CorpusRecord 128278

WCA School Board Meeting 8/20/25

A searchable transcript preserved as part of the Discourse Corpus. Passage numbers provide stable references within this record; verify quotations against the original recording when available.

Source
YouTube / West Central Area ISD 2342
Date
2025-08-21
Location
Grant County, MN
Material
Transcript
Extent
3,183 words · about 18 min
Collected
2026-06-21

Transcript

Verbatim source text

001All right, you are live. >> All right, 7:06 in the secondary school me center will call the meeting to order and start with the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance 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 for all. >> Roll call. Vincent, >> yes. >> Olrich, >> here. >> I'm here. Sour, >> yes. >> Sanset is not with us. Porter >> here. >> And Gross is not with us >> this morning. Uh, we don't have any public comment at this time. So, we will move to adopt the agenda. You'll notice um a couple of additions under 5.2 as well as um I guess they're all under 5.2. Um, are there any other additions or corrections

002to the agenda as you see it? >> One piece I should put on there as well. I forgot to put the step Erica Bordon said she taught last year would actually be at step one. Remember, our contract starts at step zero. So, she would gain that one step. So, she'll be at step one at 43 FTE. Okay. Any other noted corrections, additions? [Applause] And I would look for a motion to approve the agenda as modified. >> So move and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. >> Uh administrative reports. We'll go to our business report. Good morning, Tanya. >> Good morning. Let's find my note. and Tanya, they all have that in front of them, your report. They do if they either have it in their packet or they're linked

003to it. So, >> I was going to try to be fancy, but I don't always know. So, okay. Good morning. Um I am going to go through the um results, not the final um just some preliminary results for June 30th, 2025. And um we will be showing this report several um more months as we progress through the audit. So this is definitely not final. Um so it'll be nice to see how the numbers change as we move forward. Um so for the general fund um really the only changes that were made were to federal revenue. So we did um have the federal receivables booked for the end of the year. Then um we still have a lot of work to do for the audit. So state revenue will increase significantly then it is reported right

004now and then property taxes will change as between the different funds. But overall, as of right now, total general fund has received 96.9% of the total budget. Then for expenditures, the only changes really were to some salaries and wages and then some supplies. So, as we're getting closer, we have some cleanup payroll that we were recording in the general fund. So, that's why there are some changes and then some accounts payable that were reported. So, overall, we have spent about 96.6% of our budget and expenditures are are a lot closer to being final than revenues. So revenues will change pretty significantly. Yet the expenditures could stay about the same. So overall, we do know we're going to have a positive change in fund balance. We just don't know the exact amount yet. So that was

005a general fund. The next page shows the other funds, food service, community, education, and debt service. and really not a lot of changes now. Um, food service did go up a little bit in some revenue that came in, but we are going to continue to make changes with the audit process as we're moving forward. So, no big changes compared to what I reported last last month. Oh, any questions? Can you remind us how long the audit process usually takes? I know it's yearly and I know we >> I know last year was probably deceiving to most especially new board members because >> didn't we spend a lot of extra time last year >> we did on the audit. So how long does it normally take? >> Right. Well, the audit is scheduled for September 8th.

006So that week. Um so that'll be the big start of the process and then um typically it will go through October and um like final reports will be in November is typically their time period. >> Okay. >> So >> yeah, we haven't heard from Mary yet, but typically I think they like to do that board meeting in December. I think that's kind of I think they now just use um >> y >> recurring dates or whatever. So since we're kind of at that point there, November 30th is really kind of the UFAR's deadline that everything needs to be >> to be posted by that point. I think we're still looking at fund four. Um asked Maggie and Tanya both to say we made some adjustments already in fund four with our daycare, but it still

007it even got worse. And Maggie pointed out that there were some things that were put from last year got put into July and now we've already booked expenses into this year. So it's kind of a double booking of some of those expenses. So, I think that's what we're still reviewing to clean up just a little bit um in that fund for and so we can have some better answers for that. But yeah, that audit process always takes a considerable amount of time. I know Maggie's doing a lot right now just trying to um look at where expenses have been coded and getting those cleaned up so we have more accurate numbers there. But I think the positive side really is the fact that we already show that we have more revenues and expenditures. I think

008there's one outstanding bill for Lake Region that maybe is still out there that we need to get paid for some school nursing services. Other than that, I think most of those bills are taken care of. But remember, we get paid throughout the year 9010 for our school finance. And please feel free to jump in, Tanya, if I say something incorrectly, but 9010. So, we'll still have cleanup payments all the way through October for because they look at our student enrollment and they'll make sure that that's all adjusted and things like that. So, we could still see some payments there. They may be small, but that's where I think Tanya is talking about that we'll still see some considerable growth in our revenues there, which will be a positive compared to the last few years of

