5:30. I would like to call the regular board meeting April 14, 2025, 5:30 p.m. All students will learn well, become lifelong learners, and contribute positivity to society. Can we have a call to order and a roll call, please? Burger is absent. Carter here, he Thomas here. Whiskus here. Okay. Uh like to welcome any visitors that we might have at our public forum. I see a on the screen. We will move to item three, approval of the agenda. Motion to approve. Second. Motion and a second to approve the agenda. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Same sign. Motion. The agenda has been approved. Uh part four, approve minutes of the previous minute meeting. Motion to approve. Second. We have a motion to approve the minutes and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. Oppose. Same sign. Minutes have been approved. Uh old business. Doesn't look like we have any new business. We have our student representative. Okay. So, on April 4th, we had our Excuse me. I'm sorry. We had our NHS inductions and 21 new members were inducted and two of them were juniors. and spring sports are going on. And we have awards night next Wednesday at 6:00 p. p.m. And prom April 26 under the sea. It'll be fun. And then I play soccer and we currently have one sub, barely enough to make a team. The only way for middle schoolers to play soccer is through the Y and that's combined boys and girls team. If the school could offer an opportunity for girls middle school soccer, it would help the high school girls soccer program greatly. Say that again. Girls could do what? Well, middle school girls, they have to play on a boys and girls team in the Y. Yeah. And currently there's actually only a sixth grader girl and an eighth grader girl on the team right now. So, I was just wondering if you could have a separate team for soccer at the middle school. Are are there other middle schools that have soccer teams? That's a good question. So, the the problem that you bring up is one that's been around a long time because when my kids played soccer, they had the same thing. They had to to get like a a Y10 or a Y12 team, they had to combine boys and girls and they and they had no subs. So that's going on, you know, 1015 years ago. It's been a longstanding problem. Okay. Yeah. And and the question is where's there another middle school team? And the answer is through the Y system. But I like the initiative. Yeah. You could just get something going, you know, whole southern Iowa. Yeah. But it's a valid issue. It is. We want to make sure we have enough girls next year, right? That's our big goal. Yep. Yeah. And that'll be it. That's real hard on the team. How many days left of school? How many days left of school? Some kids are counting it down. I think 20ish, I think somewhere around there. I know some kids are counting it down. That's why I was curious. You count Did you count down the days you had left in the military? Yes, you did. I did, too. Can Where's the prom activities at? Where's prom? Where's after prom? Um I think prom's at the high school. Wait, the prom parades at the high school and then we go to the bridge for the dance and then we go back to the high school for good. Anything else? Any other questions or comments for this fine? Thanks. Yes. Thank you very much. Uh, have a good day. It's We have a gentleman that just came in. I was supposed to sit here and watch class, right? We had a public comment. You picked the right one. Government class. Government class. You should have been here our last meeting. All right. Well, well, thank you for coming. Um, next is their uh approval of the technology purchases. You want me to talk to them? Yeah. Um, explain what? So, the the one that was in the packet that didn't come late, that is an entire bid for access points across the entire district. Um, except here in the bus barn, which is only like three extra ones that we'd have to buy out of pocket, but we'll do that in the future. It wouldn't be discount um discountable through if we did it that way. So the budget or the price point on there was like what $61,000 but we ended up only paying 70% of that which I think was the 18,000. So that's what that one is. And then the other three months that came late. Mark had a great idea of reaching out about you know the prices going up with possible tariffs coming through. So we reached out and said what can we do to order for next year? Um so two of the bids are actually going to be for the 25 26 funding year but we can order them now to avoid that pricing. Um, and then the other one I'm just going to do with my budget from this year. But what they are is all new computers here for the admin staff and secretaries. And then all new computers for the preschool. And then the two for the 25 26 is a Chromebook order for the sixth grade students that come in that we do every year. We find, you know, the one to one new devices that'll fall throughout the high school and then new computers for all the staff at Howard. So, we're hitting that point where the last purchase we made of a bunch of computers about six, seven years ago. They're getting dated. Uh, Windows 10 end of life is in October. So, we've got to start slowly replacing those and upgrade what we got now. So, what's the need to upgrade the access points? They are like 10 years old and their end of life firmware was about 6 months ago. Also, they're only one gig and the new one should be 10 gig. future proofing and stuff. Move to approve. Second. Motion and a second to approve the technology purchases. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Oppos same sign. Motion is approved. Thanks. Approval of the emergency radio purchase. So, this is a countywide item. Um, we had uh talked to Gary Anderson and he had kind of put together some information on this. It's uh uh chipping in from us from Moravia and the sheriff's office in order to have emergency radios that actually can communicate back with sheriff's and PD and dispatch. Um our buttons right now that we got through the governor safety grant will just give an alert to their radios, but this would allow us to actually have somebody on the inside able to talk to them. Um the ask is 10,000 from each school district and then the additional 5ish thousand I think it is is going to be directly from the sheriff's office on that um if we're able to approve. Okay. So we're partnering with Morav because of it's because we're in the same county. I mean is it a whole purchasing thing or what? No, the sheriff's office is the one doing the purchasing and getting them programmed and installed. So what it is is a separate radio installed at the law center. um it's straight communication uh to the law center from each school and it can be heard on state radios throughout the state of Iowa. So um Julie got on the radio any law enforcement agency or officer that has that channel is hearing it. So, this gives us another tool to use in emergency situations um with a cost sharing so that it isn't all on us to pay for everything. Again, some people playing at home, they say, "Well, why could they just put an old an old radio in from current sheriff's office to my point is that call goes out. I mean, you're going to have troopers from anywhere everywhere coming this way and hopefully it doesn't happen, but That's it. That's a cool system. Move to approve. Okay, we have a motion and a second to approve. I'm sorry. Second. Okay. Uh, any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of the purchase of radio purchase signify by saying I. I. Motion carries. Discussion on the 2425 budget amendment. Okay. Just to start off, a reminder that um making amendments to the budget does not increase tax rate, doesn't do anything to anyone's property taxes. Um there are four categories in the budget and the only one I need to amend is the total support services. I'm actually not increasing the entirety of the budget. It's just that um the early retirements that I'm paying out, there are certain um some of those that are coded to like the support services which is includes administration codes. So um I didn't put anything there for that last year. So that's basically um the majority of that with all the vacation and sick leave payout and the incent. So it's a it's a recoding for audit. So, and I, you know, I round it up just to that's just what you do. So, that's the only thing I need to amend this year. And this requires a public hearing on May 12. Yes. So, yeah. So, basically this item is that we're um I'm just telling you what I'm doing and then we're setting a date. Yes. Motion to approve. Second. Motion and a second to approve the date of May 12th. All those in favor signify by saying I. I post same sign. May 12th. It is uh item E 202526 certified budget discussions. Okay. So you guys have seen most of these slides but I there's been some changes. So the SSA rate has been set but it is set after um well it's not legally set. So I have to publish still at the 2.25 or 2.2. 25, but um it's going to be two. So um but anyway, so we'll just go through these slides again. Some I won't stay on a lot of them since you seen them the last time. Um and this is information for that's going to go out um the very last page of this document is going to go into the paper on Wednesday and then our final budget hearing will be on the 28th. So, I just want to make you guys aware in the paper and all the information for go out. Um, and also I'm willing to do this presentation on the 28th if we have visitors. So, we'll do that. So, um the first slide um page you guys obviously already know of our decrease in students um from 60 or approximately 66 students and then we're projecting a 20 20 decrease next year. Next page is our open enrollment trend. You'll see the red is open enviral in the gray is open enviral out and the net is white. So our net 92.2 state supplemental aid has is going to be 2%. Historic district cost for pupil goes back to fiscal year 15 there. So the 2% you'll see that we got up to the 80,000 um budget guarantee. So the bottom section that is at 2.25. So that's no longer that's not the correct one. So if you'll notice up there in the green, 427,221 is the budget guarantee. And I have something here just so you know. Budget guarantee estimated property tax rate impact is $124 per thousand. Um the next slide is SSA versus new money just to kind of show you guys um what the state says SSA what we're getting is and what we're actually getting. So because of budget guarantee, we're getting the 1% which is not 2%. And um we haven't settled yet. So that's why that's blame. That's not good. 1%. No. Um the next one is just just so you guys know the board control levy rates cash that's reserve is zero regular ple management instructional support and the surplus debt service that we approved last time those are all board controlled levy rates voter controlled levy rates is the voted pull and just uh the basic debt service which is the amount that is for us to actually pay the bills for the year without any loans. Um, state control levy rate is the that's the 2% SSA. So that's 1037 this hopefully at 