001I 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. Is Mr. Fleming coming? He is not. He had to He was going to the track meet. He had forgotten about that. So, he just sent his letter in instead. Okay. And were you going to address the board before we get started? Briefly. I will not stand up this time. I am Sarah Van Pirkle. My understanding is that some of the board has received the petition, but not the superintendent yet. I thank Dr. Fields for communicating with me on the phone about that petition. And I am looking forward to hopefully having it on the agenda for the May board meeting. I'm also very interested to
002hear about a potential partnership with Heritage Behavioral Health Center. One of the things that they are able to offer the Decatur Public School System is school-based counselors that are assigned to students and know their psychological and behavioral history. And I think that could be a great benefit to Sangamon Valley. Thank you. All right. So, at this time I need a motion to enter closed session for the reasons stated on the agenda. So moved. Motion made by Matt Miller. Is there a second? Second. All in favor, all please. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Milner? Yes. Pirkle? Yes. Stahl? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. 6-0-2. Motion to accept the closed session minutes as read in closed session. So moved. Brown, is there a second? Second. Uh Campbell, roll please. Hilbert. Yes. Leaper. Yes. Stall. Yes. Wood. Browning. Yes.
003Campbell. Yes. Guerrero. Yes. Retaping. Yes, it's me. It's on. Make sure we're all doing what we're supposed to be doing. Um So going into personnel, uh our retirement for this year. We need a motion to accept the irrevocable letter of retirement of Susan Pierson effective at the end of the 2029-2030 school year. So moved. Motion made by Martha Leaper, I'll second. Roll call please. Stall. Yes. Wood. Browning. Yes. Campbell. Yes. Guerrero. Yes. Hilbert. Yes. Leaper. Yes. Before we move on to retirements, are we Is there something planned for Mrs. Cummings Mrs. Cummings. Cummings. Yes. I miss Cummings this year. Are you guys doing anything at the end of the year? Yeah, we usually do on the last day of school. Okay. Any retirements? Chair. No. We're not doing chairs or anything. Okay. I'm not saying
004any more, but she didn't want She did not want a chair. All right. We have an idea for this year. Okay, good. She didn't want a rock. All right, so on to other personnel items. Motion to permanently Jason Nadlaw as an at-will benefit and maintenance worker effective April 1st, 2026. So moved. Motion made by Laura Campbell, is there a second? Second. Mr. Jared Hilbert, roll call please. Browning. Yes. Campbell. Yes. Guerrero. Yes. Hilbert. Yes. Leaper. Yes. Stall. Yes. Wood. Yes. Employment. Motion to employ Alex Raimer for summer maintenance effective May 26, 2026. So moved. Motion made by Lyman Wood. Is there a second? Second. Brown, call roll, please. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Motion to employ a Junior Deemer for part-time summer maintenance effective May 26,
0052026. So moved. Motion made by Brown. Any second? Second. Wood? Call roll, please. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Motion to employ Carl Spatz for summer maintenance effective May 26, 2026. So moved. Motion made by Josh Hilbert. Is there a second? Second. Brown? Call roll. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Motion to employ Kennedy Macklin as for summer maintenance effective May 26, 2026. So moved. Mr. Wood, is there a second? >> Second. Campbell? Call roll, please. Stall? Yes. >> Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Motion to employ Caleb Wood for summer maintenance effective May 26, 2026. So moved. Motion made by Hilbert, seconded by Campbell. Call roll, please. Who was the second? Campbell?
006Oh, I thought she was the motion. Hilbert, would you give it? All right. He was louder in my good ear. >> Okay. >> [laughter] >> Um Stall? Yes. Wood? Abstain. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Motion to apply Stacy Marksberry for summer maintenance effective May 26, 2026. >> So moved. Campbell? Yes. Leaper? Mhm. Call the roll, please. Browning? Yes. Campbell? Yes. >> Guerrero? >> Yes. Hilbert? >> Yes. Leaper? >> Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? >> Yes. Motion to apply Colleen Burge for summer maintenance effective June 10th, 2026. You need to change the date. Stall? Oh, is it going to It's May. No, it's 26. Oh, I see. 2025 on there. Uh motion made by Hilbert. Is there a second? Second. Browning? Call the roll, please. Campbell? Yes. Guerrero? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leaper?
007Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Browning? Yes. >> [snorts] >> Motion to apply Alex Smith as an at-will non-benefited bus monitor effective immediately. So moved. Second at-will, second by Browning. Call the roll, please. Guerrero? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leaper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. >> Browning? Yes. >> Campbell? Yes. >> [snorts] >> Motion to accept the non-certified salary schedule for fiscal year 2026-2027 as presented. So moved. Uh Mr. Stall, is there a second? Second. Browning? >> [clears throat] >> Call the roll, please. Hilbert? Yes. >> Leaper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Browning? Yes. >> Campbell? Yes. >> Guerrero? Yes. Motion to enter into a three-year successor contract for an at-will benefited transportation director with Christopher Foss. Foss? Foss. As presented. So moved. Motion made by Browning. Is there a second? Second. Wood, call the roll, please. Stall?
