001Are we set? I think so. All right. Callers meeting to order. Please rise and join the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. >> All right. Let the roll call show all board members have present. Um, and The next item of business is citizen comments. >> Brad Schumacher, come on up to the table. Welcome. >> Thank you. No, not that seat. >> Is that the media? >> She missed out. >> She's not here tonight. >> Um I'm Brad Schumacher, District Five River County Commissioner. I came in tonight to speak on behalf of uh County Road 29 in the Rum River Northland project. Um, just had a couple statements. Uh, do you want
002me to say my address heard? >> You're fine. Yeah. >> Okay. Um, project's going well. If if you drove through there, it looks a little rough for today, but that's okay. I just wanted to read this quick. Um, the um, uh, County Road 29 Rum River Drive paving northbound will be the week of the 18th, fully completed by the 22nd. Essentially, the entire road northbound and southbound, County Road 29 will be fully open for traffic on August 22nd. Southbone still has one lift of pavement to do and this will not affect the bus traffic for the school. Um, Northland miscellaneous intersection curb and uh curb and gutter going on the week of August 28th with minor impact traffic back to school activities in the evening will not be affected. The final work course for the
003southbound portion of County Road 29 the first week of September. We have stipulated to the contractor no paving during morning school rush hour. Um, so busy student travel should not be affected. Uh, the construction for the entire project will be completed by September 5th. And so I came to say thank you to you guys on behalf of um the Sherman County uh board in its entirety for letting us use the EMS services through the parking lot and the school property um during that time when we closed off Northland Avenue. And so we wanted to come in to make sure we we thank you guys for your partnership and uh move moving forward the the use of the the process to and the tennis courts for the update meeting every Thursday. >> The contractors are not
004playing tennis. >> I was there. I was there. We're not playing tennis, but they were there to >> not just there to have coffee and and talk about the progress. Um, and then ask for any questions that you got out of the school board from the school board back to the county. Uh, or anything I can take back. >> Any questions? >> Is that a little ahead of schedule then? Or is it >> on schedule? >> It's on schedule. >> On schedule. >> That's knock on wood. I had said that um on a different topic, but like with all the rain that we've gotten, you know, you haven't had to water your garden and then to be able to still get these construction projects both here, both in Zimmerman, um to to make them be
005on schedule has been a miraculous thing. We we do think that Myers Contracting is doing a heck of a fantastic job and the guys that are on on that project are I thanked them when I was there at the last Thursday meeting with the police chief at uh public works director of the city of Princeton. Any questions? >> No. >> Appreciate the problem so much. >> Thanks for having us. >> Very nice. >> It'd be very nice when it's done. And and the the thing that'll really make an impact for the community. Um school buses in general too. Plus when the work uh when the workers get let out is is that the >> it's a learning curve. I got to say that up front. It's a learning curve for us in Princeton. Uh, but
006there'll be a blinking left light and so you won't have to wait for the light anymore. It's just like it is up there now. It's blinking and hasn't blinked before. >> And so there there's probably going to be a couple fender benders on the way. But in the end, it'll be overall it'll be very good for the community to have um have that blinking left leg to help, you know, just keep traffic flowing back off onto Northland. >> We're all getting some practice right now. >> Yeah, we're getting some practice now. Yep. like it 169 project go faster >> 169 project uh we a we awarded that today uh it would went to Ames for $44 million um and they're going to start turning dirt on the county road um 4 and highway 169 project
007uh after Labor Day. >> That's awesome. >> Wow. >> The thing that we have um there's a lot of concern with you know because they're putting in the sound barrier wall and it took all those pines down. A lot of the folks in Zimmerman on that Fremont side have expressed their concerns that we have to get those pines chopped up because we all have seen what happens if you I've heard what happens if you light a a dried up Christmas tree. I guess it burns really fast. I I've never done it, but if I would have I've heard that it does do that. But anyway, we got to get those trees chopped up like now because as soon as the um it's not raining anymore, it will be a danger for fire with the pines
008coming through there and but yeah, we did county board did award that today. >> Nice. >> So, >> anything else? >> Congratulations. Welcome to our community. >> Thanks, Brad. And thanks for having this project done before school starts. >> It's always about that just the other day as I was coming through there. Yeah. set up this morning going to work. >> I thought I read it was supposed to go into September. So >> to finish so some of that final work because they'll be putting down the you know the black dirt and doing the seating and you know kind of doing the finishers >> shoulders. Yep. And then they'll wear a course cuz you know they'll put the >> that first course in it'll be rough and then they'll put that final course in for
009the um >> by the end we have the goal is both for you guys in Princeton School District and also in Zimmerman because we have that roundabout down there. both sides busy in district 5 and I'm I'm happy we're seeing, you know, tax dollars being spent here, you know, local local dollars, local option sales tax dollars getting spent right here in the south side of Princeton. >> Awesome. >> The weeks of speculation that a roundabout was going in was hilarious. >> I love the godless internet. >> It was hilarious. It was good. Thanks for having me, madam. Thank you, school board. Thank you. >> All right. >> We will move on then to board member committee reports. And how about if we start with Eric Strandberg? >> Um, I just had finance before tonight's meeting.