2%. Um, just to always keep track of the expiration of voted levies. So the next time instructional support levy will be 2031 and the voted pebble is 2031 as well. And then just a list of the payments that we will make this year from the debt service fund for sales tax revenue bonds and then bonds. Um just to show you I still kept in the 2.25 just to show you what we were looking at. Um I'm sorry that should say FY26. I'm not sure that but so what is being published what we talked about at the proposed hearing is 1671 at 2.25 25 it would have been 1664. So it's it's a difference of well I mean in comparison to what it is this year. So it's a five or about a 5 cent increase or it would have been a two cent or 1 cent decrease if it would have been 2.25. And then uh total property tax rate history is on the next page. So we've been trending down even though we're publishing a 5centent increase. You'll notice in FY19 it was 1873 and so 1671 is a lot better than that. Um, next one is it just shows dollar amounts what those tax what those levies the amount of money it actually brings. If you'll notice in the management fund there's a big difference there. Um, we really decrease what we're leving for management for next year. The next page is kind of a listing of tax rates for city, college, county, and school. Take that, you know, you can take to that what you want. So, but it's the school we've been decreasing since FY20 and FY15. I just don't have it on here. So what we're adopting in the paper or what's being published is 16.71481. Um there are four categories um that go in the paper and that's instruction total support services non-instructional programs and total other expenditures. And the next page is kind shows the dollar the actual dollars for that. The biggest difference is the total other expenditures with a decrease over 600,000. That's because of um our facilities construction transfers out is also decreasing because that that's dip payments and our dip payments are a little bit less this year. And then the back page is what's going on in the paper. So the total other expenditures that the average percentage is a three-year average. So um the biggest one is the total other expenditure that's facilities and construction. So the we're going to public 16.71. The board has the ability to decrease that but they can't increase it. So um now that we know what SSA is going to be and it's going to be 2%. Um at this point it will be the 1671 unless the state makes when they make their changes it can increase or decrease. John Carter from the Department of Management said that it would likely decrease a little bit once he makes his final changes, but he couldn't say how much. So, we have I mean the board and the district has all the way up until the date of adoption on April 30th if they want to do something different. So that's all I have for tonight on that. And so we'll have our actual meeting where you will adopt the budget on April 28th at 5:30. And like I said, this back page goes on our website and in the paper on Wednesday. Does anybody have any questions or any comments or any they want me to lead or go into on the one sheet SSA versus new money? I guess where it says you know the state's given us 2% not the 2.25. Mhm. And then the new money is 1%. Could you explain that to me? Yeah. So Oh, I thought I interrupted someone. So the state I mean they say 2%. Which everyone thinks that that's we're getting 2% on what we got last year but that's not true based on our decrease in enrollment. So the increase is actually only 1% to us which is $104,000. So the decrease in if your new enrollment number with the 2% SSA increase would not equal 101% of your previous year's budget. You're on the 101% budget guarantee. you get a 1% increase for one year. The challenge is if if it if it's 1% from SSA, that money continues every year. With 101% budget guarantee, we actually will get a a chunk of money next year to get a 1% increase, but that 1% will disappear the next year. So, we won't actually have that increase carrying forward. So, just kind of a little wonky deal. Okay. Thank you. Sorry, I didn't. No, no. And you'll notice the number for the new money there is exactly the number we were looking at. Like this is what we need to cut in order to to be financially right. I mean it's right in that same ballpark that we've been talking all year. So that worked out perfectly. Any further questions or discussion? All right, we'll move on to first kind of business [Applause] procedures. So, I know that's financials. There was a request uh for an additional payout in the resignation there. Um, wanted to make sure call that to your attention. So, it's my understanding that legally we can't do that unless we had a separate negotiated agreement out of the general fund. Yeah. Okay. But the days still can't be per master agreement. So, the days are still able to be our master because you know by the April 1st. Okay. So, we are still clean on that. Yeah. Okay. to take care of somebody. I Yeah, I don't know how to proceed with this one because that letter request in there to make sure that there's clear communication of what we're approving tonight from a motion. Right. So, do we need to maybe pull that one out and then because I do I we would I would really like if we could also thank that individual for your service. Right. Yeah, I agree. I agree. But I just want to make sure the meeting minutes and what vote is clear. So I believe are you requesting to pull this Massiey's retirement from? Okay. Been requested we pull Messi's uh uh retirection out that separately. So, I'd move to approve item F, um, personnel business procedures, less Lisa, Maxi. