Lockwood K-12 board hires law firm to support superintendent search after debate over contract notice
June 19, 2026 | Lockwood K-12, School Districts, Montana
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The Lockwood K-12 Board of Trustees voted to hire an outside law firm to facilitate a superintendent search after trustees debated whether a draft contract had been posted with sufficient notice.
A motion to hire “Khiva/Kiva Law Office to facilitate the process” was recorded with a first from Charity and a second from Dave and was announced as passing by the presiding officer. Trustee Safy asked that the item be tabled, saying the contract had not been included in the agenda packet within the 48‑hour notice period and that trustees and the public had not had “a reasonable opportunity to review the terms of the agreement before being asked to vote on it.”
Why it matters: Hiring external counsel or a search firm sets the search timeline and influences how candidates are recruited and screened. The board’s debate centered on procedural transparency and compliance with Montana open‑meeting expectations before committing to a contract.
Board consultant Beia told trustees that the candidate the board had offered the job to, Kelly Kinsey, declined the offer and “he’ll stay where he’s at,” which prompted discussion about finding an interim superintendent. Beia recommended the district quickly screen applicants; she said the current applicant pool includes about six submissions and advised the board to set a date to screen and narrow candidates.
Trustees also spent time clarifying the chair’s authority to negotiate terms on behalf of the board. Multiple trustees emphasized that the chair may communicate with candidates but may not impose or represent binding conditions that the full board has not authorized. The board agreed legal counsel should assist with negotiations and next steps.
As a next step the board went into a closed session to review candidate materials for privacy reasons, reconvened with no action taken, and then voted to table selecting finalists and to set a special meeting for June 24 at 6 p.m. to speak with Kelly Kinsey and to continue screening candidates.
The search will continue under the guidance of the hired firm and with legal counsel involved; the board set no final hire at this meeting.
A motion to hire “Khiva/Kiva Law Office to facilitate the process” was recorded with a first from Charity and a second from Dave and was announced as passing by the presiding officer. Trustee Safy asked that the item be tabled, saying the contract had not been included in the agenda packet within the 48‑hour notice period and that trustees and the public had not had “a reasonable opportunity to review the terms of the agreement before being asked to vote on it.”
Why it matters: Hiring external counsel or a search firm sets the search timeline and influences how candidates are recruited and screened. The board’s debate centered on procedural transparency and compliance with Montana open‑meeting expectations before committing to a contract.
Board consultant Beia told trustees that the candidate the board had offered the job to, Kelly Kinsey, declined the offer and “he’ll stay where he’s at,” which prompted discussion about finding an interim superintendent. Beia recommended the district quickly screen applicants; she said the current applicant pool includes about six submissions and advised the board to set a date to screen and narrow candidates.
Trustees also spent time clarifying the chair’s authority to negotiate terms on behalf of the board. Multiple trustees emphasized that the chair may communicate with candidates but may not impose or represent binding conditions that the full board has not authorized. The board agreed legal counsel should assist with negotiations and next steps.
As a next step the board went into a closed session to review candidate materials for privacy reasons, reconvened with no action taken, and then voted to table selecting finalists and to set a special meeting for June 24 at 6 p.m. to speak with Kelly Kinsey and to continue screening candidates.
The search will continue under the guidance of the hired firm and with legal counsel involved; the board set no final hire at this meeting.
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