008Yes. Wood? Yes. Browning? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Guerrero? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leaper? Yes. And your consent agenda, everybody received it. Any questions? Somebody will look into this. You're going to check on Ms. Campbell's need for building an open it. I opened it when I went in there. It's the email, so. She just needs to add you, I think. >> [snorts] >> Um so, I need a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. So moved. Go. Moved by Brown, seconded by Wood. Call roll, please. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. >> Ferraro? Yes. >> Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stoll? Yes. All right. IASB report. It's rather lengthy. Um there's two in-district workshops. One's for board readiness for a superintendent transition, which we already fumbled our way through. And there is a workshop and workshop online. And
009the second workshop is fierce conversations. Um can also be found on IASB's website. And then this year, they're also doing the joint annual conference scholarship program for anyone that's never gone or a school that's never sent people to conference, you can apply to um get a scholarship for that. And that's all they have. Okay. And then we go on to um building reports from the principals, which we still enjoy thoroughly. Um anybody need anything to add anything, or you all good with what you've already presented? I have one question on on your on yours. One of your bullet points was like something about it that applies to a grant. You seem to qualify for a grant, but it didn't say what it was. What grant it was in May. It might be Was it by
010the um greenhouse? I don't remember. Is it the one I'm talking about the grant CGQ grant grant? I can't remember ADM grant or the bowling grant or So it was ADM Cares grant? Yeah, the ADM Cares grant. Cuz we had applied last year. Um You know what? I bet I know what you're talking about because uh we've been I don't know if you guys remember last year we applied for ADM grant and got it and we used the money to build a greenhouse. So that was like being done and um the kids finally were able to finalize getting plants in there. And I I wonder if I got cut off cuz Miss Ingram wrote me a little snippet and I cut and pasted it so I wanted to find it. >> doing the landscaping around
011it, right? With the rocks and stuff. That's probably what that was. Yeah. About for the drainage. Yeah. Cuz you guys just did that over there getting ready. they just did that and so the plants um I don't know if you saw the Facebook post. I put pictures of all of it up there on the stuff that the kids are in there without them. It was really exciting to see so they're all about it. John I think Louise James works very well there. Oh. Yeah. Sorry. It's when I'm trying to find the list. I thought maybe I was the three men that he sent. No, I had to ask Stacy to sign them. It's good. >> [laughter] >> That That is how long it took. And then it took me that long to find the list.
012Just saying how long it took me to find the money in that baby. So Martha, we need a motion to have got it. I I was just putting it at the end. Do you want to insert it now? Yeah. I would go on before we go to the superintendent's report. And so a motion to employ James Murray for summer maintenance effective May 26th, 2026. So moved. Motion made by Matt Wood, is there a second? Second. Campbell, call the roll, please. When you get ready to vote. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Ferraro? Yes. Gilbert? Yes. Needburg? Yes. Stall? Yes. >> [snorts] >> Okay, superintendent's report. Okay, uh bus barn update. We had trusses delivered the other day and we've had some snafus with the weather. Our excavator is supposed to be out there on Friday to do
013the site work. Um Martin Engineering did come out last week and get everything staked out uh and measured up. We've had to do some adjustments to the to the project. Uh one of the lean-tos we were going to shorten to move the building over to keep it off the septic and away from the fuel tanks. Um there was a little uh of a snafu with the fuel tanks. There was a little misunderstanding, I think, with the engineers about how far they needed to be. Um it was a 25-ft versus a 30-ft situation and we just happened to be exactly like 28 or 29 and 1/2 ft away and had to shift the whole distance over, but I think it's going to be a good plan and it's going to save us a little bit on
014materials in terms of that which we were already probably spending uh elsewhere. Um but at this time, we've got everything set up. They've got it staked out where we need to be and then they should be out to get them started. I know uh the Sturdy-Built rep will be out on Friday to get things going there and make sure that we've got everything uh ready to rock. That's kind of where we're at on that and hopefully we're going to be moving pretty quickly now. Um also in the last week BLDD Todd Sroufe reached out to me after we've been doing our 10-year HLS, and he just wanted to get the ball rolling to talk about, you know, if we had any desire in discussing long-range plans and maybe looking at what that could look like.