010That was it. >> Okay, got nothing new to report. >> Done. Uh, agenda planning. >> Thanks. Uh July 23rd, I had the Rum River special ed cooperative meeting and out of that meeting we decided to enter into a purchase agreement for parcel for a new building um >> in Malaca. the one in Malaca and the >> purchase price is 185,000 and >> that was negotiated down between the seller and and the cooperative or and so they've also hired a company Nexus um to do the kind of a the construction management team and the overall budget is $15.5 million. So they're going to be going out for bids here soon. So, and then I had finance before this as well. >> I'm so glad that project is >> great, Melissa. Um, I didn't really do much,
011but I did come across um something in um one of the e-clipippings that MSB sends out that I kind of wanted to bring to all of our attention. Um there was an article about how kids, especially teens, young teens, are using AI as like a friend. So, they're using the Chad GPT like to talk to and to have like like get advice from and have relationships with and that's terrifying, right? Because for so many reasons, but also it just basically spits out whatever you put into it back to you. Um, so I don't know if that's something that it was like, what did I tell you? 70% I think it was of kids >> 70% >> used it. >> Not just for like a school work, but like >> but for like So what's you
012know about decisions about what to buy for school clothes? >> Yeah. Or Yeah. >> Something you would ask >> your best friend. Yeah. >> Or parent. >> Yeah. Kind of weird, but But yeah, so I just wanted to bring that to our attention as maybe that's something that maybe like the admin team can be aware of or >> the entire staff's going to have somebody talk to them on the that when we're in the pack when we bring them back. That's what our second half is all about AI and we're bringing our presenter to talk just about the goods and the bads and how to identify and so on. So, >> and I don't know too if I mean that's like maybe something our wellness committee like if they come up with some ideas that
013wellness committee can >> you know help with but yeah it just made me sad and terrified all at the same time >> consider some communications to parents about how to help their kids. Yeah, they would get from who because we uh Jessica found a she was at a conference that found a really good presenter. She said, "I want to bring them in teach our staff." But then from that, that'd be great, Jennifer, to >> say, "Okay, here's some tidbits that we can help train with with our with our parents, too, because it's all new to all of us. We're all trying >> Well, maybe work our way >> work with the PTO." >> Yeah. >> Try to help get that conversation out with parents. almost like n teaching parents how to navigate Tik Tok, right?
014I mean, it's it's almost another social media tool. >> It's a whole new adventure, you know. >> Interesting. >> And I feel like the only way we can kind of, you know, com compete with that is just keep working on building our community and, you know, and that's what we're Yeah. >> So, yeah. But anyh who, so I just wanted to bring that to everyone's >> Yes. >> Thank you. I have nothing. >> Nothing. >> Um I did attend one facilities planning committee out of the last three because they're council >> um agenda planning and then I had finance before this. So we have no student council reps tonight. So we will go to the superintendent report. Pat >> life uh continues to be busy but uh I don't know it's for me it's exhilarating.
