June 20, 2022
The Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District Board of Directors met at the district office on Monday, May 16, 2022 for a regular board meeting. Visitors in attendance: Tammy Davis, Cathy Williamson, Steve Noble, and Michele Ratliff.
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, absent; Lara Vandello, present; Micah Van Mersbergen, present; Curt Houk, present; Mark Haselhuhn, absent; and Doug Brinegar, present. Quorum established. Mark Haselhuhn arrived at 6:03 p.m.
Public Forum: none
Correspondence: none.
Approve/Amend Agenda: Vandello motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
Reports: Superintendent Williamson went over current financial balances, account balance summaries and staff years of service awards. Steve Noble, principal at the Jr/Sr High school gave the board an update on the last couple days of school, 6-year discipline data and staffing for next year. Tammy Davis, principal at Blakesburg Elementary gave the combined elementary principal’s board report and updated the board on summer projects, staffing changes, summer school, online registration and School Administrators conference in August. Cathy Williamson, Director of Special Services, updated the board on staffing of behavior interventionists and para educators, STOP & COPS Grants, and the para apprenticeship grant. Other reports submitted, but not read, were from the Childcare, Maintenance & Nutrition directors.
Consent Items: Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve the Consent Items 8a to 8d: May 31, 2022 Board Meeting Minutes; Financial Reports as of May 31, 2022; June’s Bills; the Review of School Board Policies: 400.28 Gifts to Employees, 400.28 Employee Use of Cell Phones, 400.30 Employee Use of Social Media, and 500.0 Objectives for Equal Educational Opportunities for Students; Contracts & Agreements: Resurfacing Agreement between EBF and the city of Fremont, KIIC Radio Livestreaming of Events, STOP Grant Contract for Emergency Maps, Student Assurance Services for Student Accident Voluntary Insurance and Catastrophic Student Accident Insurance, 2022-23 Buena Vista’s Student teaching agreement, and three 2022-23 Student Rise contracts with IHCC, DeVries Counseling & Consulting for 2022-23, Hamilton Produce Pay on Deliver for 2022-23, Shared Librarian services with Great Prairie AEA for 2022-23 and the voluntary Dental Renewal Rates for 2022-2023. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to approve Open Enrollments for 2022-2023: IN: Reneya Hammond, Kindergarten from Ottumwa to HSAP, Amelia Hare, Kindergarten from Ottumwa to Blakesburg, Atlas Cook, Kindergarten from Ottumwa to Fremont Elementary, Jonesy Rupe, Kindergarten from Ottumwa to HSAP, Briar Lettington, 6th Grade from Oskaloosa to Eddyville (family move), Hadley Lettington, 4th Grade from Oskaloosa to Eddyville (family move), William Swim, Kindergarten from Pekin to Eddyville, Carly Jo Rupprecht, 7th Grade from Pella to Jr/Sr High and MaClain Main, 11th Grade from Oskaloosa to Jr/Sr High. Motion carried unanimously.
Personnel: Van Mersbergen motioned and Houk seconded to approve for 2022-2023: Jessica Bremer, Art Teacher at Jr/Sr High; Emily Hale, Social Studies Teacher at Jr/Sr High; Rhea McDowell, 4th Grade Teacher at Blakesburg Elementary; Michelle Meador, Regular Route Driver; Buffie Ritz, Generalist Teacher at Jr/Sr High; Heather Snook, 6th Grade Teacher at Blakesburg Elementary; Amy Spurgeon, Counselor at Jr/Sr High, MacKenzie Vanskike, Behavior Interventionist at Blakesburg Elementary; and Joni Elder, Behavior Interventionist at Blakesburg Elementary. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to accept the resignations of Randy Alger, Regular Route Driver; Laura Allar, 2nd Grade Teacher at Blakesburg Elementary; Tiffany Bagley, English Language Arts Teacher at Jr/Sr High; Tasha Jensen, 4th Grade Teacher at Blakesburg Elementary; Tyler Paisley, Social Studies Teacher at Jr/Sr High; John Thompson, English Language Arts at Jr/Sr High; Vanessa Worrell, Art Teacher at Jr/Sr High and Becky Roe, Cook at Fremont Elementary. Discussion held on difficulty of replacing some positions and on requirements for bus drivers to get license. Motion carried unanimously.
