By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

Lake Orion Community School’s Board of Education held their first meeting of 2020 on Jan. 8. and one of their priorities was to hold their annual re-organizational nominations.

Board President Birgit McQuiston began the meeting requesting nominations for the position of board president.

Secretary Dana Mermell nominated Treasurer Jim Weidman for the position of school board president, which he accepted. The board then unanimously voted to appoint Weidman to the position.

Following this appointment, McQuiston accepted and was voted board vice president, a position she has held previously.

Trustee Jake Singer was appointed treasurer and Mermell will remain the secretary.

While discussing committees, there was a bit of discussion based around the current Bond Committee and whether it was of use any longer.

The Bond Committee was established after Orion voters approved the $160 million school bond in November 2018.

Since then, the committee has met prior to board meetings with architects from GMB and are given the presentation that the architects then present to the board. The committee does not make decisions regarding bond work.

“I do think that there is some overlap,” said Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Heidi Mercer. “I think the only thing that really where there wasn’t over lap was a few questions and conversations as to how the presentation would go with GMB. But really, we’ve reported out…honestly I don’t feel there’s a need for (the committee) either.”

It was decided that the bond committe would not be disbanded but be suspended until further notice under the contigency that Mercer would inform the board if she felt it necessary for the committee to meet again.

Also in the meeting:

Communications & Marketing Director Mark Snyder anounced that the district had recently launched their new app, The Lake Orion Community Schools app.

The app is essentially a “scaled-down verson” of the district website.

The app can be found in both the Apple Store and the Google Play Store by searching “Lake Orion Community Schools.”