Board Minutes - 2026.04.20 Board Hearing & Regular Board Meeting

Board Minutes - 2026.04.20 Board Hearing & Regular Board Meeting

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District
Public Hearing and Regular Board Meeting Minutes
April 20, 2026

The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the District Offices in Eddyville on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. for a public hearing and regular board meeting.  Visitors in attendance included: Danielle Palmer, Mari Slaughter, Sean Tracy, Ann Ohms, Danielle Hoover, Jazzy Edmonds, Curt Houk, Tyler Orman, Natalie Ashman, Mike Orman, Andy Alexander, and others who did not sign in.

Call to Order: President Judy called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll call: Ed Glenn – present; Eric Klyn – present; Brianne Batterson – present; Micah Van Mersbergen – present; Kyle Teach – present; Tyrone Lobberecht – present; Tom Judy – present. Quorum established.

Public Hearing – 2026-2027 School Budget Summary: President Judy opened the public hearing at 6:00 p.m.  Superintendent Williamson went over the proposed budget that will set the tax rate at 10.20887 for FY 2026-2027.  No one from the public spoke.  Public hearing closed at 6:05 p.m.

Public Forum: Jazzy Edmonds, Curt Houk, Tyler Orman, Mike Orman and Andy Alexander all spoke in support of the Fremont and Blakesburg elementary buildings.

Presentation of the SIAC Committee: Natalie Ashman, a parent representative of the SIAC Committee, gave an update to the board on items that have been discussed in their meetings.

Correspondence: Board received letters from both the city of Fremont and Blakesburg. 

Approve Agenda: Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.

Reports & Presentations: Jr/Sr High Principal Jordan Buell and Eddyville Elementary Principal Jil Nelson presented their reports to the board. Reports from the Curriculum Director and the Director of Special Services were submitted but not read aloud. Superintendent Williamson’s report was the School Budget Summary.

Consent Items: Glenn moved, and Van Mersbergen seconded, to approve consent items 8a to 8c (vi)(3): minutes from March 16, 2026, March 23, 2026’s Special Meeting , March 23, 2026’s work session; account balances as of March 31, 2026; March bills list; and review of the following board policies: 319 – Succession of and Authority of the Superintendent; 400 – General Principles, Licensed Employee Qualifications, Recruitment, Selection and Evaluation; 401 – Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action; 402 – Employee Physical Examinations; 403 – Communicable Diseases; and the second readings of 109 – Annual Notice of Non-Discrimination; 110 – Continuous Notices of Non-Discrimination and 727 – School Bus Safety Instruction and Passenger Restraints. Motion carried unanimously.

Personnel: Van Mersbergen moved, and Batterson seconded, to approve the hire of Rand Perdue, Custodian at Fremont Elementary, Gladys Genskow, JH Softball Coach, Curt Johnston, JH Baseball Coach and Ed Glenn, JH Baseball Coach.  Motion carried unanimously, with Glenn recusing himself. Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to accept the resignations of DeWayne Rohrer, Custodian at Fremont, effective March 18, 2026, Tara Holdsworth, 7th/8th Grade Literature Teacher, effective at the end of school year, Susan Rowley, Elementary Music Teacher, effective at the end of the school year and Donald Denham, Custodian at Blakesburg, effective May 22, 2026.  Motion carried unanimously.

Action Items:

