August 15, 2022
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the district office on Monday, August 15, 2022 for a regular board meeting following a tour of the Jr/Sr High School at 5:00 pm. Visitors in attendance: April Glosser, Tammy Davis, Jil Nelson, James Fineran, Steve Noble, Faith Calvin & Ashleigh Sammons.
Regular Board Meeting: Call to Order – Establish Quorum: President Brinegar called the regular board meeting to order at 6:13 p.m. Roll call: Eric Klyn, present; Rena Shepherd, present; Lara Vandello, present; Micah Van Mersbergen, present; Curt Houk, absent; Mark Haselhuhn, present; and Doug Brinegar, present. Quorum established.
Public Forum: Faith Calvin & Ashleigh Sammons introduced themselves as representatives from Opaa, the district’s new food service management company.
Correspondence: none.
Approve/Amend Agenda: Shepherd motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Reports: Superintendent Williamson gave a capital projects update, went over all the grants that the district has recently been awarded and gave a brief outline of the first days of the 2022-23 school year. April Glosser, Curriculum Director discussed the computer science training that was held on August 8th and presented the ISSAP results from the Spring. Steve Noble, principal at the Jr/Sr High school updated the board on staffing and classroom preparations for the upcoming school year. Jil Nelson, principal at Eddyville Elementary gave the combined elementary principal’s board report. Other reports submitted, but not read, were from the Director of Special Services and the Maintenance Director.
Consent Items: Van Mersbergen motioned and Shepherd seconded to approve the Consent Items 6a to 6c: July 18, 2022 Board Meeting Minutes; Financial Reports as of July 31, 2022; August’s Bills; the Review of School Board Policies: 505 Entrance – Admissions, 506 Student Transfer into the District, 507 Student Transfer out of the District or Withdrawals and 508 Student Attendance Records. Motion carried unanimously. Shepherd motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the William Penn MOU for Para to Teacher Program. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Vandello seconded to approve Open Enrollment for 2022-2023: IN: Tatem Skinner, 6th Grade from Albia to HSAP and OUT: Milliana Ashlock, 5th Grade to Ottumwa. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel: Van Mersbergen motioned and Klyn seconded to approve Joyce Eveland, HS Math Teacher, Jerri Eakes, HS English Teacher, DeWayne Rohrer, Fremont Elementary Custodian, Cierra Lopez, Jr/Sr High Para Educatory, Tammy Davis, .5 Mentor Leader and April Glosser, .5 Mentor Leader. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen motioned and Vandello seconded to accept the resignations of Lacy Fowler, Jr/Sr High Para Educator and Alexander Holt, Assistant Football Coach. Motion carried unanimously.
Action Items: Secretary McCrea restated the tabled motion from the July 18, 2022 meeting Approve the Emergency Operations Plan Review. Discussion was held. With the STOP Grant this plan will be redone in the upcoming school year. Van Mersbergen motioned and Vandello seconded to take motion of the table and approved Emergency Operation Plan Review. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Shepherd seconded to set the mileage reimbursement rate to match the Iowa Department of Administrative Services rate of 0.50 cents per mile. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Shepherd seconded to approve the purchase/lease of computers for the elementary teachers in the amount of $52,623.50 or three lease payments of $18,244.57. Small discussion held. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to have Shepherd as the delegate for the Iowa Association of School Boards Special Delegate Assembly on Sept 13th. Van Mersbergen will be the alternate. Motion carried unanimously.
Capital Projects: None.
Discussion Items: Discussion was held on having the Revenue Purpose Statement vote being renewed with the general election in November 2023 vs having a special election in March 2023, this will save the district costs for the election. After school care was discussed for the Blakesburg & Fremont buildings. There has been interest for the Fremont building and the district does have buses that come back to Eddyville at the end of the day from both Fremont & Blakesburg so the possibility of students coming over for the Eddyville daycare is an option. Superintendent Williamson has had three requests for in district students to change attendance centers and wanted the boards opinion on if they should set up a committee. The guidelines regarding attendance centers created by the board were set in place to keep all three elementary buildings sustainable with equal class sizes for each grades. Mr. Van Mersbergen was contacted by the family of Nurse (Critchlow) Henderson, who was employed by the district for numerous years, that one of her wishes was to leave something to the school upon her death. Mr. Van Mersbergen also asked about roof repairs. EBF received a quote to replace the Eddyville elementary roof for $200,000. Superintendents Williamson is going to have Denovo give us their suggestions on which repairs/replacement for roofs on buildings are needed. Ms. Vandello asked if there was a policy regarding when someone applies for a positon, do the candidates that do not get the job receive a phone call or letter stating this? Open positions: Regular Route Driver, Junior High English Language Arts Teacher - Jr/Sr High, Daycare Associate, Substitutes for all positions, Coaching Positions: Asst/Jr High Cross Country, 9th Grade Volleyball Coach, 9th Grade Girls Basketball Coach, Junior High Girls Basketball Coach, Assistant Boys Basketball Coach, Junior High Boys Basketball Coach (2), Assistant Wrestling Coach, Junior High Wrestling Coach, Jr High Track Coach (2), Golf Coach, and 9th Grade Softball Coach.
Adjourn: Vandello motioned and Shepherd seconded to adjourn board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.
Doug Brinegar Mary McCrea
Board President Board Secretary
