Colstrip board reestablishes technology director role after debate over duties and pay

A staff presenter told the Colstrip Public Schools Board that reinstating a technology director — proposed at $70,000 — would centralize oversight of grants, vendor and contract management, budgets and districtwide infrastructure, reducing the need to contract work out. "When you look at the financials, the grant management, vendor and contract management ... it's really overseeing a lot of the budgets and the monies and how things are spent," the staff member said.

Board members asked whether the director would remain hands‑on and whether the position should be non‑affiliated or an administrative post. One board member said, "My only concern is that we have a small staff and I want to make sure that if we have a director, they are still hands‑on." Staff responded that the job description is fluid and that, if reinstated, the position would be advertised and the salary negotiated with the superintendent and brought back to the board for final approval.

The board moved and seconded a motion to reestablish the technology director position; the vote as recorded in the meeting transcript shows board members who spoke during roll call (Francis, Sabrina and Barb) voting in favor. The board instructed staff to post the position, finalize the job description and return with recommended salary terms.

The action does not itself create a filled position; it authorizes the district to advertise and negotiate terms for the role. Additional implementation details (final salary, classification as administrator or non‑affiliated, and the posted job description) will be decided and returned to the board for a subsequent action.