  • Van Mersbergen moved and Glenn seconded, to approve the Employee Benefit Systems Renewal 10-30-26 to 09-30-27, Transportation Director -North Mahaska Sharing Agreement for 2026-27, Maintenance Director - North Mahaska Sharing Agreement for 2026-27, Voluntary Dental Renewal 2026-27, and Catastrophic Insurance and Voluntary Student Accident Insurance Renewal 2026-27. Motion carried unanimously. 
  • President Judy allowed discussion prior to movement.  Discussion was held on increasing the income surtax from 10% to 12%.  This will bring the amount received from property taxes and income surtax to be more equal.  Van Mersbergen moved, and Klyn seconded, to approve the FY27 Budget with the change of increasing income surtax by 2%, from 10% to 12%.  Roll Call Vote: Glenn – no, Klyn – yes, Batterson – yes, Van Mersbergen – yes, Teach – yes, Lobberecht – yes, and Judy – no.  Motion carried 5-2.    
  • Teach moved, and Batterson seconded to approve setting the FY26 Budget Amendment Hearing for Monday, May 18, 2026.  Motion carried unanimously. 
  • President Judy allowed discussion prior to movement. The board would like to offer full day preschool to the 33 preschool students for 2026-27.  Since preschool is only funded for half days, the other portion of the day is paid for by the families. Numerous scenarios were reviewed to try and keep the cost to parents as low as possible.  It was brought up that full day could be offered, but only if there was enough to keep the cost at $409.00/month.  In the end, Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded to offer half day preschool with no extended day for 2026-27.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • President Judy allowed discussion prior to movement.  The board discussed reviewing future enrollment trends before making changes to the current number of kindergarten sections. Current enrollment for the 2026-27 school year is 38 (22 at Eddyville, 8 at Blakesburg and 8 at Fremont). There was discussion on having three sections, one at each elementary building, capping class size to 20, which would require two open enrollment requests for Eddyville Elementary to be moved to one of the other elementary buildings.  After discussion, Van Mersbergen moved and Batterson seconded to keep four sections of kindergarten for the 2026-27 school year.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • Klyn moved, and Lobberecht seconded not to accept Oskaloosa CSD’s request to join the South Central Conference.  Motion carried unanimously.   Klyn moved, and Lobberecht seconded not to accept Pella Christian’s request to join the South Central Conference.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded to approve the Certified Negotiations Tentative Agreement at 3.15% total package increase or $203,346.00 new money. Motion carried unanimously.  
  • Van Mersbergen moved, and Klyn seconded to approve the following 13 members of the Focus Group: Board Member – Tyrone Lobberecht; Board Member – Ed Glenn; citizen from each director district: district 2 – Sean Hedge; district 3 – Nathan Hinton; district 4 – Kellie Vroegh; district 5 – Nick Batterson; district 6 – Dakota Johnston; district 7 – Kyle Kirkpatrick;  and staff representatives: from EBF Jr/Sr High – Dimitri Boyer; Eddyville Elementary – Kourtni Shelquist; Blakesburg Elementary – Danielle Hoover; and Fremont Elementary – Jean Ann Mayberry.  The representative for Director District 1 is still to be determined.  Motion carried unanimously.   
  • Glenn moved, and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the late student building transfer request.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • Klyn moved, and Batterson seconded to approve the request for out of state travel for the Agri-Power FFA students to attend the Black Hawk Livestock Judging camp in Illinois.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • Glenn moved, and Batterson seconded, to approve the draft list of the 2026 EBF Graduates.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded, declaring surplus vehicles and putting them out for bid.  Bids will be due to the board secretary by 12:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026, with bids opened and approved or declined at the board meeting on May 18, 2026.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • Van Mersbergen moved, and Batterson seconded, the annual renewal of EBF’s Emergency Operations Procedures.  Motion carried unanimously. 
  • Glenn moved, and Batterson seconded the calendar updates of changing Wednesday, May 20, 2026, to a full day of classes, changing Friday, May 22, 2026, to a 1:00 dismissal and revising the 2026-27 school calendar for PLC days from 2:15 dismissal to one-hour early dismissal.  Motion carried unanimously.
  • President Judy allowed discussion prior to movement.  As we are nearing the completing of the SAVE projects at the Jr/Sr High, there is approximately $740,000 remaining funds that can be used for other projects.  The board asked that Superintendent Williamson get more information on code requirements for the wrestling room addition and bleachers for the outdoor venues.  Van Mersbergen moved, and Lobberecht seconded to move forward with the following capital projects: gutter replacement at Eddyville Elementary ($73,000) cement for the Fremont Elementary courtyard ($10,000), and carpet for one wing at Eddyville Elementary ($80,000).  Motion carried unanimously.

The board went into recess at 8:41 p.m.

The board came back into regular session at 8:46 p.m.             

Discussion Items: Representatives from Opaa Food Services gave a financial overview of the program, contract for the final year of the renewal process, summer meal program plans, commodity management, staffing and communication concerns, and their plans for surveying students and staff.  There is the possibility there might be a need for a special board meeting prior to the next regular board meeting; this meeting would be for any non-renewal of certified staff.  Graduation is Sunday, May 17, 2026.  The next regular board meeting is Monday, May 18th at 6:00 p.m. at the board office in Eddyville.  Open enrollments were viewed.  Current open positions include Elementary Music Teacher for 2026-27, Explore Academy Teacher for 2026-27, Regular Route Driver, and Substitutes for all positions.

Adjournment: Batterson moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to adjourn the board meeting.  Meeting adjourned at 9:43 p.m.

______________________________                

Thomas Judy
Board President

_____________________________

Mary McCrea
Board Secretary

mary.mccrea@ro… Tue, 04/21/2026 - 15:39