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I saying sign. Those have have been approved. And M. Massie, can I start with um, so Mrs. Massie has taught us since 2000. So 25 years teaching in our school district um elementary, middle school, she was at the ed center for a number of years. Uh did some awesome service for the school district and just really appreciative of her partnership working as CA uh president too uh in in recent years and uh just really sad to see her go and and really appreciative of the service she's given the district. Yeah, I'm sad to see her go too, but I just don't think legally we can pay the retirement, right? The early retirement request. Okay. So, your motion would be to without without the early retirement. Yeah, I would make a motion. I would just I would echo that. I I think um you know it's timing is unfortunate but if we were to allow that kind of change now that just sets us up for similar situations in the future and somebody even from the past the deadlines are the deadlines and it's unfortunate but yeah legality aside I don't think precedence okay we have a motion I believe motion [Music] approve Lisa Massiey's resignation paying out contractually due days acrewed but not the her request for the early retirement payment. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. I post same sign. Motion carries. Financial reports. So, we do have a bill that we're pulling out on the financial reports. Um, and it page two. There we go. Thank you. Yeah, there was some miscommunication around how this was was going to be done. Initially, we had thought that the company was requiring two truckloads um on one order. So, they were going to we were going to order both truckloads and then Little League was going to pay us back, but instead they're they invoiced it separately. So, we're going to give the invoice to Little League for them to have their own invoice that way. Um, so we'll only pay for the I think it's what's Brian Rock I think is Brian Rock Products $2,412.70. And then there's a second if you look just at the very bottom it says Brian Rock Products Inc. 241065 and the description on the next page says Athens County Little League. So it's not showing it's being paid to Little League. It's this description. So we're pulling that second one. Yeah. We're not not paying that. So the company doesn't have a minimum. I guess I maybe they did at some point and don't anymore, but um the understanding was that there was a two truck minimum, but they don't have that anymore. We verified that with them today. Um, so the invoices are split so that all the correct nonprofit codes are used for everybody. Oh, so we bought some for Lake View. Yeah, for our softball. Got it. Okay, that makes more sense. Got it. We just order from the same company for it. Sure. Motion to approve with the exception of the second the little fire and rock products. Second motion and a second to approve the financial reports. Any further discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Oppos same. Financial reports have been approved. Superintendence report. A lot. Um the the biggest most important thing is that the ice testing is done and that is a huge accomplishment. Kudos to Julie and Cameron for a lot of the work that they did to organize it on the all the work they did to organize it on the district level. Um but then also to the principles for running it in each of their buildings very effectively and uh awesome. Our kids seemed very focused the whole time. Like it seemed like everybody worked really hard and did a good job. So our early um there are on demand reports that you can get basically almost right away. and we've looked at some scores and and early on we're seeing some really promising results. So, knock on wood. Hopefully, as the last few items come through, um that'll continue to be the case. Uh kind of doing the normal April thing, track meets, soccer games, doing all that fun stuff. Um with April comes a little uptick in, you know, little behavior stuff here and there. So, we're we've done a few of those things this week. Lots and lots of events. Um uh we we've had our principles have done a really nice job finding some good candidates for open jobs. Um really I'm super impressed with some of the candidates they found and that you approved I think in uh high school math and a high school science job and people are out there dying for those. I mean a nearby district one a year without being able to find somebody. So um that they found not only candidates but high quality candidates like we got there. I'm just super excited. Um, another exciting thing this weekend we hosted the Boxman Honor Band, fifth and sixth grade elementary honor band. That's a, you know, one of my babies that I really care about. And it was neat to see a couple hundred fifth and sixth graders running around throw maybe literally running around at times in our high school. Um, talking about how cool it was in the cafeteria and everything. So, just another great moment to showcase what what we've done to our area. Uh, so it was good. Any questions, comments? That leads us to board member takeaways. Harold's going first. Shortest meeting ever. No. No. Arty Brster has his deep. He does. Well, this time we had a tornado warning on the basement of this building and it got over real fast. Okay. But you were still here. We were 20. Yeah, we were here like a 20 minute meeting and for