Longtime Marquette resident and intellectual property attorney Margaret Brumm speaks to the Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education Monday. (Journal photo by Alexandria Bournonville)

MARQUETTE — Discussions of Marquette Senior High School rebranding continue alongside adoptions of new school policies, food service vehicle purchases and state-level board nominations at Monday’s Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education meeting.

In regard to the MSHSl rebranding process from their current “block M” to the “Marquette Sentinels,” the board determined a cut-off date for the new logo submissions from the public: March 22. Board members will engage in a review process during the April meeting.

At the previous committee of the whole meeting, the board established that it has spent approximately $40,000 on the rebrand thus far with all funds coming from the school itself and no outside sources; funds are taken from the MAPS general fund.

Marquette resident and intellectual property attorney Margaret Brumm, who has taken issue with the board’s decision to rebrand, was present at the Monday meeting.

In January, Brumm began to apply for federal and state level trademarks for the “Marquette Sentinels” in the hopes of making the board re-think their decision to rebrand. Brumm has stated there are multiple “phases” to her plan to encourage MAPS to sop the current process.

“As part of the next phase, Freedom of Information Act requests will be sent vis U.S. Postal Service mail to various members of the board requesting various records, scheduled to arrive sometime this week,” Brumm said in public comment.

On Feb. 7, MAPS published a press release stating that its attorney’s claim Brumm’s attempt to interfere “has no merit.”

In public comment, Brumm said she was unable to make a timely response to the statement due to a family emergency.

In regard to her efforts, Brumm announced that she’s received the “first substantive communication from the state of Michigan” on one of her applications.

No direct responses were given by any board members at the meeting.

In other business, board members unanimously passed a motion to purchase a 2023 Ford truck for their food service program. The district’s intent is to use the new vehicle as a reliable back-up for their current food service fleet which consists of two trucks — one of which is not recommended for use.

Additionally, Trustee Jennifer Kipp motioned to nominate MAPS President Kristen Cambensy for Region 1 in the Michigan Association of School Boards Board of Directors, seconded by trustee Cherryl Maddox-Smith.

Alexandria Bournonville can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 506. Her email address is abournonville@miningjournal.net.