015So, you know, I had about an hour meeting last Friday, and we're going to revisit that um, a little closer to time after we get our 10-year survey back. Um, but they were out doing all that and collecting all that data over spring break. Um, we had a power pole which Matt uh, actually texted me about on Easter Sunday, and it was leaned over, and uh, Ameren came out secured that for us, and we were able to get Bowden out um, before it fell the rest of the way and pulled all the football field lights down, and all the bus barn lights down cuz it was right in the middle of all that. Um, so they came in put a new pole in, um, and got everything >> [snorts and clears throat] >> back on
016there with all the switches for the lights and things of that nature. Ameren came out put a new transformer on the old junky pole that it's connected to. Um, and so if it doesn't fall down we'll be doing okay. Um, but it's connected, and they kind of tightened everything up there around that. We initially thought like we didn't see any signs of anybody hitting the pole or anything like that. It looked like there was a little bit of rot down at the bottom. We're like, I guess maybe a big wind. We had a lot of wind that week. That's probably what did it. Um, I talked to our insurance about it, and he's like, "Well, your wind coverage is like $100,000." So, okay. We had reviewed video already, not seen anything. So, I went back
017to the video again, and I said, "I just want to check this out again, you know, and see where we're at." Um, and upon that review of video we got some different angles and stuff, and we're able to pinpoint we had somebody come to uh, to drop something off that was a donation to the ag department, and that person I guess there was a guy wire that was connected to that pole and this person was out there on the track looking for a place to unload. He was backing out and I can pinpoint it right there. We could see it pretty clearly. I just was focusing on the pole. He was behind the greenhouse. You couldn't have even seen the vehicle. And he hit the pole and that's why there was no marks on the
018pole. And it's just weird too because it was on the opposite side of where the pole was laying. So you would have thought it was hit from the other side. No tracks or anything. Hit that guy wire and that guy wire jerked that pole and that's what broke it. And then you were able to see everything come out and we got a real good I was able to identify the person, got in contact with him and his insurance. So we're now doing that. Squared away. Everything went well yesterday and he was very receptive and apologetic. Said I didn't even know I did anything. And you can go and look at my vehicle now and see where we're at. Guy wire I would say was it was pretty taut and it's metal and I'm sure that
019you got a good rub or something under your vehicle. So but he he was very sorry and we got everything squared away. So we were we were good there. Uh we also had Mr. Guy that contacted me track coaches and sent him a picture of something up on the roof right before spring break there and then I was able to Mr. Meadows was here subbing for Bruce on his vacation. Uh I had him go check it out. And we actually had the membrane from the roof on the west side of this middle school was peeling off. And when you got underneath that started doing it. So we were able to get a hold of Trimco. They came out and then they did a repair for us the very next day. And luckily before all the
020rain started again. But there was a a good chunk of membrane that was flopping around up there. I think we've got it secure and they did a good repair. Bob went up and checked it out and said everything went really good. And I am planning on meeting with Tremco at some point after the HLS survey just to maybe take a take a look and walk some of the roofs and see. How old is that roof? How old is that roof? That roof was probably done in the '90s, I [snorts] think. So, I think that when they did their assessment for us a few years ago, it was maybe in need of attention, but not too bad yet. I know the worst are probably Harris Town uh, and then some portions of the high school on
021the roof wise. I bought a man kind of reviewed back over that as well. While he was in um, but we're good on the power pole and and good on air for the time being, but we will check on it a little bit uh a little bit closer. Um, Iliopoulos uh, town cleanup will be on June 6th. They contacted me, got insurance doing stuff. I talked to Mayor Reed about that. Just want to make you aware that those dumpsters will be out there on that weekend. Um, casino update. I attended a meeting uh, last week um, with the uh, the Decatur area leaders um, and this time to meet with representative uh, and leader Bob Rita. He was uh, South Suburbs uh, representative. And uh he is uh, one of the majority leadership in the
022House of Representatives and also somebody that the speaker uh, Welch told us that it would be a good idea for us to talk to you because he is the head of the gaming commission. Um, so we went and talked to him. There was some some uh, talk that maybe an issue he had was with a 35-mile moratorium near the Hawthorne racetrack up north that says, you know, you cannot build another track within 35 miles of this facility uh, for X amount of years and that is due to sunset and that was not changed in any of this legislation and he does not want that sunset to happen. So, that they have an opportunity to recapture that market um, and keep that uh track up and running. And so that is one of the issues that
023is I think bigger and more paramount in his mind. He said that there were multiple things that he felt like in the building that would be worked out. Felt like it was a pretty good meeting overall. He said in one breath, you know, that you know, it took us 20 years to get this built in Chicago, speaking of a certain casino up there. But then he also relented that, you know, 5 weeks is a long time in legislation to make things happen. So he says, "There is a good path forward for this." He says, "And I can see it clearly in the news, but you know, I will work my hardest to to see that this happens." But he also said like if these things don't happen for other places, then they're not going to
024happen for Decatur. And he did say that that would not move forward. But there he says there are other people invested within this. So that's kind of how that happened. We also met with the representatives of Cherry and Shear while we were working there and then kind of got some time with them. So I'll keep you updated on anything else I hear, but I know that they are out at the end of May. That's when that will that session will end. We did have to replace a double door refrigerator at the Iliopolis [snorts] that quit working. The compressor that we were going to have to replace was more expensive than we really wanted to spend, so we decided just to purchase a new refrigerator. So when you see that come up to MJ Kelner, that's
