ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS’
MINUTES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION
BUDGET AND TAX REQUEST HEARINGS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER
9, 2013, 7 P.M
HS CONFERENCE ROOM
1. Call Hearings/Meeting to Order and Roll Call: President Mark Jamison called the hearing/meeting to order at 7:03 p.m. All proceedings hereafter shown were taken while this meeting was open to the public.
Roll call was taken. Present were board members Micheal Dwyer, Mark Jamison, Matt O’Daniel, Greg Sampson, Luanne Sundberg, and Shannon Willmott. Also present were Andrew Farber, high school principal, James Shada, assistant principal/AD, Lynn Johnson, superintendent, and Cheryl Keeler, recording secretary.
1.1 Pledge of Allegiance
2. Public Hearing: Conduct Budget Hearing 2013-2014 Proposed Budget.
Open Budget Hearing Time: 7:05 p.m.
Discuss, Consider and Receive Input on the District’s 2013-2014 Budget: Superintendent Johnson presented the budget and discussed the increases and decreases related to budget categories. State budget forms were reviewed. Josh Willmott asked that, in the future, it would be helpful to compare actual disbursements from the previous year to the current year budget.
Close Budget Hearing Time: 7:33 p.m.
3. Call Tax Request Hearing/Meeting to Order
Open Tax Request Hearing Time: 7:33 p.m.
Discuss, Consider and Receive Input from Public on the 2013-2014 Tax Request: Superintendent Johnson presented the tax request. Kathy Rhea addressed the board regarding valuation increase of 20% on agricultural land while levy stayed the same.
General Fund Property Tax Request: $5,616,797.92
Property Tax Rate: 1.049892
Bond Fund Tax Request: $481,818.18
Property Tax Rate: .090061
Close Tax Request Hearing Time: 7:38 p.m.
ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS’
MINUTES OF BOARD OF EDUCATION
REGULAR MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013, IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING BUDGET HEARINGS
HS CONFERENCE
ROOM
1. Call Regular Meeting to Order and Roll Call: President Mark Jamison called the meeting to order at 7:38 p.m. All proceedings hereafter shown were taken while this meeting was open to the public. Noted that roll call was taken during the previous segment.
1.1 Approval of Regular Meeting Agenda: Moved by Mike Dwyer and seconded by Greg Sampson to approve the regular agenda as amended adding 10.7 Resignation of Employee as an emergency/time sensitive item. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote with Mike Dwyer, Mark Jamison, Matt O’Daniel, Greg Sampson, Luanne Sundberg and Shanon Willmott voting in favor of the motion.
2. Welcome to Guests and Public Forum: No Comments
3. Consent Agenda:
3.1 Minutes/Ratify Action of the August 12, 2013 regular meeting.
3.2 Monthly Financial Reports, Claims (Check Register), Special Fund Transfers, Hot Lunch Report and Activity Report.
Employee Benefit Fund - BCBS Health Insurance $5,514.87
General Fund to Employee Benefit Fund for the purpose
of paying health/dental insurance premiums. $86,851
Moved by Mike Dwyer and seconded by Matt O’Daniel to approve the consent agenda as presented. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote with Mike Dwyer, Mark Jamison, Matt O’Daniel, Greg Sampson, Luanne Sundberg and Shanon Willmott voting in favor of the motion.
4. Curriculum/Instruction Reports: Delayed for presenter David Fritson to return from village board meeting. Returned to item at 8:10 p.m. Mr. Fritson reviewed NESA test results and compared results over the last four years of testing. Scores were also compared with other schools. Staff is researching ways to identify high ability learners and streamline curriculum to meet their needs.
5. Review of Annual District Plan: Plan Item 3.0 and 3.1 was deferred until next month to seek more input from the technology committee.
David Fritson entered the meeting at 7:50 p.m.
6. Principals’ Reports: Andrew Farber, high school principal, reported that he is receiving training to prepare him for his role as special education director. He also provided a TCT update. He advised the board APS was recognized as being one of the 100 best in the nation for financial literacy based on the performance of students who have passed with a high mark on their financial literacy certification test. Mr. Farber recognized the business teachers, Shawna Koger and Teresa Feick, for their exemplary teaching in that area.
James Shada presented his report on the sports schedule. He is also looking at alternative revenue sources for the athletic program by recruiting business sponsors to offset costs of running events.
David Fritson, elementary principal, reported on the kindergarten classroom study. It was determined the size of the classes warrant the placement of a permanent part-time para in each classroom which results in adding a part-time staff member.
7. Superintendent’s Report:
7.1 Enrollment Figures: K-6: 280; 7-12: 285
7.2 Reminder of NASB Area Membership Meeting at Fremont on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 5 p.m.: All Board members will be attending.
