April 12, 2010 Budget Hearing/Regular Board Meeting
MINUTES OF BUDGET HEARING/EARLY START DATE HEARING
REGULAR MEETING OF BOARD OF EDUCATION
C & M COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT – APRIL 12, 2010
CALL TO ORDER: President Gary Dinkla read the mission statement of the C & M Community School District and called the hearings to order at 4:02 p.m. in the superintendent’s office in Massena.
ROLL CALL: Directors Present: Gary Dinkla, Jennifer Holste, Sean South, Rob Ticknor, Todd McKee (arrived at 4:31 p.m.), Superintendent: Steve Pelzer, Secretary: Linda Edwards, Visitors: Peg Hensley, Freda Scanlan
AGENDA: Motion by Holste, seconded by South, to approve the agenda. Voice vote, motion carried unanimously 4-0.
BUDGET HEARING: The proposed budget was presented to the board, no objection or discussion was presented. A motion to adopt the 2010-2011 budget was made by Rob Ticknor, seconded by Sean South. The budget for 2010-2011 is $3,870,723 with a proposed tax rate of $14.97403 per thousand dollars valuation. Voice vote, four ayes, motion carried.
EARLY START DATE HEARING: Jennifer Holste moved, seconded by Rob Ticknor, to apply to the Department of Education to begin the 2010-2011 school year earlier than the designated start date. Voice vote, four ayes, motion carried.
ADJOURN HEARINGS: South moved, seconded by Ticknor, to adjourn the hearings. Voice vote, four ayes, motion carried. The hearings were adjourned at 4:05 p.m.
President Dinkla called the regular meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. and welcomed the visitors. A motion to approve the regular meeting agenda was made by South, seconded by Holste. Voice vote, motion carried unanimously 4-0.
MINUTES, BILLS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: Ticknor moved, seconded by Holste, to approve the minutes of the March 15, 2010 board meeting and the April 8, 2010 joint board meeting, bills (with additions), and financial statements. Voice vote, motion carried unanimously 4-0.
COMMUNICATIONS: None.
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT: Mr. Pelzer reported that the NWEA testing will begin on Monday. There are a lot of field trips planned. On April 27, the middle school students have been invited to attend a financial literacy program at Griswold. It is a free program with materials provided to teachers to use as a guide.
The next professional development day will be April 23rd with our teachers only in Massena. Teachers will be working on planning a program and budget for the Microsoft Settlement. There is approximately $28,000 to divide between the middle school and the elementary. The plan is due May 15. One half can be used for general purposes: computers, Promethean boards, etc, with the other half to be used for software. Our insurance broker will also be there to present the new health plans we will be adopting. Mr. Fogleman will be available to help put together a basic plan for the at-risk program to be implemented next year.
Health insurance rates have actually decreased 35% for the current plan. We will be able to give the staff a better plan with a lower deductible and out-of-pocket, a wellness plan and still be able to cut costs. Mr. Pelzer plans to attend the SAI legal lab in Des Moines on April 28. The topic is electronic communications. Recently the School Resource Officer Corey Larsen presented this topic to the middle school. Deputy Larsen reported that there has been a lot of harassment charges filed due to texting use, etc. Mr. Pelzer reported that the copier in the middle school office has been updated to accommodate printing and scanning. A new printer has been installed in the commons.
DISCUSSION ITEMS: Reorganization was again a topic of discussion. Dinkla commented that he felt the recent joint meeting went well. Ticknor said that a lot of the people attending had already heard the information presented. Mr. Pelzer reported that on Thursday a teleconference was held to set the time, date, and place for the AEA hearing on the petition. It has been set for June 7th at 7 p.m. in Anita at the Community Building if it is available.
Corey Sebetka, preschool grant writer, has heard that the application for the preschool grant should be available by the end of the week. Todd McKee arrived at 4:31 p.m.
ISCAP RESOLUTION: A resolution to continue participation in the Iowa Schools Cash Anticipation Program was adopted on a motion by Ticknor, seconded by South. Voice vote, motion carried unanimously 5-0.
GRADUATES: A list of seniors was approved for graduation pending completion of requirements on a motion by Holste, second by Ticknor. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
2010-2011 SCHOOL CALENDAR: The 2010-2011 calendar, with a start date of August 19th for students, was approved on a motion by McKee, second by South. Voice vote, motion carried 5-0.
CLOSED SESSION: Sean South moved, seconded by Jennifer Holste, to go into closed session to discuss negotiations. Roll call vote was taken and all voted aye. The board went into closed session at 4:37 p.m. After negotiations discussion, on a motion by Holste, seconded by South and with a unanimous roll call vote, the board returned to open session at 5:53 p.m. No action was taken in closed session.
BOARD REPORTS: None.
ADJOURNMENT: A motion to adjourn was made by McKee, seconded by Ticknor. Voice vote, motion carried unanimously 5-0. President Dinkla adjourned the meeting at 5:54 p.m.
signed Gary Dinkla, Board President
signed Linda Edwards, Board Secretary