025what that was. And we have that type of refrigerator already throughout the district and it's been a good one. So we hope that it lasts us quite a while. There is a good little warranty on it and on the compressor as well. Student safety and well-being, I kind of gave you a little synopsis just with some bullet points of things that have been done this year and also in the in the wake of our tragedy that we've experienced. Things that we're doing moving forward. I had sat down for a meeting that we kind of had scheduled ahead of time with Shane Brendel from the ROE. He's our student safety liaison. >> [snorts] >> And Shane was the Decatur police chief for several years. He is very knowledgeable and has worked with us on reunification and
026things like that that we've done with the ROE. We sat down and just kind of do a review of our crisis plan. We looked through our whole threat assessment framework and a lot of our other protocols. He had a lot of good things to say. He said his biggest concerns that he had with all of our stuff is within our crisis plan itself. He said he felt it was too detailed. And there was too much to it and he really talked about pairing that down and maybe putting some hyperlinks to some things in like our reunification plan and other things like that. And maybe considering it more like this is the incident and these are the response types. Which kind of lines up with our with our standard protocol that we use from the I
027Love U Guys Foundation. So I'm going to work at retooling that and then we will have our crisis and safety meeting after school gets out to kind of adjust those things for next year and see if there's anything else we're missing. That's also when we have the county and some other folks come in to sit down with us and then the same day we'll also do our threat assessment materials and and look there and just kind of do an audit of everything that we've got with that. Within that too, we're also going to look at the their the administrative procedures and lists of the bullying policy that go along with our press policy. We're going to take a look at some of those things and refine those as well to see if there's other things
028that we want to change up there. I feel like we do a good job of things, but I think maybe even having more paper trail and things like that would be good moving forward. Looking at some of those intervention stuff that I provided you with, uh you know, we have really tried to increase our uh contact with Heritage Youth Network this summer. We've been talking to them and we've been working with them earlier this year um to get in some group work and things like that. I actually went over there today to meet Carrie Ray, who's one of the one of the higher-ups with them uh while she was doing some resilience lessons with third and fourth grade today with Mrs. Summer. And we had a really good conversation and talked about you know, different
029offerings and talked about increases in seeing about students that are seeking um counseling and you know, they're very much wanting to make this like a you know, like this is a normalization of this uh you know, seeking this kind of help out, um which is which is great. We've also seen those resources increase for us over the last few years, too, which has been great through some different grants and stuff they have. We had told them also, you know, like we would really love it if we could get a counselor on site if that would be at all possible, you know, like for next year. And she said she wasn't closing the door or anything, but a lot of things too that they do are relying on grant funding. So, we're certainly going to uh
030keep that door open and look at that, but also look at just growing our partnership with them. Using the Iris portal [snorts] for referrals has been really great and trying to get those services for families. And it's a great thing with Heritage is not just for our students here, there's also services that they can provide families, family counseling. Um and they have they've done really well. Um we kind of had some years where a lot of services that we saw from places like Heritage and Crossing things that kind of went away um because of some of those grant funds and stuff being, you know, drying up, but we're starting to kind of see that more come out in things. And we've also looked at some other grants. I know the anti-bullying grant that was, you
031know, mentioned. We we had for that quite a while ago and we're still waiting to hear on that. I had applied for the school violence prevention program federal funds that I told you guys about. That was denied to us this year. We plan on trying to look at that again through the next year. Um it is uh hopefully going to be reviewed through the Department of Justice. I think this year that one is through. Uh but it's a pretty pretty nice grant. It's very similar to the Stronger Connections grant that I wrote with a couple years ago that helped with some of the social work and also what we used to put the phones and the intercom system and things like that. So, there's a varied amount of things that you can use that for.
032Which is really good. But, um we are unfortunately our Impact Liaison, Ms. Smith-Work, um is going to be leaving us. She's given her notice to the ROE. We wish her the best of luck, but I am going to speak with them tomorrow. I've already met with them a couple times to kind of discuss next steps, but I did say that we did want to post for that for sure with them try to get somebody in here again this year because she's been a great asset and we feel like there's been a lot of benefit to having her in the buildings. Um and so, I may actually get with Katie Odell, who's the director of Impact, again next Monday. Um but I'm going to see Mrs. Ruby and Dr. Broadbent tomorrow and we're going to kind
033of work through a few things with that to see um what is going to be out there. But, they are also with their folks um that they are interviewing and looking for. They want to make sure that they do have a a great focus on mental health um and some kind of background like that with this person that they get in because they see that as being such a need. And especially with our location and geography, you know, um kind of being we're kind of on the border of Sangamon County, Macon County, which kind of makes things harder to access and sometimes too. Hopefully more uh information to come with that as we move forward. You don't anticipate, since we're so late in the year getting somebody at this time. We won't this year. Yeah,