7.3 Superintendent’s Annual Goals: Mrs. Johnson asked for feedback on her goals. Board members will e-mail Mark Jamison with their input. Mrs. Johnson also reported the administrative team is working on an administrative S.M.A.R.T goal.
7.4 Update on the utilization of crossing guards: Mrs. Johnson reported the results of a one week traffic observation of three crosswalks after school. Safety Committee recommendations include: a) inform and engage both students and parents to be more aware in safe practices; b) use staff to more closely monitor the crossings over Bell Street to Poplar Drive; c) request the town board to post no parking on the east side of 9th Street and 11th Street; d) ask the town board to jointly review signage along Bell Street and to consider adding a flashing yellow light on Bell Street. Mr. Fritson discussed these issues at the town board meeting and they deferred to their street committee for further review. A reevaluation study of the crossings will be done in a month or two after implementing recommendations as possible.
8. Board of Education Committee Reports:
8.1 Finance Committee: Met to review budget twice.
8.2 Negotiations Committee: No report
8.3 Buildings and Grounds Committee: No report
8.4 Professional Development Sharing: Greg Sampson shared information on a standard response protocol training he attended.
8.5 Legislative Update: Mike Dwyer shared information on discussion items within the state legislative committee that he serves on.
9. Unfinished Business:
9.1 Discuss and Consider the purchase of safety straps for all of the basketball backboards in both gyms. The issue is under further review. Mrs. Johnson will continue to seek proposals for safety straps.
10. New Business:
10.1 Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to approve the 2013-2014 district budget.
Moved by Mike Dwyer and seconded by Matt O’Daniel to approve the 2013-2014 District Budgets as listed: General Fund $8,248,591; Depreciation Fund $702,947.40; Employee Benefit Fund $88,156.60; Activities Fund $352,500.77; School Lunch Fund $291,652.72; Bond Fund $725,700.02, Special Building Fund $213,630.48 as presented. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote.
2013-2014 TAX REQUEST
EXHIBIT A
Funds 2013-2014 Approved Tax Rate
General $5,616,797.92 1.049892
Bond $481,818.18 0.090061
Moved by Mike Dwyer and seconded by Greg Sampson to adopt the presented resolution to approve the 2013-2014 tax request as presented. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote.
10.3 Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to accept a bid for the annual audit of district finances and preparation of the annual financial report for a three year period.
Moved by Greg Sampson and seconded by Matt O’Daniel to accept the bid from Ric Ortmeier for the annual audit of district finances and preparation of the annual financial report for a three year period for $4,900 in year one with a 5.5 % increase each year after that as presented. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote.
10.4 Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to hire a part-time non-certified employee.
Moved by Matt O’Daniel and seconded by Mike Dwyer to hire Sherri Arnett as a part-time non-certified elementary paraprofessional effective immediately as presented. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote.
10.5 Discuss, Consider and Take Necessary Action to adopt on second reading Policy 3011 Fund Balance Reporting, Policy 5001 Admission Requirements, Policy 5006 Option Enrollment, Policy 6212 Assessments–Academic Content Standards and Policy 6284 Initiations, Hazing, Secret Clubs and Outside Organizations.
Moved by Greg Sampson and seconded by Shanon Willmott to approve Policy 3011 Fund Balance Reporting, Policy 5001 Admission Requirements, Policy 5006 Option Enrollment, Policy 6212 Assessments–Academic Content Standards and Policy 6284 Initiations, Hazing, Secret Clubs and Outside Organizations on second reading as presented. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote.
10.6 Review, Discuss and Consider the following policies: President Jamison suggested these policies be reviewed by the building and grounds committee more thoroughly before any action is taken.
New Construction:
7000 Facilities - Purpose
7010 Facilities – Planning
7020 Facilities – Guidelines for Building New Schools or Remodeling
Existing Schools
7021 Facilities – Remodeling
7030 Facilities – Selection of Architect/Engineer
7040 Facilities – Financing of Construction – Building Fund
7050 Facilities – Bids and Contracts
7051 Facilities – Awarding Contracts
7052 Facilities – Change Orders
7053 Facilities – Performance, Labor and Material Payment Bonds
10.7 Resignation of Employee: Due to the emergency nature of the current situation it was moved by Luanne Sundberg and seconded by Mike Dwyer to accept the resignation of Matt Pittman and to release him from his current contract contingent upon finding a suitable replacement. Motion carried on a 6-0 roll call vote.
11. Executive Session: None
12. Action on Executive Items: None
13. Adjournment: There being no further business meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
________________________________ _____________________________
Mark Jamison, Board President Lynn Johnson, Board Secretary