009deficit spending. >> Correct. Yep. >> Great. Any other questions for Tanya? >> All right. Thank you. >> Yep. Thank you, >> Mr. Brown. Well, that brings us to your report. We uh have all of our staffing. So, we do have all of our teachers in the classrooms. Um I know that the special ed staff are working with building principles to figure out where our pair of professional needs were. We also had the special ed cooperative here, too, just to review to make sure that the minutes were being met and that we were right where we needed to be with our numbers and and had to do some shifting. We had some significant numbers transition from the elementarymentaries to the secondary. So, some of those pair professionals have um shifted up here as well. So, we

010have that ready to go. Still, of course, looking for district office administrative assistant as well as community ed. The real pro promising piece is we've got um a good amount of interest from folks interested in those positions. So, plan is to probably notify people this week of uh interviews for next week and then bring that to the September 3rd, I believe, right, is the next meeting. September 3rd recommendations to fill those two spots. um because I know community ed is one of the ones that is going to be a little more timely since we've got fall things that need to get started and and some folks have already reached out about that special election the filing is closed. We do have the two candidates um Christopher W. Anderson and Ryan remember to fulfill that last

011one-year term um for the vacant seat there. So that election will take place uh November 4th. I believe the uh absentee ballots will start September 19th, but all that information will be sent out will be handc count. Um we'll be hand counting those ballots and Grant County is getting those printed for us and we'll have those ready to go combined polling places. Then we'll have the absentee balloting here available at the district office up until the day of election. And then the election will be both at um in the Gettinger room in Elbow Lake and then over at the community center in Kensington. Remember 4 to 8:00 p.m. is for the special election. the back to school newsletter. Uh, thanks to our building principles as well as Maggie for helping get that put together and

012that's our plan now because we did receive some real positive feedback about that. I know one of the comments was it's nice to have a one-stop shop to see all that information. So, we will do that as well with a fall newsletter. Um, so kind of I stole the ideas years ago from Fergus Falls. My prior district has used that and so I just thought it was a good tool to put out there to for our families to have. So, we'll continue to use that. um on a quarterly basis and I know our principles put things out too on a more regular basis, but to keep families involved and things like that and just wanting to make sure that we're delicate to where we place names. I just saw a news article last night that

013was warning families of how much information you put out for that first day of school. You know, some families like to put out there the students first name and what grade they're in. And now experts are saying be very cautious with how much information you put out on social media, which is unfortunate. So, we'll keep an eye on that as well. But, uh, we'll keep pushing those pieces of information out to our families and district staff so they're kept informed. Fall workshop started Monday. That was a full day. Thanks to all of you for being here Monday to help welcome and we had a full day there. Ended with Grant County Professional Development over at West Palm Lodge. So, we joined with Herman and Ashb. So, that was a successful afternoon. And then yesterday was

014our full day in Morris. And really the two key components there is one teachers need to be get their C use or continuing education units um every five years in certain areas and so they're able to get that taken care of with that workshop and then we had a guest speaker as well um those speakers can be fairly expensive so when we offset it with several districts it helps cover that cost and uh he was kind of talking about resilience and connections and things like that. So hopefully a great way to start off for staff. Today they'll open with meetings, um, building meetings. We do have our staff pictures. The t-shirts are here, so we'll get those passed out as well, um, that Starbank graciously helped us with there. And so we'll get that ready

015to go. And then we have early entrance conferences this afternoon as well as tomorrow. And, uh, JMC training was also on Monday, and that seemed to go well. I know there's going to be a few hiccups here and there, but when I asked um Nate how it went, he felt that that there was some positive pieces there that he said it's not complicated. It seems to be very simple. It's just a matter of learning that new system. Uh school facilities work session. Just remember that we'll schedule that for next Wednesday. Um I believe the start is 5:30. We'll get postings out so folks know about that. But I would probably anticipate close to three hours to get that ready to go. And then we'll have a rep representatives again from WHIDS, Lindseay Cryans and Brett

016uh Domen will be here to help with that process as we start to move forward after we receive the recommendation from the um community task force who did a great job there. So then you'll just see the upcoming dates here. Uh first day of school September 2nd and then we'll have our schoolboard committee meeting on September 3rd. And remember that's a 5:30 meeting as we now get into the school year. All right. Any questions for Mr. Brown? Comments and we will move into our approve of the payment of claims. Mr. Porter, do you have anything for us there? >> Yeah. Uh, good morning. Like to just take a few things uh checks on the check register. Uh, we were just speaking of the JMC communication app. Uh we paid that or will be paying that

