The amended FY 2016 budget was approved. Total expenditures were $17.4 million, exceeding total receipts of $17.3 million, resulting in a deficit of $98,504. This budget has allowed the district to maintain the programs that are expected from our community, while providing dollars for facility upgrades to maintain the positive teaching and learning environment that our teachers and students deserve.
A professional evaluation plan for the district’s teachers was accepted, effective the first day of the 2016-17 school year.
The first reading of the new board policy manual final draft was approved, reducing the number of policies from 458 to 174. These changes will make it easier to navigate and help with future updates.
The district was enrolled in Egyptian Trust’s “Mark to Market plan”, keeping employee’s individual health insurance premiums at the current rate of $642 a month, preventing them from going up five percent to $672 a month. There is no change in the carrier and the same benefits would be in effect, so no action is required by the board.
The board agreed to a resolution to sell all the contents being stored in the old Crossville Attendance Center, located at 700 State Street. It was closed in 2013 and is currently being used for storage only. They will advertise for sealed bids, with one to be accepted at the next meeting.
They rejected a bid from Bulldog Systems for trash hauling for the next school year and will re-submit the bid process.
In the superintendent’s report, Brad Lee said that since the Illinois General Assembly has not passed a budget for FY 16 or FY 17, if no agreement is reached in the near future, a statement will be issued to parents, staff and community members that they would be able to start the school year, but would only be able to keep it open for approximately two to three months. This information would go out the first of July.
A preliminary budget for July is being worked on and revenues will be based off of this year’s figures.
Lee met with their architect, Paul Lansford, and they discussed some of the work that needs to be done this summer. A couple of light poles at the track and field complex need to be replaced, along with filling in some cracks around the track. Three areas of the roof at the Lincoln Attendance Center require some replacement work that will be done separately over time, and they will get estimates from some roofing companies. They also are still waiting on the warranty inspection of the shingled roof at Washington Attendance Center.
The next scheduled strategic planning committee meeting hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 27th at 6 p.m. at the Junior/Senior High School cafeteria.
The state owes the district $262,000. Two state aid payments are coming for June, but none in July.
In other business, the prevailing wage act was approved.
Board Scholars for the second semester were announced. 15 freshmen, 14 sophomores, seven juniors and 12 seniors were named.
Bids for cafeteria food, cafeteria fire suppression and milk were approved.
Membership in the IASB will continue for another year. Dues will be $4,043.
The board approved the resignations of Craig Winter as CWCHS head baseball coach, Clinton Wolff as sixth grade boys basketball coach, Michael Rushing as seventh grade boys basketball coach and Allison Childers as CWCHS student council co-sponsor, all effective immediately. Also Kendra Fisher as breakfast supervisor at Washington school effective this past June 1st, Michael Pfister as a custodian at Brownsville and Lincoln schools effective June 23rd and Sherri Ward as fifth grade teacher at Washington school effective next school year.
They also accepted donations of $2,565 to the Brownsville school and $50 to the Unit Five district.
The board went into closed session at 8:07 p.m.
In the executive session, Margherita DiMaggio was employed as the CWCHS Spanish teacher, Patricia Myers as Junior/Senior High School head cook, Samantha Bugera as a cook at the Junior/Senior High School, and Mona Warrick as the attendance secretary at the Junior/Senior High School.
