Once our attorney receives the remaining information that was requested on April 1st, our team can review and make the appropriate proposals for our meeting next week. We are committed to working with the board to consider all options to maintain all EVA bus drivers. Thank you. Hi, my name is Lisa. This is my first time here. I do not have any kids. So, I'm supporting all these things. I think there's a lot of things that are important that we need to consider. But here's my thinking. You have I looked at your budget. You have like the five math teachers, you know, one for each school. Why can't we just have one teacher that circles around every other day to another school? We have assistant principles. too. Why do we need that? Why can't we find a way to make a win by win and get some of the things but not everything?
These are positions, position controls of things that this board uh, has been talking about. You're coming on things we can that we can talk about moving forward. There's no positions connected to it. These are just um, position controls and job descriptions. If you if you uh well now it's approved when it becomes public then the job description uh with regard to uh all the directors on 7.9 that's just uh one description now for all the dire directors together it's not additional uh there already is a director of curriculum there already is director of special services there already is an assistant director which is not part of that job description so these are just uh some of these are just changes some of those positions to enhance some of those roles um they're they are uh again um nothing that's that is going to change what the board has already struck as a line item for the amount of money they're spending on administration.
Um, we have a lot of needs in this district and we're just slapping band-aids after band-aid after band-aid and they're not even the name brand ones. I mean, they just, you know, it it's hard um to manage our budget with all of the fires that we have to put out constantly. And as our community has even given us some um pretty harsh feedback lately on our transportation decisions, um we see how much this is going to impact our community and our families that rely on our bus transportation. But again, it's irresponsible to place kids on unsafe buses. We have to take them out of the rotation and we had to cut routes because of that. And I would like to put those routes back in. I'd like to get new buses for our students. I would like for our Asante families not to have to put their kids on a bus for an hour a day, hour plus a day, stuck in traffic.
And then um we classify that as hazardous per the state of Illinois. Part of what's the presentation is coming really tonight as an initial overview is because there's a lot of um information that's it's it's very complex, right? And so we wanted to make sure that both the community and the board start to get essentially a slow pathway to what will be when we will come to the board for information than action. But we wanted to really start with we've received the results. We want to bring to you what are some lowhanging fruit essentially of changes that are natural and already have happened related to this. And here is some latitude. What is the scope of the board's authority in relation to this work? Right. Right. Versus trying to truncate everything into one evening. Uh the community, we wanted to make sure that we allowed time.
Yeah. So, that's a different request and I I feel I feel better about that. Um with you know, there's a lot of sensitive student data on there obviously and without the student data uh well the sensitive parts anyway. I do feel comfortable uh looking at um um finding a way to get those. Yeah. I have a question that may have a few different answers, but I'm curious. So obviously the cohort cohort model is working and it's very successful. Um and clearly you're having additional adults meeting one-on-one more consistently with students which is the obvious answer of why it would be successful. But what and this may be a question for you guys more directly. What do you think the big contributors are? Is it that communication that's more consistent? Is it identifying the need for support services? Is it collaboration with IGRAD? I mean, what what are your biggest takeaways when working with your cohort?
Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? That motion will carry. All right. I have an approval request for special services. Looks like there's three different ones for assistant school psychologist contract, speech language pathologist contract, and blind and low vision contract. Yep. So, again, it's just kind of the time of year when we uh seek these uh seek these renewals uh of these uh t uh specialists and typically they're hard to fill positions if they are contract uh contract workers and so Mrs. Sullivan has added these individuals. They all currently work with us and this is essentially we want to continue that work next school year. So, we're seeking your approval to move forwards. Okay. Can I get a motion? Motion. Second. Motion and a second. Do we have any further discussion?
Um but the budget expendited is still under that 25% since we are a quarter of the way through the year. The rainy day fund is next, I believe. And uh there was no budgeted amount for the rainy day fund for this calendar year. There was uh the money that was uh budgeted for the year prior for the administration center. So if you look at some of the expenditures there that 420,000 uh are carryover POS from that project. So that was not budgeted this year. That is from last year's rainy day budget for that project. Um and you'll see that basically that uh fund is exp uh ex expended uh 99.96% of that budget that project. So there's only really um very little bit left in the project, not in the rainy day fund, but in the money that was allocated for the project. And um that is why there's no budgeted amount there.