034it'll be for next year because they they won't be able to post and get somebody in a month's time and get them trained and everything. I've seen the posting. I've seen it up on their thing. I just I didn't think they'd be able to get somebody with the school after school. Everybody else they have is is tied up, you know, with other districts and stuff. So, it's you know, it's unfortunate, but we will we will persevere. Move on, but I think we got some really exciting things going. I'm really impressed with our conversation today and and the opportunity that maybe we'll be able to tap into. Uh we also are looking at some some further staff training through them. Uh they have kind of refined the mental health first aid, which we've been looking into
035for quite some time, uh but they had trouble um with having enough people that were certified to be able to train it. And being able to get that done in a full day institute for us, they almost need like multiple days. Uh but we wanted, you know, everybody to be trained. Like all the all the teachers to have this kind of training and to be able to uh you know, access these resources. And now they've actually got it kind of set up and structured where they have enough people that are trainers where they actually break them into groups. Um smaller groups, which is another thing that they needed, which we're like, "Okay, well, we've only got one day and we've got 100 people. So, how are we going to get everybody trained?" Well, they kind
036of now split them up into smaller groups and they do, you know, like four groups at once and then they switch with everybody to do the different parts of the different aspects of the training. So, I think that'll be really cool um to get going and uh exciting to see. And the the making high behavior interventionists, have you had good luck with them coming out and I always Yeah, but I don't know the name. >> They've been in our building a lot lately. Like um they really come observe students, but we've asked them to observe classrooms. Um It's just a long process. >> Cuz they come observe on multiple different days and then we will meet with them to determine like other suggestions and they kind of talk to you in They're They're there during
037the school day. So, they're talking to you in the hallway about trying to figure out what you had done with what things had worked. Um trying to get a feel for the different teachers and stuff. So, we've had them out um in a couple of our classrooms several times recently. I honestly felt they've been very thorough and not working with them since I've been here. They've always done a great job. Okay. I remember being in the primary for a little bit probably for the same issues, but I just didn't know how much they've been out this year. Okay. All right. New business. Annual financial report, we got the AFR back from KED. And we've had quite a bit of time of trying to take care of this. One of the biggest things was our problems
038with Skyward, which have been here since the beginning, which I am hopeful after talking to them and working through this process that we now have what we need moving forward and that they are They're very close to being able to help us with the program to get it straightened out. Um so, hopefully we can get that done here in the next couple weeks. Uh but one of their major findings you would have saw is about the bank reconciliations. And so, that's what we worked through I think for the last couple years of those just to make sure where we were at exactly down to the penny. Um and we found a few journal entries and stuff in doing that that we needed to go ahead and and take care of. One of the biggest problems
039from the reconciliation from last year was we had some things that were reported in TRS, but there was mistakes through the TRS of how it went up through the payroll. And then we had to re-back that out and then redo it again. And so, these things kind of got jumbled up. But they were able to work it out with the auditors at KPMG to get that figured out. We had the same kind of issues with the IMRF through the PCU portal. And, I think we finally got that all squared away within that. So, there [clears throat] was journal entries galore last year with that. And, so that made things kind of difficult to do, but we got that done. Um, you'll notice there was some deficit spending in some spots. And, we're kind of anticipating
040some not as bad as we were anticipating. Some more worse. One of those is transportation, which we think we're over 100,000 deficit spending last year and 230,000 this year. Um, a big piece of that is our lease. Another huge piece of that is the state funding. And, the state funding proration that increased again this year. I am being told may they do potentially have a plan to be able to fully prorate fund us. Cuz, they never give you 100%, you know. But, if we get 80 again, that would be really great. So, there is kind of a plan in place if the General Assembly decides to to pass that. They are wanting to use that into uh, go ahead and fully fund the mandated categoricals, which would be that. And, then um, you know, our
041another mandated categorical is not prorated currently special ed that we don't get enough for. Um, so hopefully they do that. I have some other plans uh, that I would like to approach the board with in terms of transportation uh, because I do realize how big of an issue that is, especially with the state funding situation. But, I have some ideas um, moving forward. One thing I want to do, um, which I'll speak about later, is well as to hire transportation residency specialists. And, they are a group that comes in and they do an audit of the transportation program and they see where you're leaving money on the table with the transportation claim. And, they help us maximize that. Uh, I think the state board takes them because they show, "Hey, here's here's where you're missing
042money. We're going to help you with that. So, I would like to get them in with your permission. I was going to enter into a contract with them. And get them to come in and take a look at things. I spoke with one of the reps last week and he's excited to come in and help us out. And I thought also with Wesley's coming up and some of that things they could really help us kind of refine our practices there. But I told him what we've done so far after sitting in their training last year and uh he was like, "It sounds like you're doing really well and you're on the right track." He goes, "I think we can come in you know, help you make short work of this." So um we'll do that
