Salt Lake Arts Academy Governing Board PENDING Meeting Minutes
October 20, 2025 at 5:30 pm
Salt Lake Arts Academy, 200 East
Attendance
Board Members Present: Greg Ostrander (Chair), Kelly Goff, Claudia Geist, Amy Fehlberg, Shantel
Stoff (Treasurer), Diana Cabrales (Secretary), Cat Palmer, Kimberly Venable, Carol Finegan
Staff: Deborah Candler (Principal/CAO), Nicole Laird (Business Manager), Dan Rose (Dean of
Students), and, Whitney Childers (Advancement Director)
Quorum: Met
Votes and Discussion Items
1. Approval of Prior Meeting Minutes (September 15, 2025)
Motion: Amy Fehlberg
Second: Shantel Stoff
Result: Approved unanimously
2. Principal's Report (Deborah Candler)
The Board received the Principal's Report. Updates included completion of the yard improvement
project, IT security progress, and presentation of the Healthy Relationships and Consent Curriculum
for board approval.
Motion: Approve the Healthy Relationships and Consent Curriculum
Made by: Diana Cabrales
Seconded by: Cat Palmer
Result: Approved unanimously
3. Advancement Report (Whitney Childers)
The Board received the Advancement Report outlining the upcoming 'Creating Outside the Box'
community event and annual campaign kickoff
4. Finance Report (Nicole Laird)
The Board received the Finance Report, including:
- Aspire financial system transition completed and reconciled.
- HVAC repairs finalized during fall break.
- Fraud Risk Assessment for FY25 reviewed. Rating remains 'Very Low.' Recommendation made to
continue seeking a CPA or internal audit partnership for additional assurance.
Motion: Approve issuance of the RFP for the Outdoor Classroom and Stage Construction
Project
Made by: Carol Finegan
Seconded by: Kelly Goff
Result: Approved unanimously
5. Committee Updates
Reports received from:
- Academic Excellence: Work underway on performance measures.
- Governance: Board handbook development and member compliance tracking.
- Finance: Recruitment for CPA/accountant support continues.
- Behavior: Committee reorganization in progress.
6. Public Comment
Cat Palmer provided community event information.
7. Closed Session
Motion: Enter Closed Session for Personnel Discussion
Made by: Kimberly Venable
Seconded by: Amy Fehlberg
Result: Approved unanimously by Greg Ostrander (Chair), Kelly Goff, Claudia Geist, Amy
Fehlberg, Shantel Stoff (Treasurer), Diana Cabrales (Secretary), Cat Palmer, Kimberly
Venable and, Carol Finegan
Closed session held in compliance with Utah Code ยง52-4-206.
Motion: Exit Closed Session
Made by: Amy Fehlberg
Seconded by: Shantel Stoff
Roll Call Vote:
Greg Ostrander - Yes
Kelly Goff - Yes
Claudia Geist - Yes
Amy Fehlberg - Yes
Shantel Stoff - Yes
Diana Cabrales - Yes
Cat Palmer - Yes
Kimberly Venable - Yes
Carol Finegan - Yes
Result: Approved unanimously
8. Adjournment
Motion: Adjourn Meeting
Result: Approved unanimously
Meeting adjourned at approximately 8:30 pm.
Certified by:
These minutes are prepared from the official meeting transcript and approved records.
Diana Cabrales, Corporate Secretary
Salt Lake Arts Academy Governing Board
Notice of Special Accommodations (ADA)
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Jen Guillory at 801-531-1173.
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