Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District
Regular Board Meeting and Board Works Session Minutes
December 15, 2025
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the District Office in Eddyville on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. for a regular board meeting followed by a board work session. Visitors in attendance: Ann Ohms, Emily Bunch, Jeff Swim, Paige Ver Steegh, 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 – absent; Micah Van Mersbergen – present; Kyle Teach – present; Tyrone Lobberecht – absent; Tom Judy – present. Quorum established.
Public Hearing: President Judy opened the Public Hearing – Categorical Funds Transfer Resolution at 6:00 pm. The public hearing closed at 6:01 pm with no one speaking.
Public Forum: No one spoke
Correspondence: None.
Approve Agenda: Van Mersbergen moved, and Klyn seconded, to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Daycare Presentation: Emily Bunch presented an update on the conversion of the Eddyville Childcare Center to a nonprofit 501(c)(3). January 2 or January 5, 2026, were discussed as potential transition dates, with January 5 noted as preferable for billing purposes.
Reports & Presentations: Superintendent Williamson, Jr/Sr High Principal, Jordan Buell, and Blakesburg Elementary Principal, Kayeleigh Rook, presented their reports to the board. Reports from the Curriculum Director and the Director of Special Services were submitted but not read aloud.
Consent Items: Glenn moved, and Van Mersbergen seconded, to approve consent items 8a through 8c(vi): minutes from November 30, 2025; account balances as of November 30, 2025; December bills list; and the following board policies: 231 – Gifts to Board Members; 232 – Rules of Order; 301 – General Leadership Duties; 302 – Management; 303 – Management Team and the second reading of 503A – Chronic Absenteeism. Motion carried unanimously. Lobberecht arrived for board meeting at 6:17 p.m.
Personnel: Lobberecht moved, and Glenn seconded, to approve the following hires: Lillian Orsini, Para Educator at Eddyville Elementary and the following coaches for the 2026-2027 school year: Jeff Whitehall, Head Football; Gladys Genskow, Head Volleyball; Micheal Pilcher, Head Cross Country; Ryan Jackson, Assistant Football; Jesse Riley, Assistant Football; Bret Whitehall, Assistant Football; Jeff Harland, Jr High Football; Megan Lehman, Jr High Volleyball; Kiera MacPherson, Jr High Volleyball; Eric Lenox, Assistant/Jr High Cross Country; and Terri Tuller, Football Cheer. Motion carried unanimously. There were no resignations.
Action Items:
- Van Mersbergen, and Klyn seconded, to approve the Timberline to RelayHub Agreement; the Agreement for College Community School District to provide services to a hospitalized student; and the 2025-2027 Service Agreement with HUB for GASB #75 OPEB Services. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to approve the FY26-01 Board Resolution for the Flexibility Fund Transfer from Home School Assistance Program and Professional Development in the amount of $264,000.00 with the correction to be made on page one, third line from the bottom, correcting amount from $240,000.00 to $264,000.00. Roll call vote: Glenn – yes; Klyn – yes; Batterson – absent; Van Mersbergen – yes; Teach – yes; Lobberecht – yes; and Judy – yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- Van Mersbergen moved, and Glenn seconded to approve the SBRC Request: Open Enrollment Out not on prior year’s headcount in the amount of $157,048.00. Roll call vote: Glenn – yes; Klyn – yes; Batterson – absent; Van Mersbergen – yes; Teach – yes; Lobberecht – yes; and Judy – yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to approve the At-Risk Modified Supplemental Amount of $314,008.00. Roll call vote: Glenn – yes; Klyn – yes; Batterson – absent; Van Mersbergen – yes; Teach – yes; Lobberecht – yes; and Judy – yes. Motion carried unanimously.
- Teach moved, and Lobberecht seconded, to allow the out of state travel request from the EBF Band to perform at the 2026 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, TN. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved, and Van Mersbergen seconded the approval of the 28E Agreement with Eddyville Childcare Center and setting the changeover date of January 5, 2026. Motion carried unanimously.
- Teach moved, and Klyn seconded to approve the At-Risk Dropout Prevention Plan. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded to accept the bleacher quote from Townsend to replace the bleachers in the competition gymnasium at the Jr/Sr High School. Installation will be in the summer. Motion carried unanimously.
- Glenn moved, and Lobberecht seconded to approve the purchase of football uniforms with the Activity Management account responsible for any balance the football team does not receive donations for. Motion carried unanimously.
- Van Mersbergen moved, and Glenn seconded to concur with the recommendation of denials for the open enrollment requests not made before the March 1, 2025 deadline for this school year. Motion carried unanimously.
Discussion Items: Superintendent Williamson updated the board on the construction at the Jr/Sr High. The nutrition storage area is having some heating issues that the construction company believes they can resolve. Construction of the six additional classrooms is going well, and the project is currently a couple of weeks ahead of schedule. The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 19th at 6:00 p.m. at the EBF Jr/Sr High Library. Open enrollments were reviewed. Current open positions: 3rd Grade Classroom Teacher for the 2026-27 school year: Regular Route Driver; and Substitutes for all positions. Coaching/supplemental positions: Boys & Girls Golf Coach; Junior High Softball Coach and two Junior High Baseball Coaches.
Adjournment: Van Mersbergen moved, and Klyn seconded, to adjourn the board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 7:03 p.m.
Board had a small break before beginning work session.
Call to Order: President Judy called the board work session to order at 7:11 p.m. All board members were present, with Batterson arriving at 7:10 p.m.
Work Session:
- Daycare discussion. Small discussion was held regarding the changeover process and any remaining funds that might still be in the account after the changeover. The board thanked Emily Bunch and Paige Ver Steegh for all the time and work that they put in to make this changeover happen and accomplish it by January 2026.
- January 19th Board meeting: The board meeting will be held at the EBF Jr/Sr High Library, where the FCS students will serve their Iron Chef meal to the board members. Meal will begin at 5:15 p.m. with the regular board meeting beginning at 6:00 p.m. The board also decided to move the February board meeting to Monday, February 23rd as February 16th is President’s Day and a holiday for all EBF staff.
- Budget: Discussion was held regarding development of the fiscal year 2027 budget, including SAVE and PPEL expenditures, current and potential future capital projects, and General Fund and Management Fund expenditures. The board discussed a long-term goal of reducing the unspent authorized balance to approximately $1.8–$2.0 million over the next three to five years, while avoiding actions that would negatively impact the district. The board requested information on the cost of a 3% salary increase and its impact on the unspent authorized balance should State Supplemental Aid be 0%.
- Class sizes: Preschool round-up is scheduled for January 14, 2026. Based on current parent/guardian intent, 26 four-year-old students are anticipated for the 2026–2027 school year. The board will need to discuss preschool classroom sectioning, as enrollment is below the previously established 10-student discussion threshold. As preschool is not fully state-funded, the board also would like to see how we can make preschool affordable for families. Kindergarten intent will begin January 15, with enrollment numbers to be reviewed by the board in February.
- Cooperative Sharing Agreements for Athletics: Superintendent wanted the board to be aware that with these sharing agreements, the resident district of the student is responsible for transportation to and from practices and competitions.
Adjournment of Work Session: Lobberecht moved, and Klyn seconded to end the board work session. Motion carried unanimously. Board work session concluded at 9:09 p.m.
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Thomas Judy
Board President
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Mary McCrea
Board Secretary