043and then we of course provide them with 10% of whatever we get in new on the claim for 1 year. But then we also write that back into the claim to then recoup some of that money. So, I think it's a no-brainer on them. I would love to work with them this year and get that going. Do you know how long that process takes so that's fairly quick Um I think for the for doing the claim like we have to have that done by October. And then some of the other operational things may take you know, other time. I think within the course of the year that's what I'm hearing from other cities like we work with them for the whole year and they you know, go through everything. Standard operating procedure, they'll look at
044routes and things like that. But we do have some some stuff working with routes and things too and it'd be nice to get another set of expertise on. So, I think it'd be good. But anyway, that's the annual financial report in a nutshell. So moved. Do you want to do you want to do you want to share? Oh, do you want to go over the program? Okay. I was just going to run through it all. Okay. I can Um I'll make a motion. Motion to approve the FY25 annual financial report from KTB as presented. So moved. Is there a second? Second. Browning, roll please. Browning. Yes. Campbell. Yes. Guerra. >> [clears throat] >> Yes. Gilbert. Yes. Lippold. Yes. Stoll. Yes. >> What? Yes. Uh I've given you a breakdown of summer projects uh that I'm
045recommending that you approve. I've talked about several of these in terms of the capital projects. Um and I tried to split things up this year with capital projects versus what I consider maintenance. Capital projects are more big ticket items. Uh I am just now getting ready to put the the parking lot out to bid at Harristown. Uh and I worked with the engineers on it to split those bids up into um three different sections so that we can kind of do an all apart as to once we see the price on things, what we want to go with, what we don't want to go with, what can maybe stay around till next year uh and or two years down the road depending on budget. Um but I think that's a really good plan. Um and
046then also if you have any other questions about any of the summer items that I have on there. Um I know we're kind of still figuring out what we're going to do with ceiling tiles, but I kind of tried to give you a rough estimate on some of those. But tiles are more expensive than we thought, so Yeah, they they came in today. Sorry to interrupt. He's going to try and get 5 to 10 off for us in a bulk order, but he won't have that quote till later this week. But he came in today to go over some flooring max stuff, too. So Okay. But yeah. So So the the pad Where was I just looking? The shop over at the assistant principal's Yes, somewhere over in there. It's not in this. Yeah, it's
047not in there. It's coming up. It's cable. It's a good list. It's cable list. Okay, so the intermediate asphalt pad estimate from Dunn. Mhm. We voted on that already. Right. That is behind the building though. That is. Yeah, kind of behind the media center. Okay. Just making sure I'm keeping all my So, it's like the doors. I feel like we've done that all spring. Like No doors. No doors. There's no doors. Okay. One question I had is the article documents. Yes. Can you clarify old documents and would it be better just to burn them than to shred them? Maybe. Um they are old like personnel files and things from people that died about 50 years ago. Mhm. Um we've gotten state um off- approval, yeah, to just dispose of them. We said burn them, burn
048and shred them, whatever we want to do. Um but we could possibly look at doing that. But we have a burn barrel we could use. That would be free. We do have a burn barrel that we use. That's That's what we've done with other stuff in the past like papers and stuff like that. So, we don't just toss them in the trash can. Does Uli Apple's still have a shred truck that comes out every day? I don't know. It was like a couple times a year. Like twice a year. We had checked with the bank, the local bank. We thought maybe they would have something like that cuz we believed that was an option for us. I didn't check with Uli Apple's, so I guess I didn't The other option I know who was a
049Oh, he owns He's out of Springfield. He's actually a Tri-City uh Confidential Shredding. Thank you. I know they're mobile. I know that they've come around to do stuff like that. I think that's who Uli Apple's used Yeah, I think you're right. during the summer cleanup day a while back. That was under like a donation They did like a donation deal for that. It was paid for if you brought up goods for the pantries. You can bring up like two or three tubs worth of stuff. I'll check with them before we do the shredding. I can't remember what the guy's name is. He lives right there on the main road in town. Yeah, he's got a big greenhouse right by the park. He drives a bus. Yeah, I know the I know the house. I used
050to I'll tell you I'll tell you before you leave. I used to I used to drive by it. Yeah, yep, that's it. And what side is Logan and the school? Oh, yeah. Address, phone? I know I know where it's at. I said the house was at. What what time what rooms are we doing summer outside? Um we're looking I primarily I think the the rooms in Eliopoulos on the elementary side are pretty worse for wear. I like the middle school ones. The first. What's that? Are those the big decorative ones? No, those are in the middle school. Okay. Yeah, so the the ones in the middle school I think in the hallways that we're going to leave them they're in pretty good shape. There's a couple classrooms that have them. Um and I know they've
051got like quite a bit of rust on them. We're going to get those out of there and replace those um and try to get the grids painted um before they come in and do the lights and stuff cuz he'll just have to do the lights pretty quickly. Um but there's several over there that were done kind of like the middle section hallway in Eliopoulos was done whenever they did the engine project. So some of those are fine but the big hallway going back to the gym is nasty. Like from where Tuck pointing before Tuck pointing was done like leaks didn't come in there so and I had that some of them replaced but they're very spotty. So that's one that's really a big eyesore that we want to knock out. And then the classrooms over
052in the elementary side Yeah. Yeah, we've got to save these grids. And they are they are in need of the prime and the paint together for sure. But we should be good to go there. Okay. So are we ready for a motion to approve the summer work projects as presented? So moved. Motion made by Brown is there a second? Hager. Brown? I'll abstain. Campbell? Yes. Guerra? Yes. >> Lambert? Yes. Leiper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Okay, parental and community involvement plan. This is Ms. Walborn updated this that is due from our requirements from the state and that is part of our consolidated district plan. So, I recommend you approve it. Anyone would like to make that motion? So moved. Herrera, was that? Gilbert. Gilbert, Wood. Herrera? Yep. Gilbert? Yes. Sleeper? Yes. Stall? Yes.
053Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. And for the consolidated district plan federal grant funding as it pertains to that, this is the this is the plan that we have to fill out and complete in order to apply for our federal funding. So, I would really appreciate it if you would make a motion to approve this. So, I will make a motion. Is there a second? I'll second. Campbell, please. Gilbert? Yes. Sleeper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Yes. Herrera? Yes. Motion shows Stephanie in the lead. Yep, the motion passed. Um the next thing up is we had one set of bids on the diesel fuel and the unleaded fuel and that was from Evergreen FS. We had two bids on the propane but Evergreen came out better on those. Not what I would have
054liked to see but that's what a war will do to stuff like that. So, we're going to go with Evergreen 8 cents on the diesel. A little bit on the gas and the propane stayed even. So, but it's our bid. I'll ask that you make a motion to approve it. It's better than what we're paying at the pump so I That's true. Motion to award the diesel fuel, unleaded fuel and propane bids to Evergreen FS for the 2026-2027 school year. So moved. Matt, Wood is our second. Campbell, roll call, please. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Yes. Okay, we received a bid from Hutchins Excavating to install a sidewalk at the high school at a cost to the district that would not exceed 13,500. What the plan is there is to
055install a sidewalk that would lead from the front of the building where the visitor parking currently is at up to the front high school doors. We would like to for the sake of safety start unloading and loading our buses out in that area and relocate our visitor parking to the rest of the parking lot with the students. Because what it has been for so many years is where we pull the buses in and horseshoe around. We are constantly weaving in and out of kids and cars who aren't looking. We have kids just walking through the parking lot right in front of where we are unloading the buses and they are a lot of times looking down at their phones or jacking around or whatever. It could just be a bad thing waiting to happen so
056we wanted to start doing our drop-offs out in the front and so it would be nice to have a sidewalk. Yeah, it's going to run parallel to the one to the superintendent's office. Is that what you're saying? Correct. And it would be straight up the middle there and it would lead right into where the high school doors are at. Okay. So motion to award a bid to Hutchins Excavating to install a sidewalk at Seminole High School at cost to the district not to exceed 13,500. That was Halbert. Halbert seconds. Halbert, you're going to have to speak up. Call roll, please. Wood. Yes. Yes. Yes. Herrera. Yes. Halbert. Yes. Leeper. Stark. Yes. Yes. Is this pick up or drop off? Yeah. Huh? What? Did you say pick ups or drop offs? They're both. It would be
057there. So then where's the bus going to go? Say it's empty. It's got to get back from here. It has to go to town. >> So, it'll turn and go around town and come back in. We're hoping that also help, you know, some of that morning and evening congestion, too, as they're trying to weave in and out to get back around. Really in the morning, so they're not Uh IESA membership, I'd recommend you approve this so we can stay in the IESA. Okay. So, motion to approve renewal of the IESA membership for the 2026-2027 school year at a cost of $1,440. Submitted. Motion made by Brownie. Is there a second? Second. Wood? All. Brownie? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Yes. Okay, next step we have the middle school boys
058track and field cooperative agreement uh with Tri-City. I recommend that you approve this for the two-year period. All right. I'll make the motion. Is there a second? Second. Stall? I abstained. Hilbert? I even wrote it there. Roll call, please. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brownie? Yes. Uh next step we've got middle school girls track. All right. Motion to approve. And you said these are two-year, I forget. >> Yeah, yeah, they're And they were three They're two. Okay. Go ahead. So, motion to approve the renewal of middle school girls track cooperative Tri-City to begin the 2026-2027 school year. So moved. There you go. Motion made by Stall. Is there a second? Second. Brownie? All. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Leeper? Yes. Stall? Wood? Yes. Brownie? Yes. That was
059clear. It was. Guerrero? Uh next up we got middle school boys baseball, called by trustee. All right. Do I have a uh someone Was your name again? Or Campbell? Is there a second? Second. Roll call, please. Guerrero? Yes. >> Gilbert? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brownie? Yes. Campbell? Yes. All right. Um next up we have the shot put and discus. Uh so Mr. Fleming came to talk to me about uh the possibility of installing a new shot put and discus pad um at the high school, uh which is which is all that he is asking for right now. And I told him I don't feel like that's in the budget for this year, but let's look at it for next year. And then he took it upon himself to kind of beat the
060street and see where he could get additional funding, and he is pretty certain that he has got that. Uh and so this installation would be at no cost to the district, we just need the approval to allow that to be done. Do we have the discus discus cage? Not discus cage, shot put cage? Uh I don't know if so. Here? Like at the high school? Yeah, it's at the Do we host any meets here? We have only We have We We were going to have one since I've been here, and actually no, we were going to have several, and it always would rain on that day. So this is basically for practice? It'll be for practice, and I don't know if they'll decide to have some meets or not, but they did it for practice