015I'm meeting a lot of people and uh and and getting involved with a lot of things. Um but it's good. Uh this last week I met with the um the Homeland Security people that handle the Monaceel power plant fall out shelter and they're they're switching the building that we were supposed to assess all the people that would come up to us from the high school to middle school. They just said the high school's too active. by time you try to clear out every the kids out, they can still stay there for practice or whatever. Let's just go to middle school. And what they liked about the middle school is that they they do a um a a radiation uh screening for vehicles and then they the public works building right there so they can, you
016know, bring them right over there and >> wash them all down, right? So they uh they have a training actually uh for all those that are part of um that that you know process if it was to happen. Um they have a training tomorrow night um at the at the middle school and they asked me to come join them. So I'll learn even more tomorrow night. Um but then FEMA's coming a week after and the everybody that was trained has to show that they know what they're doing and FEMA's just going to watch see if they know what they're doing and they give them that. um yesterday, right? >> Yeah. But it's uh I learned a lot. It was fascinating. Um and what I did uh um find out that uh um it's not uh
017it's not tax money that does this. It's actually from the from the um Excel Energy, they since it's their plant, they have to pay for all these workers. So, I thought that was a good thing. >> Um but that was good. Uh um had my first uh official admin meeting this week. That was fun and exciting. We um everybody's getting geared up and ready to come back and uh really uh um be ready for a welcome back week for all of our staff and and for the students the week after all our open houses. Communication will go out to all parents on on Friday with the welcome back uh information on paid. Um, so that uh we were making sure everybody was in step and ready for that. So we're good there. Um, but uh
018um it was it was a good meeting just to talk to all the staff and see make sure everybody's ready and everybody's pointed in the right direction and it looks really good right now. So, um, uh, the, uh, web page was new web page was launched and big thanks to Emily for doing that over the summer. And when I first came here and I talked to her about her task, and she told me she was doing that by herself. I was just baffled because I've done it three times in my career and it always took a a staff of at least four over the summer to do it. So, to have her do that was amazing. Um, and it's all working and up and running. And we have, uh, you know, that was part of
019the admin meeting. Each, each each building is to quality control check, make sure everything was was, uh, putting the way it's supposed to be, is working. So, so that's, uh, that's a good thing to have happening. And, um, hopefully that works. Um, other than that, we're watching enrollment as it comes in and, uh, seeing what's happen. our our um enrollment for our online school is already right at or a little higher than it was when we exited last year and August is uh usually a big month for online enrollment. So we we uh we expect to see that um surprise where we we're actually had budgeted and hope so. So that's a good good thing. Um and then we're watching some other numbers. The kindergarten numbers have it come in um and met that threshold
020that we wanted. So we're there with 180 180ish >> 180. >> Yeah. Yep. And so we feel good about that. That's where we wanted to at least be at. So So that's good. And they still have weeks to go to. So we'll see where the the aroma comes. But we're excited about that part. Um tonight, you know, obviously big meeting with the resolution. Um and the the the committee work that every Wednesday we've been talking about on the back side. Michelle and I and Emily have been doing quite a bit of work making sure that we're having things all ready to go. We have a press release ready to go out this week, you know, if everything goes like we think tonight. And and then uh um we'll start making sure we have a um
021a site for a website and and I have a phone installed in my office just for the uh messages. So >> I see that >> make sure I'm responding to that. we have a separate email and so um we're getting everything all set up and ready to go and we're already starting to put together kind of aformational campaign of making sure we're getting out to people and uh once we get that calendar kind of filled in we'll make sure everybody here and actually it will be on the website and everybody will know where they can get their information. Um and uh you know there's a lot of steps to this and we know that and we we're making sure those back channels are happening. We're getting that all taken care of. Um, and I know
022that even on the election side and Emily and Michelle are working make sure that our we're ready to have our our polling election locations set up and then even for the absentee. Um, we talked about making sure everybody knows that that's uh they can get their absentee applications and how they can get them and have them printed off and ready even at open houses in case they want to get them there. So, um there's a lot of strategies that we want to make sure every voter in our district has an opportunity hear what we're doing, why we're doing it, and and has an opportunity to vote. So, that's um um so it's been a lot of work, but a lot of good work. Um I signed up for the uh the community chamber leadership series,
023so I'm good to go for that. >> I like that. >> Yeah. And today I met quite a few of our neighboring superintendents at the superintendent conference. So started to network there already. So So >> have you slept since you've been here? >> No, not really. >> I don't know. I'm kind of like that though. It's all good. Yeah. So it's been it's been it feels like it's been like three months, but I just >> So thank you. >> Awesome. Thank you. All right. We will move on to item number six, approve agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda as presented? >> So move. >> Motion's been made by Melissa. Is there a second? >> Second by Eric Minks. Any comments or questions on the agenda? Hearing none, all in favor say I.