017bill. >> 15,658. Um the huddle upgrade, we pass talked about the huddle stuff in the in the past. It was 8,000. That's going to be $16,000. Now, um lawn care lawn and grounds care for June and July of 20,340. uh the YMCA swimming lessons uh $4,430 and the North scoreboards uh $12,250 and we have paid the first um portion of our Clifton Larson Allen auditors and so I with questions I would um if there are any I would mo make a motion to approve the $598,95 $5.75. Any questions? Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. That moves us to our consent agenda. Uh we have the following items. We're going to approve the meeting minutes from July 16th and also the August 6th meetings. Um

018any additions or corrections to those minutes? Anyone found? I'll make a motion to approve. >> We'll got to just wait. Yep. We We'll keep that. Keep that for a second. We have the following resignations. Uh Kim Hendris, pair professional. Kim Hendris, sorry. Um and Anna Barren's pair professional support uh student support. We have the following hires. Um Erica Bordon, the 43 FTE elementary music step one. um Aaron Halverson, pair professional, and Stephanie Bevvens, pair professional. Uh we also have the lane changes for Brandy Gro, um from BA + 10 to BA + 20. Maggie Doll goes from MA + 10 to MA plus 20. And Heidi Wetling goes from BA + 10 to BA + 20. And we have also a leave request from Mark Olsen for medical leave. Um, additionally, we have the following

019final readings for um the policies and form. That's the student use and parking of motor vehicle patrol inspection and searches, student uh parental, family, and marital status non-discrimination and policy 529 and form staff notification of violent behavior by student. Now, are there any questions or comments on any of those items? >> Mr. Porter, >> I would make a motion to approve. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion's carried. We'll move on to our new business. Uh, let me get to that page for donations. get there. Let's see. You're the contractor. There you go. It's a long list of corporate sponsors. So, I guess back to the note that um Nathan made about that bill going from 8,000 to 16,000. I remember that was part of

020that the 8,000 overage will all be included in corporate sponsors. And I know Jake said that with that new advertising piece that he's put out there and things like that that I think he's already generated near $20,000. So we've got quite a few people that are even others that are asking now too to get to be part of that. >> All right. So we'll go through this list. Um Zero Abuse Project $5,000. Uh Elbow Lake Dental $300 corporate partner donation. Northdale Market $300 corporate partner donation. Olsson Oil, $300 corporate partner donation. Farmers Agency, $1,200 corporate partner found donation. Kensington Bank, $1,200 corporate partner donation. Barrett Care Center, $600 corporate partner donation. Bright Seed, $600 corporate partner donation. Prairie Air, $600 corporate partner donation. Midwest Machinery, $600 corporate partner donation. Ellis Insurance, $600 corporate partner donation.

021Cruz Plumbing and Heating, $600 corporate partner donation. Uh, Evolve Orthodontic, $600 corporate partner donation. Staple Seed Service, $600 corporate partner donation. Elbow Lake Co-op Grain, $600 corporate partner donation. Barrett Agra, Inc. Corp, $600 corporate partner donation. Hoffman Building System, $600 corporate partner donation. Hair Fusion, $600 corporate partner donation. Wendle Pioneer Insurance, $600 corporate partner donation. Prairie Ridge Hospital, $600 corporate partner donation. WCA Football Boosters, $889.99 for a football invoice. Is that really just for footballs? >> Nope. Nope. That would be Yeah. >> Okay. >> Oh, they are getting expensive. WCA football boosters, $2,000 for the huddle camera. Um, Eagle Bank, $1,200 corporate partner donation. Runstone Telecom, $1,200 corporate partner donation. Kent Marshall, $600 corporate partner donation. Bullfrogs, $300 corporate partner donation. Western Prairie Human Services, $600 staff development. and L um Lakes Country Service Cooperative

022$5,42755 for the Perkins Consortium grant. Are there any questions about any of those donations? We really appreciate all of them. >> Yes, >> I'd like to thank them. >> Yep. Um so I would look for um a motion for the resolution. >> So move >> and a second. Second. >> Roll call vote. Alrich, >> yes. >> Porter, >> yes. >> Vincent, >> yes. >> Sour, >> yes. >> And I am a yes as well. >> That moves us to our long-term sub teacher pay schedule. >> Yep. We don't have anybody scheduled for that right now, but we just like to have that taken care of at the beginning of the year. So, this is going to be somebody who's going to possibly fill in for if somebody's on a medical leave of some uh form.

