At its March meeting, the Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 School District rejected a proposal from Caplan & Earnest after some members said they wanted to hear from at least one other firm and raised concerns about communication.
The board met first in executive session to seek “legal advice regarding district options in pending litigation” and to discuss a negotiation strategy “surrounding procurement” of new HVAC systems at Lewis-Arriola, Kemper and Mesa elementary schools.
After executive session, the board heard a presentation from Kristin Edgar, managing partner and partner in the education division of Caplan & Earnest, Attorneys at Law. The firm is one of several that submitted proposals to become the district’s legal counsel.
Another firm was scheduled to present but was unable to attend. Board member Mike Lynch moved to postpone the presentations so the other firm could participate, but the motion was not seconded. Edgar’s presentation proceeded.
Edgar said Caplan & Earnest has more than 50 years of experience in school law and represents districts across Colorado, including large and rural districts.
Following the presentation, Lynch questioned how the firm would communicate with board members, citing concerns about what he described as a lack of communication during a project the firm handled in December.
During celebration reports, the board recognized the middle school bands for earning superior ratings at the New Mexico Music Educators Association Music Performance Assessment.
During action items, the board considered the proposal from Caplan & Earnest. Lynch said he was “disappointed” to vote without hearing from the other firms and said he had been more impressed with another proposal.
Board member Laura DeWitt said she had no reservations, noting the firm is “highly respected” by the Colorado Association of School Boards, but said she wanted all board members to be confident in the decision.
Board President Joshua Shumway said the firm was helpful and professional when it worked with the district in December.
DeWitt moved to approve a letter of engagement with Caplan & Earnest with a start date of April 1. DeWitt and Shumway voted in favor, but Justine Bayles, Lara Maria Blair and Lynch voted no, defeating the motion. The board is expected to revisit the issue at a later meeting.
The board approved an eighth-grade field trip to Denver. Bayles said she was excited about the decision and noted she helped start the trip when she previously worked at the middle school.
The board also approved a contract with Wall Smith Bateman Inc. for audit services for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The next Montezuma-Cortez school board meeting is Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m.
