The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
On Wednesday, September 18, 2013, the West Central CUSD #235 Board of Education conducted two special meetings and their regularly scheduled meeting.
The first special meeting was convened at 5:30 p.m. in the Unit Office Conference Room.
All board members were present at roll call. The board then entered closed session to continue discussing the selection of a replacement board member.
The board interviewed two candidates for this vacant position. The board exited closed session at approximately 6:15 p.m. and the special meeting was adjourned at 6:17 p.m.
The board did not take any action regarding the selection of a replacement for a board member.
The second special meeting was for the purpose of conducting a public hearing on the FY 14 district budget.
Board President Brent called the meeting to order in the elementary cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. All board members were present at roll call.
He then announced the purpose of the hearing and asked if there were any members of the audience who wished to address the board on the proposed FY14 budget. No public comments were offered regarding the proposed budget.
President Brent then asked if there were any written comments that had been received regarding the proposed FY14 budget. It was reported that there had been no written comments received.
He then asked if any board members wished to submit any written comments regarding the proposed FY14 district budget and none were offered.
President Brent then declared the public hearing adjourned at approximately 6:34 p.m. The board was then introduced to the new certified staff in the district for the 2013-14 school year and the board spent time visiting with them.
The regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Education was then called to order at 7 p.m. in the elementary gymnasium. All board members except Mr. Anderson were present at roll call.
As a result of this meeting the following items took place:
President Brent led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
Under good news items the following successes were highlighted:
The board approved the agenda as presented.
There was no one present who wished to address the board on any agenda items.
The board approved the consent agenda. Items approved under the consent agenda included:
Under financial activity, the board approved payment of all bills as presented along with several additional bills that were brought to the board table.
Superintendent Grimm informed the board that the district would be bidding diesel fuel on Thursday and that the fuel would be delivered on Friday. Mr. Grimm asked for and received permission to go ahead and pay the bill for that fuel when it is received by the district.
The board approved the August 2013 activity accounts for West Central High School, West Central Middle School and West Central Elementary School. The board also approved the treasurer's report for August 2013 as presented.
Superintendent Grimm reported to the board that there were not any percentages in the monthly financial report as the budget has not yet been approved. This will be available after the board approves the FY14 district budget.
Superintendent Grimm reviewed with the board the budget assumptions and general statements that were considered when putting the district budget together. It was pointed out that the FY14 budget is a deficit budget in the amount of $874,059.
It was also pointed out that general state aid for FY14 is anticipated to be $544,250 lower than in FY13. It was also noted that the State of Illinois ended FY13 owing District #235 $174,456.
Supt. Grimm noted that the projected expenditures for the FY14 are $11,526,816 and the projected revenue of $10,652,757.
It was noted that $1,976,540 of general obligation bonds revenue is included in this budget and that amount was offset by an equal amount on the expenditure side. Supt. Grimm also informed the board that based on the budget that was being presented the district would have total fund balances on June 30, 2014 of $6,268,606.
The other significant item included in the discussion was the notation that the budget included $360,000 for the construction of the water line that is going to be constructed from Biggsville to the north campus when the Dallas Rural Water Line is brought into the Village of Biggsville.
After a brief question and answer session, the board approved the FY14 district budget as presented
The board approved the necessary resolution that allowed the district to issue $1,976,540 of general obligation bonds to meet the requirement as indicated in the recently completed ten year health life safety survey.
Supt. Grimm informed the board that all of the objectives for doing the 10 year survey three years early had been met. Those being primarily to take advantage of the historically low bond interest rates. It was noted that the interest on this bond issue is approximately 3.459%, compared to the 5.1%- 5.5% that the district is paying and will be paying over the course of the next three years to pay off the 2006 bond issue. After a brief discussion with a representative from the bond underwriter, the board approved the resolution authorizing the issue of the general obligation bonds as identified above.
The board briefly reviewed 7 proposed policy revisions to current board policies. The board asked no questions about the proposed policies and then approved them on first reading.
The board approved the Memorandum of Understanding #13 between West Central CUSD #235 Board of Education and the West Central Association of Teachers and Staff concerning a three year extension to the 2011-14 contract. Supt. Grimm informed the board that the association had accepted the board's offer to approve this contract extension one year before the current contract expired.
The board was also informed that the contract extension calls for a 2% total salary increase on the salary schedule for each of those three years. It was also noted that no language items were changed nor were the schedules for the stipends for extra duty sponsors for each of the three years of extension.
The board approved two quotes from Ruyle Mechanical Services of Peoria for the replacement of pumps in the elementary and high school boiler rooms. The first quote was in the amount of $27, 859 for the replacement of 7 pumps in the elementary boiler room and the second quote was for $15,008 for the replacement of 4 pumps in the high school boiler room.
The board approved the submission of a health life safety amendment to replace the air compressor at West Central Middle School as presented.
The board approved the request to change the bank for the WCES and WCHS activity accounts from the Casey State Bank to the Bank of Stronghurst as presented.
Under reports, the board heard summaries from their written reports from Mrs. Lafary, Mr. Nichols and Mr. Schneider. The board briefly reviewed Mr. Grimm's curriculum report, the district technology report as submitted by Mrs. Frakes and the district special education report as submitted by Mrs. Farniok.
The board took the following personnel action:
The board then entered closed session to discuss the selection of a person to fill a public office.
After exiting closed session the board voted to appoint Steve Lumbeck of Oquawka as the replacement for the vacant board of education seat. He will fulfill the unexpired term of Dr. Roberta Robbins.
The board was reminded that their next meeting is Wednesday, October 16, 2013 and that meeting will be held in the elementary cafeteria and will begin at 7 p.m.
There being no other business to come before the board, the board adjourned their meeting at 9:20 p.m.