December 20, 2021
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the district
office on Monday, December 20, 2021 for a regular board meeting. Visitors in attendance: Steve Noble,
Cathy Williamson, James Fineran, Tammy Davis, Ronda Glosser, Alma Marlin, Mike and Becky Roe and
others not signed in.
Regular Board Meeting: Call to Order - Establish Quorum: President Brinegar called the regular
board meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll call: Eric Klyn, present; Rena Shepherd, present; Lara Vandello,
present; Micah Van Mersbergen, present; Curt Houk, present; Mark Haselhuhn, absent; and Doug
Brinegar, present. Quorum established.
Public Hearing- Categorical Fund Transfer Resolution: President Brinegar opened the Categorical Fund
Transfer Resolution public hearing at 6:00 p.m. With no one heard, the hearing was closed at 6:01 p.m.
Correspondence: None
Approve/Amend Agenda: Superintendent Williamson noted a small change to the agenda, that due to
the choir and band concerts at the Jr/Sr High School, Mr. Noble will be presenting his board report first.
Houk motioned and Shepherd seconded to approve the amended agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Presentation: Greg Frost from OPAA! gave a presentation to the board outlining what his food service
management company could do for the nutrition department.
Reports: Steve Noble, principal of the Jr/Sr High, presented his board report and updated the board on
the staffing and professional development at the Jr/Sr High School. Superintendent Williamson first
discussed the status of OSHA’s vaccination mandate and what steps the district needs to complete to be in
compliance if this mandate does not get overturned by the Supreme Court. Superintendent Williamson
also gave board members draft scenarios from his last meeting with Denovo and an update on General
Fund Expenditures reflecting changes to personnel salaries if the classified wages increases are approved
and an increase to the Utilities & Gas supplies due to the increase in price for gas and electricity. April
Glosser, Curriculum Director, shared with the board the goals that the administration team and leadership
team created for EBF, as well as professional development updates, elementary report cards and mid-year
testing. James Fineran, Principal at Fremont Elementary, gave the elementary principal’s report and
shared with the board all the activities the elementary students are doing leading up to the Christmas
break. Cathy Williamson, Director of Special Services, gave an update on special education staff,
professional development, grant updates and branding of the Explore Academy. Other reports submitted,
but not read, were from the Daycare, Maintenance and Nutrition directors.
Consent Items: Shepherd motioned and Houk seconded to approve the Consent Items: November 22,
2021 & November 29, 2021 Board Meeting Minutes; Financial Reports as of November 30, 2021;
December’s Bills; Review of School Board Policies: 4.4 Employee Injury on the Job, 4.5 Employee
Conflict of Interest, 4.6 Employee Records, & 4.7 Transporting of Students by Employees; Contracts and
Agreements: 2021-2022 Grand View University Student Teaching Contract, 2021-2022 Facility Use
Agreement for Fremont Before & After Care, 2021-2022 Cooperative Sharing Agreements with Ottumwa
Community School District for both boys & girls swimming; and Open Enrollments in from Kastor Ford,
6th Grade from Oskaloosa and Open Enrollments out from Mackenzie Kool, 3rd Grade to Ottumwa and
Bentley Kool, 6th Grade to Ottumwa. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel: Van Mersbergen motioned and Vandello seconded to approve the hires of Aundrea Barnes,
special education teacher and Penny Allgood, cook. Motion carried unanimously. Shepherd motioned
and Vandello seconded to accept the resignations of Barb Scott, preschool teacher (effective at the end of
the 2021-22 school year); Kierra Tremmel, para educator; Diana Rust, cook; Sara Roach, para educator;
and Keegan VanDevender, Spanish teacher (effective at the end of the 2021-2022 school year). Motion
carried unanimously.
Action Items: Houk motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the Flexibility Fund Transfer
from Home School Assistant Program to the General Fund in the amount of $100,000. Roll call vote:
Klyn, aye; Shepherd, aye; Vandello, aye; Van Mersbergen, aye; Houk, aye; Haselhuhn, absent; and
Brinegar, aye. Motion carried unanimously. Shepherd motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the
SBRC request for At-Risk Modified Allowable Growth in the amount of $312,459. Roll call vote: Klyn,
aye; Shepherd, aye; Vandello, aye; Van Mersbergen, aye; Houk, aye; Haselhuhn, absent; and Brinegar,
aye. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve Board
Resolution 2021-4 for Safety Equipment Purchase. Roll call vote: Klyn, aye; Shepherd, aye; Vandello,
aye; Van Mersbergen, aye; Houk, aye; Haselhuhn, absent; and Brinegar, aye. Motion carried
unanimously. Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the proposed classified staff wage
increases and to set the starting salary for para educators and cooks to $11.50 per hour. Motion carried
unanimously.
Capital Projects: None
Discussion Items: Board members are to let Secretary McCrea know if they are interested in any of the
upcoming LASB Digital Workshops. Board members had some more questions regarding the OPAA!
presentation and would like to ask Tara Waldren to attend the January 17th board meeting to get her
opinion on the process. Van Mersbergen explained his concern the language in policy 4.3,
Communicable Diseases, and would like to see it spelled out more clearly that the district would be
speaking to a medical doctor with public health if needed and not just a public health official, who may or
may not have a medical degree. A special board meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 10, 2022 at
6:00 p.m., to have the first reading of the new policy needed for the OSHA vaccination mandate for
employers of 100+ employees. If the Supreme Court extends the stay or overturns the mandate, the
meeting will be cancelled. Immediate Open positions are Alternative Education Teacher, Cook, Para
Educator (2 needed), Child Care Associate, Activity Route Drive, Head Golf Coach, Head Football
Coach, 9th Grade Baseball Coach, Jr High Track, Baseball & Softball Coaches and substitutes for all
positons and Open Positions for the 2022-2023 school year are Preschool Teacher at Fremont Elementary,
2nd Grade Teacher at Fremont Elementary and Spanish Teacher at the Jr/Sr High School.
Adjourn: Shepherd motioned and Vandello seconded to adjourn board meeting. Motion carried
unanimously^ Meeting adjourned at 8:11 p.m.
