The Columbia School Board met Thursday evening for an early monthly meeting, approving a contract agreement with the Columbia Education Association teachers union and welcoming a collection of new district staff and faculty before the start of the academic year.

The most significant item on the agenda came very late in the meeting, where the board approved the CEA contract following a lengthy executive session.

The contract agreement came as a relief to both the district and teachers as it came just days before the first day of school after an extended negotiating period.

Columbia Superintendent of Schools Chris Grode explained that the long negotiations were largely just a matter of scheduling difficulties between the district and union representatives.

Given the late start on negotiations, Grode expressed his thankfulness to have reached an agreement following the Thursday meeting.

“I think it went very well,” Grode said. “I’m happy with the agreement and the time spent. I think the whole thing went well.”

CEA Lead Negotiations Chair Carleigh Ottwell echoed Grode’s sentiment, saying some negotiations processes simply run longer than others.

She, too, was pleased about not having to worry about a contract agreement entering the new school year.

“Glad to get an agreement done before the school year,” Ottwell said. “Definitely helps make for a smoother start.”

Ottwell also shared that, as part of the new contracts, base salaries increased by 3.25 percent this year, 3 percent next year and 2.5 percent the following year.

Columbia School District Assistant Superintendent Alyssa Smith opened the meeting introducing the many recent additions to the district’s staff and faculty, outlining their various credentials and experience.

Ottwell addressed those new hires at the meeting as well, welcoming them to the district.

“We are very fortunate to have you here, and we are so glad that you chose Columbia,” Ottwell said. “And we just hope that in your time here that you feel as fortunate to have found us as we feel to have found you.”

Following the meeting, Grode noted that, though the district had quite a few positions to fill through the summer, there wasn’t any exceptional difficulty in finding people to hire.

The board only had two action items on the agenda: approving the 2023-24 budget display and setting a time for the budget hearing, which will take place at 7 p.m. Sept. 21 with the regular meeting following.

The board briefly discussed an ongoing facility study for the high school building and parking lot renovation and expansion, with Columbia School Board President Greg Meyer explaining that negotiations and discussion between the district and architects are still ongoing.

“Right now it’s just tedious work,” Meyer said. “It’s contracts and movement. Dotting the I’s, crossing the T’s, making sure everybody plays well together, making sure we understand what they’re doing and they understand what we want.”

Just before the board entered into executive session, Meyer also spoke about a small controversy that recently arose in the community, adding further context following the meeting.

Meyer said the district purchased two lawn mowers from a dealership outside the community, prompting objections from a Columbia dealership.

While Meyer said the deal the district received seemed to be for the best price, the purchase shouldn’t have been conducted without a bidding process given the high cost.

“If we make a purchase greater than $25,000, we have to follow a bid process,” Meyer said. “The bid process means we have to put specifications together, and we have to send it out for bids, and we have to publish it so it’s available publicly for at least 10 days. And then after that, the bid opening is a public deal.”

Meyer noted both during and after the meeting that, amid an ongoing investigation into the purchase, there does not appear to have been any personal gain in the original purchase.

He added the district didn’t intend to be underhanded. The purchase was simply done improperly, and the board will strictly abide by the bidding process as it applies going forward.