023And we've had some people do that in past years. So it just kind of shows what that ska pay schedule is going to be and really why we look to bump that up after some time there is just because of the planning and the work that's required. It's not just a matter of coming in as a casual day sub to all the lesson plans are drawn out. The teacher is going to leave a framework for them to work through. But usually starting on day 16 and beyond that's when they have to start doing their own planning and getting things ready to go. So it requires more time. So, this is just to have that laid out and so we know how we're going to handle that throughout the year. >> All right. Are there any

024questions on that long-term sub pay schedule? >> And I would look for a motion to approve. So, move >> and a second. Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. Um then we come to our um West Central West Central area education master agreement. Um the teachers have approved the agreement. >> Yep. They voted yesterday and approved that. Yes. >> Um do you want to give highlights on that? Mr. Brown, anything you'd like to give on that? Well, I think mainly on the financials, it's a 2% increase the first year, a 3% increase on the salary schedule the second year, and there's $100 each month for health insurance contributions. So, it would be $1,200 for year one, $1,200 for year two. Uh, so that's really the financial components that are there.

025And then just some minor changes in some of the language pieces. Uh, that included allowing them to carry over more personal leave days. um so they're not just at that six. So they carry up or get up to a maximum of 10 days um on that piece there. There was just some cleaning up of some other small language pieces. So that's really kind of the the um crux of the contract remembering or reminding you that steps and lanes also have an inherent um increase there as well. And I think we figured about 1.75% year one and I think it was close to 1.5 on top of that two and three. So for those folks that are getting a getting moving a step or getting a laneed step. >> Okay. And then we also did basically

026now at in year two our bottom >> our starting pay is $50,000. >> Um was the other thing that that has been moved to? It was a slight it was a slight adjustment. Yeah. So there was a slight increase on that one as well. So >> yeah, about $300 get us to that $50,000. So for a brand new teacher, we can now say that it's a $50,000 starting wage and and then the health insurance too with that contribution now puts us more competitive with our neighboring districts as well to show we realize that those expenses are increasing dramatically um over the time. And so hopefully that'll help. It doesn't fix that, I would say. So, I know right away we've talked to a few folks to say we need to see if there's any solutions,

027other alternatives that we would have to look at health insurance because it is it continues to go up quite dramatically each year and that's really kind of a hard piece when they see their increase on the salary schedule and the health insurance. It's hard to keep up with the health insurance piece. >> Any other questions, comments on the contract? And I would look for a motion to approve the 25 to 27 contract. Is that >> you are correct? Yep. Should be 25 to 27. >> One little note there. 25 to 27 lesson area education master agreement. >> So moved >> and a second. >> Second. >> All in favor say I. I. I. >> That brings us motion carried. Brings us to the end of our agenda. We're not going to have any discussion. You

028just >> you want to discuss why? >> I don't have anything to discuss. >> Big thing is next week is our workshop and we'll come with uh Did you send out I guess I forgot I need to look um what the plan was just so they can be reviewed. I know we talked about it. I >> I think I I think I did when I Yeah. So, but we can do that again. And I guess if there's anything that you believe needs to be added to the agenda, so Maya and I will get together and probably put together a a framework, get that out as soon as possible. But if there's something that you believe needs to be included in that discussion, let us know so we can have that >> Yeah. >> ready to

029go. So, we'll try to keep that meeting as efficient um and effective as possible so we're not all over the place because I think the three hours I think is still going to be pushing. We're not going to have everything taken care of. But I think if we can say here's what we want to leave that night with with these pieces, I think that would be helpful. Um, you know, kind of going through there and, you know, we're not getting it all solved that night. I think it's just really laying a framework for, right, >> what do we need to accomplish, including staff feedback. I think the task force had also just mentioned keeping the community engaged. I think that community task force really appreciated the opportunity and feels that that'll be valuable as we

030move through the process. And maybe and I don't know if we lay out the entire timeline to say here's our election time frame or if we say hey here I think we have to have somewhat of an idea so we don't say well why we thought we were going to be here and at the end of three months we say well we're not even close now we because I think our the biggest piece is communication right with our district stakeholders so they know us getting that out and how soon do they need to be be informed there. So, but yeah, if there's anything that you would like on the agenda. So, I would say probably expect something by the end of the week or for sure Monday. And if there's anything else that you want

031to have um included there and we'll reach out to Witsth to see if they've got some thoughts and ideas. I know they do saying, "Hey, might be time now to look at somebody to help with the pre-referendum plan, laying that out, you know, looking at um Krauss Anderson or one of those folks to help with that process as well." But they'll go through all of that on Wednesday. But yeah, if there's something else that you'd like to if you need information on something to say, hey, I didn't have this. Yep. >> So, I think it would be again looking at our student enrollment, right? That's what the task force looked at was the student enrollment, probably our operational costs, also reviewing those pinnacles. Um, that was the other thing that the task force wanted to

032make sure that was still followed through because they put some time developing those three three pinnacles and and uh kind of going from there. >> Yep. >> All right. Questions or comments on that? >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. I >> have a motion. Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. Have a great rest of your

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