook see BenchesForBelleville, or look for buckets and boxes around town with the Benches for Belleville logo. For more information email [email protected]; and
• Heard parent Calvin Hawkins ask the school board to take a look at what’s going on with the BHS baseball team. He said his son had been on the team for two years and is the prospect for several colleges, but he was dropped from the team. He said he asked around and other parents told him that while there is diversity on the football and basketball teams, the BHS baseball team was basically a white program. He said he has other plans for his son, but he couldn’t remain silent on the situation. He asked for the board’s help after getting nowhere with the athletic director, coaches, principal, and superintendent. Board president Johnston said he would look into it; and
• Was reminded of the special meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, June 18, at the administration building for a public hearing on the propose