Fennville Public Schools board elects officers, names committees and asks staff to study student athletic admission fees

Manuel Sanchez, board president, called the Fennville Public Schools Board of Education reorganizational meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. on Jan. 27, 2026 and the board completed its annual organization and routine governance tasks.

The board unanimously appointed Albert Lombard as temporary chair for the meeting. Members then voted to elect officers for 2026: Manuel Sanchez as board president, Ross Thiele as vice president, Angie Pena-Smith as secretary and Juliet Michele as treasurer. The minutes record the temporary-chair appointment carried 6-0 and the officer elections recorded as carried unanimously in the minutes (recorded tallies appear as 5-0 for several officer votes in the minutes).

Why it matters: The reorganizational meeting sets the board’s leadership and committee structure for the year, establishes who may sign financial documents, and confirms key vendor and counsel relationships that the district relies on for operations.

What the board approved and assigned
The board approved a consent agenda that included minutes and financial reports for December 2025 and accepted resignations from three staff members: Kimberly Meyer (secondary special education teacher), Susan Gorgas (GSRP teacher) and Natalie Greenwood (speech language pathologist). The board adopted a schedule of regular 2026 meeting dates and designated official depositories for district funds: Allegan Community Federal Credit Union, Huntington Bank, and the Michigan School District Liquid Asset Fund Plan. The minutes also direct continued use of specific Huntington Bank accounts for debt and sinking funds and authorize account signatories and routine deposit and transfer procedures consistent with board policy.

Administratively, the board retained Thrun Law Firm, P.C. and Scholten Fant, P.C. as general board counsel and reappointed Maner Costerisan, P.C. as auditors for the 2025–26 fiscal year. The board also designated district staff positions to use district purchase cards and authorized the CFO, controller and superintendent to assume specified responsibilities of the board secretary where noted in the minutes.

Committees, delegates and community appointments
The board named members to standing committees for 2026 (Policy & Finance; Facilities & Transportation; Personnel; and Student & Community Programs) and appointed delegates and alternates for the MASB Delegate Assembly and the Allegan County School Board Association. Natalie Bosby was named the Fennville Educational Foundation representative. All committee and delegate appointments recorded roll call votes of 6-0, per the minutes. The board also appointed Hedy Morse and Deb Blackmore to two-year terms on the Community Recreation Advisory Board.

Superintendent’s report and district updates
Superintendent Albert Lombard reported staffing changes and said the district will repost the Transportation Director position with revised duties. He reported the board adopted the Thrun opt-in/opt-out wellness resolution and highlighted academic and community activities including an Agriscience program timeline, ongoing work-based learning partnerships with Golden Orchards and the Fennville Fire Department, and a kindergarten and preschool enrollment night scheduled for March 3. The minutes also note a student achievement recognition and a recent community family night hosted by the Allegan County Community Foundation and Huntington Bank.

Follow-up direction on student athletic admission fees
During closing board-table comments, Juliet Michele asked whether students might be allowed free admission to athletic events. Superintendent Lombard asked athletic staff, including Athletic Director Tony Stennet, to gather information on the funds currently generated from student admission and to report back. Teacher Mr. Best suggested assigning his AP Civics students to survey classmates about preferences such as free admission, punch cards or paid entry. The board did not take formal action on admission policy at the meeting; the recorded direction asks staff to collect data and return with information for committee or board consideration.

Procedural notes and adjournment
The board recorded minutes prepared by Executive Secretary Marileen Pitts and adjourned at 8:06 p.m. The minutes list the next regular meeting dates for 2026 and note that the June meeting will include a budget hearing at 6:30 p.m. before the regular meeting.