I think Sullivan came in and got a shot and I think someone else tried it too and not sure if Sullivan's one did it or if Olsson's but nonetheless poor Kelly is going to take a little breather here. 459 left to go in the fourth. 9 to6 Raiders are up. We will be back momentarily. Hopefully Kelly's all right. [Music] Glad to see him up and standing. Yeah. Got to wonder if he's going to finish this game. Sure he wants to. Yeah, it looks like he is. Team's only down three. There's five minutes left. He's been making some great saves like he just did. I don't know if they're going to force him off for a second. He might. Oh, you know, I think Holl called a timeout. Okay. So, so that's a good time for uh Kelly to take a minute rest. Extra extra couple.
I mean, I'm not getting a raise this year, okay? My company's not giving raises and now I got to pay for all these extra positions you're adding in. I would like you to say no and relook at the budget and go slowly into the things you need, including the building repairs. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Joyce Luchi. I've been a bus driver here in Eastam Township for 25 years. This is the fourth time in my 25 years that the administration has suggested that our department be outsourced. Each time after numerous debates, it has always been decided that it would be less costly to keep EFA bus drivers. This board has yet to see any bids processed for this year to know if it would cost be cost effective to outsource us. To my understanding, that process wouldn't be until July 1st after this board has to vote on this budget.
So it it should be the same. So um but again that's for when this board reorganizes to make that decision. These are just uh position controls that are put in here. Doesn't mean they have to be filled. Uh just to be clear on that. Um directors and supervisors right now uh are in the same unit. um which is something that we're we're uh you know something that's an anomaly to me uh but it's a Garfield thing and it's uh it's a unit thing. However, those those positions are on the same scale. So there won't be much uh if any of a change a lot of these promotions or a lot of these uh new positions that uh individuals may garner uh maybe lateral moves as well. So that's but again that's not even you know tonight with the affirmative approval of the board now the board can sit down as it reorganizes and talk about this and what we're going to post moving forward.
It it's it's not a fun situation um for our community as a whole. It's not fun for us as board members to make these decisions. Um but you know we have not passed a bond successfully in what 19 20 years now. It's 2006 so this would be 20 years um we're looking at um you know I can't force voters to to to make the the right call on it but the need is clear and I think that we need to once again let the voters decide. Um, with that, I'm going to make a motion to adopt the resolution ordering and calling for a bond election in the amount of $127 million. [Music] I would like to make it some other comments about um what does it cost for like one bus? What what is the price for it? Madam President, members I range um from about 220,000 to about 260,000 or so.
This is a busy period, lots of graduation, celebration. We don't want anybody to feel like anything's being rushed through. We really wanted to make sure that we put the right pace in in in in we wanted to provide the right pace around both the understanding and the time it takes to understand these things. And I think this was a really helpful thing that the board in assessing the pathway that a child may walk to school. I do essentially has provided boards an opportunity to weigh in on whether that qualifies as a hazardous crossing. And so what that looks like and we will prepare board members don't have to do anything. We will prepare essentially that breadth of information bring it to the board so the board can have full information and then make the necessary uh decision at that point. Oh did you I'll ask a minute.
Wow. Um, so I can answer that in a word and and it's focus. Um, and and it really is it's so every week they meet as a group. Um, and they sit down and they talk about who needs help, what kind, and how can we get it to them. And I mean that is literally the the focus of the meeting. And so, you know, when you're a counselor uh on a ninth grade team and you're worried about ninth graders and specifically nth graders who are credit deficient or tth graders, 11th graders, I'm focusing on that group of students. Um, in a traditional high school setting, you don't necessarily get that. You get a counselor who's got some ninth graders, some 10th graders, 11th graders, 12th graders. They're all dealing with different things and they're at different stages of their of their high school career and it requires a different a different kind of answer.