Marty Bra, God bless your soul. Anyway, I'll go next. Yes, sir. Yeah, this was a short meeting. I guess I don't see Aaron here and I don't see I apologize for [Applause] person in charge of bus drivers. They're not here. So, things must be going okay. So, that's good. He's not I I noticed there was another bus driver that signed up. So, they're doing pretty good. That's pretty important to have bus drivers for people where they need to go. Mr. Puit, not much to say in a short meeting, but I will say that, you know, peer pressure is supposed to be a really bad thing to stay away with. I threw a lot of peer pressure and now have a sub license. And so I've been in in some of the buildings, mostly Howard and a little bit of CHS. And you know what? I I I I need to give Mr. Taylor public acknowledgement. He told me that I would enjoy it and I told him I wouldn't, but I've actually been enjoying being with all the kids. So, uh, it's eye opening and, uh, you know, there's a lot of kids out there that, uh, this whole experience is I'm I'm now starting to understand some things that principles are saying in a way that I've never understood before. So, and I'm You know what? Love the eighth grade class. I'm having a blast with them. Good deal. Who's next? Um, short meeting. Um, thank you, Kevin, for putting their sunglasses and helping fill that gap. Uh, yeah, I don't have anything. I I think we've kind of talked in the past. I think it's hard to determine what meeting what's going to fall on what meeting. But I I would like to see us kind of restructure some things and maybe have director's reports on some of these lighter nights versus, you know, we'll call hearing nights on on that for everybody. But other than that, um, you know, the phone's not ringing and nobody's hitting the inbox, so things must be going on. So, yes. Um, mine is kind of a shout out to, and I I'm not even going to try to remember who the teacher or what classroom it was. I think it was third grade. Like I was in there this weekend and they have things students posted on in the hallways and it was the coolest thing I thought and maybe I'm just old but um they had their work worksheets hanging out there and it had a QR code that you scan and you scan that and it goes to a video presentation of each kid. Okay. It was if if you have the opportunity, it was amazing. I was just nice. It was just amazing. I love Yeah, that's that's that is cool. Each individual one was the individual student. Very good. I probably need to give a shot. Mrs. Scoffield, she did the same thing. I don't want to leave her out with because she told me I'd love it, too. Sorry. I just don't want Terry to be left out. She So, who's supposed to be scanning the QR codes? I I don't know. I I was in there for my work and just kind of went in there and saw him hanging and me and the other officer were like so we tried it and it just cool as could be. Thanks. Yeah. QR code suck you right in. Yeah, it was their little presentation and it was great presentation. Well, mine is uh couple of the slides that you had in here. Uh, I thought a couple of those would be uh pretty informative, but the next time we have a public comments on taxes, you know, where our rates are going down, all that, those those are pretty dramatic. U, the other thing is the teacher recruitment. I am amazed at what we're hearing and I I can't quite figure out how, but I don't I'm not going to look under the hood in the work. Uh, and uh, Mr. Whiskus, I'm glad you discovered what I used to call the other side of the desk. And I have nobody knows what it's like, do they, Carol? No. And I have to say, I saw Kevin the day, his first day at the end of the day. We were both here for some reason. The man was giddy. Yeah. I hope you don't mind me saying that, but I just was like, you are filled with joy. This is so great. Did anybody get a first day of school picture? Oh, you got first day of school ice cream. I do know that. Yeah. No, I did not get a first day of school picture, but our favorite tradition was first day of school, you got ice cream. So, I made Mark, which meant I ate ice cream. That was our only phone call. Thank you, Carol. Yeah, that was that was really fun to see. Yes, you're welcome. Well, let's uh maybe you'll do more. I'm getting to learn a lot of names and I have one kid that will run down the hallway in the morning when you see me to give me a burl hug and so it's kind of a kid with that's got some trouble and just able to connect with a few kids and learn their names and I'm enjoying it. They want to connect with somebody. Yeah. Yeah. I'm learning that. I one last thing is I uh I'm president of the Iowa Missouri Ford Club. Okay. And we offer a scholarship every year and it has to be something to do with, you know, whatever. And are you the young man? I I signed up for it. I did. Yeah. So, very good. Uh, and I will tell you that your letter was uh especially convincing. You did a good job on that. Okay. Our group was uh unanimous in our decision. Quite the story. Thank you very much. Is this an announcement? He's trying to be careful. This is I'm I'm skating along here. It's unofficial. I'm being real careful here. Official here. So, but no, that's a it was a good good thing. We uh uh our group takes a real positive uh approach to trying to get people into uh automotive, diesel, mechanic, any whatever. You know, be a mechanic somehow. So, but it was great fun. Great fun. I'm looking for a motion to adjourn. Got it right here. Right here. And we got a second. All those in favor signify by saying I.