Board approves separate investigations into board complaint and hiring process, expedites review of transportation supervisor hiring

The Crook County School District Board voted unanimously to begin investigations related to a complaint against a board member and to expedite a separate review of the hiring process for the transportation supervisor. The board directed legal counsel and the chair to identify investigators consistent with district policy KLAR; members said the transportation‑supervisor review should be prioritized and expedited because that is an urgent operational need.

A motion that would have specifically required the investigator to be a former law‑enforcement officer, licensed as an Oregon private investigator and whose career occurred outside Central Oregon (as phrased to follow policy KLAR) did not receive a second and therefore did not advance. The board then approved a substitute motion, made by a board member and seconded, to direct legal counsel to work with the chair to identify investigators to conduct two investigations — an expedited review of the transportation supervisor hiring and a separate investigation covering other complaints and process issues.

During discussion a board member urged splitting the work into two investigations — one focused only on fairness of the transportation‑supervisor hiring, to be completed quickly so the transportation department can move forward, and the second covering the remainder of complaints. The board agreed to that approach, directing legal counsel to identify investigators in accordance with policy KLAR and to expedite the hiring‑process review. The substitute motion passed by a unanimous vote of the four members present.

Board members debated whether investigators should be independent third parties not employed by the district; several members described the desired investigator as ‘‘third party’’ meaning outside the district, such as a law firm or a former law‑enforcement investigator retained by legal counsel. One candidate‑specification motion that explicitly required the investigator to be licensed in Oregon and from outside Central Oregon was proposed but not seconded and therefore did not proceed.

The board asked legal counsel to return with candidate investigators or a recommended process, and to expedite the transportation‑supervisor review because the position is on the agenda for the next regular meeting. The board did not identify specific investigators or provide timelines or contract amounts during the special meeting.