Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District
Regular Board Meeting Minutes
May 19, 2025
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the Blakesburg Elementary Library on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. for a regular board meeting. Visitors in attendance: Paige Ver Steegh, Michele Ratliff, Andy Alexander, Kathy Hunt and others not signed in.
Call to Order:
President Houk called the meeting of the EBF Board of Directors to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll call: Ed Glenn – present, Eric Klyn – present, Brianne Batterson – present, Micah Van Mersbergen – present, Tom Judy – present, Tyrone Lobberecht – present, and Curt Houk – present. Quorum established.
Public Hearing – FY2025 Budget Amendment:
President Houk opened the public hearing at 6:00 p.m.
Superintendent Williamson gave a short presentation on the amendments to the FY2025 Budget. With no comments from the public hearing was closed at 6:02 p.m.
Public Forum:
No one spoke.
Daycare Presentation:
Emily Bunch, Daycare Advisory Board Chair, gave the board an update on financials, enrollment, grants, corporate partnerships, marketing and privatization.
Correspondence:
A thank you card was received from the family of Michael O’Sullivan, former bus driver for EBF.
Approve Agenda:
Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to approve the agenda. Item 9d, Classified Tentative Agreement, was removed due to lack of union verification. Motion carried unanimously.
Reports & Presentations:
Jordan Buell, Principal at the Jr/Sr High and April Glosser, Curriculum Director, presented their reports to the board. Other reports submitted but not read were from the elementary principals and director of special services.
Consent Items:
Van Mersbergen moved, and Glenn seconded, to approve consent items 8a to 8c(v): April 7, 2025 minutes, April 14, 2025 minutes, April 21, 2025 minutes, account balances as of April 30, 2025, May 2025 bills list, and school board policies: General Grievance Form of Complaints of Discrimination or Non-Compliance with Federal or State Regulations Requiring Non-Discrimination – 107, District Vision & Mission Statement – 111, Evaluation of Education Programs – 112, Long-Range Needs Assessment – 113, and Organization of the Board – 200. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel:
Judy moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to approve the hires of Sarah Rohret, MH Intern, Hendrik DeBie, Vocal Music Teacher at Jr/Sr High School, Carlee Neff, Mental Health Counselor at Blakesburg & Fremont, Mark Bishop, Math Teacher at Jr/Sr High School, Alex Ashman, volunteer baseball coach and Brad Fisher, volunteer baseball coach. Motion carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen moved and Glenn seconded to approve the resignations of Michele Ratliff, Director at the Eddyville Childcare Center, Donald Mitchell, Math Teacher at Jr/Sr High, BJ Welch, Regular Route Driver, Erica Cox, Behavior Interventionist at Explore Academy, Micah Mitchell, Social Studies Teacher at Jr/Sr High, Alesia Houser, BE & FE Mental Health Counselor, Makenzie Vanskike, Behavior Interventionist at Explore Academy, Michele Micetich, Teacher at Explore Academy, Anya Fairchild, Special Education Teacher at Fremont and Sarah Howk, Elementary Counselor. Motion carried unanimously.
Action Items:
- Glenn moved, and Klyn seconded, to approve the Contract and Agreements: Student Teaching Agreement with Central College 2025-2026, Christner Contracting Inc - A133 EBF Classroom Addition Agreement Contract and A201 EBF Classroom Addition General Requirements Contract and Transfer of State AEA SPED Funds Contract. Motion carried unanimously.
- President Houk opened the floor for discussion on fuel bids. Following discussion, Glenn moved and Judy seconded to accept the fuel bid from Elliot Bulk Services, LLC for the 2025-26 school year. Motion carried unanimously.
- Judy moved and Batterson seconded to accept the quote from Midwest Track & Tennis in the amount of $72,800.00 to resurface the track. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved and Lobberecht seconded to accept the quote from H2I Group in the amount of $31,151.27 to replace the side basketball hoops in the main gymnasium. Motion carried unanimously.
- Classified Tentative Agreement – no action or discussion, district had not received a response from the Classified Union.
- Judy moved and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the open enrollment after the deadline for the 2024-25 school year. Motion carried unanimously.
- Van Mersbergen moved, and Glenn seconded to approve the Budget Amendment for FY2025. Roll call vote: Glenn – yes, Klyn – yes, Batterson – yes, Van Mersbergen – yes, Judy – yes, Lobberecht – yes, and Houk – yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- Judy moved, and Batterson seconded to approve Board Resolution FY25-03 SAE Grants for the transfer of $2,000.00 Fund 64 (Farm) to Fund 21 (Activity-FFA) for the following Grants: $250.00 Grant to Evan Tague – Rabbit, $250.00 Grant to Eliza Van Zante – Poultry, $500.00 Grant to Isaac Claybrook – Registered Breeding Sheep, $500.00 Grant to Coleman Tuller – Registered/Grade Dairy Goat, and $500.00 Grant to Natalie Tague – Registered/Grade Dairy Goat. Roll call vote: Glenn – yes, Klyn – yes, Batterson – yes, Van Mersbergen – yes, Judy – yes, Lobberecht – yes, and Houk – yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- Judy moved, and Lobberecht seconded to allow the use of a school suburban for the Agri Power FFA students to attend a livestock judging contest in Illinois. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved, and Van Mersbergen seconded, to bring the tabled Emergency Operation Procedures (from April 21, 2025) to the floor. Motion to untable carried unanimously. Van Mersbergen moved, and Klyn seconded, to approve the Emergency Operation Procedures. Motion carried unanimously.
- President Houk opened the floor for discussion on daycare. Following discussion, Van Mersbergen moved and Lobberecht seconded to set a date for December 31, 2025 for the daycare to become a privatized entity outside of the school district’s umbrella. The date is contingent only if the balance in the daycare fund does not go negative including paid vacation liabilities prior to December 31, 2025. Mr. Williamson is going to research how the funds can be transferred to whomever is running daycare on January 1, 2026. Motion carried unanimously.
Discussion Items:
Capital projects were discussed; a special board meeting must be held by June 2, 2025, to approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) to begin construction on the 6-classroom addition and nutrition area. The Iowa Legislature has adjourned for the year. Superintendent Williamson suggested holding a board work session to discuss contingency plans if preschool enrollment remains below 40 students. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 16, 2025, but will be held at the District Office instead of the EBF Jr/Sr High School, due to summer street closures on Berdan Street. Open Enrollments were viewed by the Board. Open positions are Social Studies Teacher at Jr/Sr High, Elementary School Counselor, Teacher at Explore Academy, Behavior Interventionist at Explore Academy (2), Bus Mechanic, Regular Route Driver, Daycare Associate, Substitutes for all positions, Coaching / Supplemental Positions: 9th Grade Baseball Coach and Jr High Girls Softball.
Adjournment:
Van Mersbergen moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to adjourn the board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:38 p.m.
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Curt Houk
Board President
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Mary McCrea
Board Secretary