Hearing none. All those in favor? Those opposed? The motion will carry. All right. I have a approval request for it looks like several donations. Would you like to read those, Mr. Gib? Would you like? Go ahead. All right. That's good news. Awesome. We have Jack M. Dalton to the Green Castle High School champions together for $1,500. Jack and Shirley Dalton Trust to Greencastle High School outstanding senior recipient $2,000. 1,000 will go to last year's recipient, Austin Aonian. Aon, I butchered that. I apologize. Putnham County Community Foundation to Greencastle High School band for $892. National FFA Organization to Greencastle High School GMS FFA for $9,994. PNC Bank to Greencastle High School GMS FFA for 500. Putting County Community Foundation Cherry Walton Holly Endowment to Deer Meadow for $1,445. Okay. Can I get a motion to approve? So move. Second. We have a motion and a second.
there wasn't anything set aside by the board to use rainy day funds for in the calendar year 2025. And you'll see that the u rainy day fund and balance is uh that $3.8 million.
That's a smart play by the coach. And this is a good time to tell you about how Hollist has one of the best Thanksgiving sandwiches around. That is at Outpost. Outpost Farm. Oh my gosh, that place is so good. And I got to say, if you got a minute or two, should go over there. Got a hanker in for some turkey sandwiches. They don't miss, I tell you, folks. We're good. Making me hungry right now. Yeah. A lovely day like this. Some fresh carved turkey and Oh, yum, yum. We might see you over there, folks. Yeah, if you Hollist fans are going after, we'll be there and I might be there the next day, too. You know, it's funny. I was thinking about that today, Cam, how like um one of the parents one time got mad when I was talking about food with uh one of our volunteers, Jack Dailyaly, and got a complaint about talking about food during a slow game.
Why is that? Why are we waiting till July the 1st? Why is it being h what's being hidden here? How could this board consciously make a decision to outsource when you don't even know the cost? And we all know the bids will be low for the first year and the company will increase the cost of its high the company will increase cost at its highest percentage allowed after the first year. Mr. creates. I would like to know how you could continue to recommend outsourcing when you yourself have changed your own child's bus from a Hillman's bus to a Eve Sham bus causing the Eve sham driver to go out of their area to pick up your children because you didn't want your children on a Hillman bus. I'm sure all these other taxpayers whose taxes are going to increase over $99 and more would like to have a choice of who will drive their children to school each day.
The one of the most important things on that we haven't talked about is the lead teacher position. Uh and what this does is I think we had this years ago here but what this does is it allows uh a teacher to take on more of an administrative uh role uh in the absence of his or her um principal. Uh some of that's got to be negotiated as an impact. Uh, but we can't do that until the board uh approves it, which they did tonight. Um, I um and I I've in all my years doing this, I' I've never invited new members to a caucus. I don't know if that's something here, but I I didn't do it last time either. I would have if that was if that was the something to do. So, again, that wasn't done purposely. Um, but I I've never done that.
um depending if it's a special education bus versus a regular educ education bus. Okay. So, we did um the most recent purchase. Yeah. Only about one a little over $200,000 each. Okay. Cuz it says you've got 17 million for bus replacements. So, we need you're saying like 70 buses or I don't Madam President members. Yes. Those are the the reference the buses that are exceeding the 2008 and older. That's about that range is what would be needed to be replaced. And then safety and security. Your your budget is like 17 million for that also. I'm sorry I I missed the question. It says for safety and security you're budgeting 17 million for the bond or out of that. U madam president members I correct that is what's listed in the the discussion that um was previously had on the v various safety security needs um that were outlined um previously in the study sessions and as well as throughout the committee.
Okay. So going on to as we go east and this is one that we'll talk about consideration for points um and judgment that the board has the option to make. So when they the engineers looked at Wolf Crossing at Harvey Road, the roundabout, it was classified as safe. And you'll see on the third column, it says east leg of the roundabout, the points that the engineers assessed. And then I have an asterk next to that number 11 because remember 12 points or higher is considered hazardous. My asterk is there because I would like the board to consider um that as a hazardous uh road or in intersection. Reason being um when we talk about who travels that road during the times that students are traveling, we have a lot of high school students traveling. We've had several unique accidents in that uh roundabout. And so although ID do has identified it's not a hazardous crossing because there's a landing there with enough space for students to cross the lighting and visible crosswalks.