061for sure. We're going to have to build that track, weren't Um so motion to approve the installation Look at that bus barn first. I know. I'm not going to live until that bus barn's done. So So moved. Moved. Okay. Motion made by Mrs. Weaver. Is there a second? Okay. Brown. >> [clears throat] >> All those in favor, please. Felber? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Um next up, we have uh facilities use uh agreement that uh JLO has presented to us and I would recommend you approve that pending proof of insurance. So, moved. Murray, Campbell, is there a second? Second. Wood? All those in favor, please. Stall? Yes. Wood? Yes. Brown? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Felber? Yes. Weaver? Yes. With the understanding that they need to schedule
062all of their things through Mr. Fleming or yourselves. Um maybe there needs to be a refresher reminder that Mr. Fleming can do. Correct. For them. Okay. Um next up, we I talked to you uh briefly about uh possibility of doing a debt certificate finance the bus barn project. And what that would do for us exactly, long story short, is um we would be able to finance that ourselves through uh paying the debt certificate out of working cash, which would go into fund 60. Um and then we would pay that money back to working cash uh over the course of 6 years uh at a rate of 4.5% interest. So, I think currently we're at three something that we're getting interest on our CD in the working cash. If we were able to purchase the debt
063certificate with that, pay ourselves back the interest, we'd make 4.5% interest over the course of that 6-year and which would be about $91,000. We would also not be out that money all at once. Um I think this is a a really good, financially responsible plan to do this. I have all the paperwork right here in front of King's Financial um that Martha and Stephanie and Erica will sign if you so choose to do this. And our total expense out of pocket for everything on that would be about $15,000 just for um what we're doing with the bond company and then bond counsel attorneys to do the paperwork. So I recommend that you uh vote to do that. All right, that's my good question. Is the other alternative to do a like bond through vote? On
064the next Not for something smaller like this, but if we were already talking about something else. Well, just I mean similar, right? I I don't know what Oh, if you're talking about like all the buses Correct. Stuff. So yeah, what I would look at doing is something like that, but it would be a bond issue. Um that would be something that would go on the ballot. Okay. But that we would use through that. And then once we paid off again, if we finance that on our own then we are able to set the repayment schedule, which then means we can repay the majority of that in the first 2 years. Well, we're able to do other things off the levy at that time so that the tax rate doesn't go up. Okay. Whereas this is
065not like a tax rate thing. This is a debt certificate that they finance through fund 60, which are capital projects. So we finance that on our own, but we don't have to do uh like a referendum or anything like that. So Okay, so motion to approve a resolution authorizing and providing for an installment purchase agreement for the purpose of paying the cost of purchasing real or personal property or both in and for the district and for the issue of 615,000 taxable general obligation debt certificates series 2026A of the district evidencing the rights to payment under said agreement providing for the security for and means of payment under said agreement of said certificates and authorizing the sale of said certificates to the purchaser thereof. Do I have a motion? So moved. And then a second? I'll
066second it. Second Browning. Wood? Yes. Browning? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Stahl? Yes. Okay, next step I've already kind of spoken to you about this, but uh I think that it would be really beneficial for us to enter into a contract for transportation consultation with Transportation Residential Specialists LLC. All right, I will make that motion. Is there a second? Second. Stahl? Yes. Call roll, please. Browning? Yes. Campbell? Yes. Herrera? Yes. Hilbert? Yes. Weaver? Yes. Stahl? Yes. Yes. And then before we adjourn who is wanting to do congratulations graduation for the seniors? I'll do the new high school again. Okay. I would think if we're saying I I mean this is my opinion, we're phasing out middle school. Um I feel like the principal and the superintendent pretty much handle that. I
067don't know that we need anybody forthcoming, but that's up to you guys if somebody wants to do the middle school one. Um so I have one do I have one other for high school? I can do high school. I'm your two. Anybody want middle school or do you think we need to be there at middle school? Do you want us to be there, Mr. Darling? You can do whatever >> [laughter] >> They want help making a decision. Thursday. Yeah, ours is Thursday. Yeah, Thursday. Cuz theirs Friday. Mark and I will join you. Usually the school board member always brings me a snack, so I love chocolate. Who made chocolate chip cookies? >> [laughter] >> I love those amazing apple turnovers that you make. I mean >> [laughter] >> What's that? I cannot be responsible. I
068did it by myself. I just want everybody to do it. Come and watch this part. And between between Matt and I, we I want to say I think you two guys and the chair now it's just the three of us, so there's not a ton of room up there. You can take me off. What? I leave Is that Is that Memorial Day weekend? Okay, I leave for weddings that weekend, so yeah. Well, it's a Thursday night, so I could Friday night I would only have Thursday night available. Yeah. I'm thinking Friday, Saturday. Well, we can meet there. All right, so Promotional, sorry. Press plus. I We didn't discuss that. When do we have to have that done by? I saw it come through, but I think it's got to be done by July. I have
069it on the next month's agenda. Yeah, I I don't think so. I haven't reviewed it all super closely Okay. It looks like a lot of procedures. Five year renewals. Okay. So, >> the next regularly scheduled meeting is the day before middle school graduation on May 20th at 6:00 p.m. I need a motion to adjourn. So moved. Motion made by Mr. Stalls. Is there a second? Second. Would all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion passes 7-3. 7:35.