024>> Opposed. >> All right. Agenda is approved. Item number seven, discuss and act on previous board meeting minutes. Is there a motion to um approve the minutes as presented? >> So moved. >> Motion's been made by Scott. Is there a second? So moved. Second by Don. Any comments or questions on those? >> All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. >> Minutes are approved. Item number eight, uh consent agenda. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> So moved. >> Motion's been made by Jen. Is there a second? >> Second by Scott. Any comments or question on the consent agenda? >> Can I ask a question? >> Yes. >> What does intermittent leave of absence mean on the personnel document? It means that it won't be they
025won't be taking it in consecutive six weeks. It will be two days this week, three days a week this week that week depending on what their medical needs are. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And that is allowable under >> right. Any other questions? I like the parent responsibilities section that was added to the transportation. >> Yes. >> That is good. >> All right. No further comments. Um all in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Consent agenda is approved. We have no information items tonight. We just have some action items. So, the first action item is the special election resolution. >> I'll make a motion to accept the uh to approve the resolution relating to determining the necessity of issuing general obligation bonds and approving a new capital project levy authorization and calling a
026special election thereon as presented. >> Motion's been made by Eric Stramberg, seconded by Melissa. Um any discussion on we go. >> So we've had you know this resolution legally looked at and actually rewrote about what four or five times Michelle tell you >> since version eight >> so we know it's accurate. We're going to make sure that it's all by the book and it's all tightened up and we've had a lot of conversation leading up to this. I think everybody knows what we're looking at to >> now we just move forward. >> Yes. Exciting times. All right. Uh any com other comments or questions before we vote? All right. We'll vote uh by roll call starting with Jen. >> Yes. >> Melissa. >> Yes. Yes. >> All right. Resolution is approved. Thank you. Uh our
027other item of action is our revised budget. So as you recall in June when we uh did our original budget, the legislature was not quite finished with their work and um also once they finish, we've got to give our organizations time to do the calculations, get the information out to us. So um we have now added basically um what we've changed here is our revenue. So if you go down to compensatory and click on the budget maybe I will get mine to come up pretty slow. >> Mine won't come up. I won't thank you. you. Well, it did come up in my other meeting, so I know it could, you know. >> So, um, our compensatory was one of the dollars we were waiting for. >> Uh, if you recall in our original budget, we
028were looking at a negative $300 and some thousand variance there. Uh, now it is60. So, uh, we actually our revenue increased by 400,000. This is a one-year fix um at the state level. Coming into 20 526, their goal was to keep compensatory at the state level. And when it all shook out, it had winners and losers. We were on, of course, the losing end of that conversation. >> Uh a lot of lot of conversations down there with all of our organizations going, "This isn't working. They now have somebody back at the table. They they've basically restored things for one year. I expect that starting next year though we will we'll start to see a reduction. So um we'll take it for this year. We have moved from the unassigned area revenue or uh expenses of
029about $200,000. Uh that's why you still see a negative 60,000 there. We can move more. Um that was just a start. Or we could choose to move less. Uh depending on how our enrollment and how everything shakes out knowing that we're most likely going down the following year to to keep that category um fluid for a couple years would be good. So that was compensatory. And then of course that we uh received our revenue for the unassigned area. So go all the way down to where it says unassigned and click on general fund budget and I'm still not got enough speed there but um as you know they want to see >> yeah yours come yours comes up fast likes you um you can see the compensatory at the top there at that If you
030go down to where the gray is and it says on unassigned uh our original said 2.1 million as a variance, it is now 1.5. They restored unemployment. Uh for the next two years they we should have full unemployment paid for for the summer and um but there were some categories that went down. those categories were um student support or was it library aid? Um all those funding mechanisms that they gave us in the previous they've all gone down a little bit. So that has impact but overall it's brought us down to 1.5 in the NS and in large part to due to compensatory >> did the um federal funds that they're holding is that affecting our I know was I don't know if they released some of it >> right federal funds that they have
031been holding many of those pots we don't yet title two uh was one of them listed but They released my understanding the funds have all been released. So, you know, we hadn't claimed it yet. So, we didn't feel any impact from it. >> Um, you know, had we claimed it and we were sitting there waiting that that would be a different story. What we did throughout the year was we claimed our money every month in our federal title program to the year >> instead of waiting. Well, we did it quarterly. So, um, we didn't feel that in title. Federal special ed though is a different thing. We we do claim that at the end of the year because that runs through Rome River and there's a lot of paperwork that goes with it. So, but
032all those pots of money, federal pots of money are going down. I'll just give you a snapshot of title two that we just talked about. We typically get between 65 and 75,000. This year we received 32 going into 2526. So that's going to have an impact as we go forward. Title one is an impact. So we will work with that as we receive those numbers. So but otherwise the the budget overall um there was more ads than there were um subtractions. So that was helpful. and uh makes us it puts us in a better light. It's still showing a negative 1.5 million, but you got to remember we're banking on a 2% variance with our conservative budgeting. And um we've got chargebacks of 300,000 that we typically have at the end of the year. So
033I I feel much more comfortable at this number than I did at 2.1. Yeah, >> I paid my son's car damages. So, that brought us >> Thanks for being a responsible parent at the beginning. >> Absolutely. >> Why did you not do that? >> I learned my lesson. >> Any any questions for Michelle on the revised budget? >> I'll make a motion to approve the budget is presented. >> All right. Motion's been made by Eric Strandberg. Is there a second? >> Second by Eric Minks. Any comments or questions before we vote on that revised budget? >> All right. Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> All right. Budget is approved. We have no addition additions to the agenda. Um so is there a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Motion made
034by Melissa. Is there a second? Second. Second by Don. All in favor say yes. [Music] >> All right. The next two years [Music]