Action Items: Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the 2022-2023 IPSIP Insurance renewal for Workman’s Compensation, Property & Casualty and Cyber Liability. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the 2022-2023 SU Breakage Insurance Renewal. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve the quote for the purchase of 4 POS Terminals for the Nutrition Department. Small discussion on why new machines were needed. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the additional supplemental contract of Competitive Robotics at 6.5% of the supplemental salary base. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to approve the Capital Construction Projects: at Blakesburg Elementary - West side commons door entrance and a 40x167 lot; at the Jr/Sr High - driveway entrance of 787 square feet; and at Fremont Elementary - West side sidewalk, steps included with removal, front door canopy entrance area and entrance for buses 25 fee of sidewalk. Total project quoted at $72,920.00. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the quote from Todd Kelsey in the amount of $28,000.00 to remove and lay brick to replace the East wall of the Blakesburg West Building. Small discussion regarding disposal of old bricks and the confidence that this repair is all that is needed. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Van Mersbergen seconded to approve the early graduation request of Destiny Bankson at the completion of the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year. The board wishes Ms. Bankson success in her academic career. Motion carried unanimously. Houk motioned and Klyn seconded to approve the purchase of 60 Dell Latitude 5531 for the quoted amount of $63,263.40. Discussion held on difference between these computers and the Surfaces previously approved. Motion carried unanimously. Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to set the substitute teacher pay rate for 2022-2023 to $140.00/day or $70/half day. Discussion held on what other area schools pay and the difficulty of obtaining substitute teachers. Van Mersbergen motioned and Houk seconded to table this motion to July to allow more research. Motion tabled Motion carried unanimously.
Capital Projects: Superintendent Williamson gave a list of all the summer projects that the district would like to get completed prior to school starting in August. Unfortunately, elementary playground equipment will need to be replaced next summer as with current supply chain issues, items cannot get here this summer. An outdoor storage building is needed at the Jr/Sr High.
Discussion Items: The board discussed options for continuing the Rocket newspaper. Superintendent Williamson asked if the district could advertise for someone to take over the Rocket and include the website as well to the position so that articles could go directly to website in the live feed. Superintendent Williamson also let the board know that we have reached capacity in some grades in certain elementary buildings as well as the junior high and that the district should look at a board policy regarding open enrollment when class sizes reach a certain amount. Open positons: Home School Assistant Teacher, Regular Route Driver, Junior High English Language Arts Teacher, Senior High English Language Arts Teacher, Senior High Math Teacher, 2nd Grade Classroom teacher at Blakesburg Elementary, Custodian at Fremont Elementary, Para Educators: 3 at the Jr/Sr High, 1 at Blakesburg Elementary & 1 at Fremont Elementary and the following coaching positons: Junior High Football, Assistant Volleyball, 9th Grade Volleyball, Junior High Volleyball, Junior High Girls Basketball, Assistant Boys Basketball, Junior High Boys Basketball (2), Assistant Wrestling, and Junior High Wrestling.
Board took a break at 8:02 p.m. Board resumed meeting at 8:09 p.m.
Closed Session- per Iowa Code Section 21.5 {1}(i) Superintendent Evaluation: Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to go into closed session for the superintendent evaluation. Roll Call Vote: Klyn, aye; Shepherd, absent; Vandello, aye; Van Mersbergen, aye; Houk, aye; Haselhuhn, aye; and Brinegar, aye. Motion carried unanimously. Board went into closed session at 8:09 p.m. Board exited closed session at 9:23 p.m.
Adjourn: Vandello motioned and Houk seconded to adjourn board meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 9:23 p.m.
Doug Brinegar Mary McCrea
Board President Board Secretary
