July 9 School Board Meeting Minutes
East Mills Community School District
Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
7:00 P.M. - Regular Meeting – July 9, 2014
East Mills Elementary School – Media Center – Rural Hastings, Iowa
Board President Stogdill called the East Mills Sale of Property Public Hearing to order at 7:02 p.m. She asked Secretary Hetzel if she had received any written input or phone calls concerning the sale of property at 422 Main Street, Malvern, Iowa. She had not so Stogdill asked if anyone in the audience wished to speak concerning the sale of property. Hearing none, the Public Hearing was closed at 7:03. The regular meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. with the following directors present: Franks, Poort, Stogdill, Urban and Williams. Also present were Superintendent Croghan, Jr/Sr High School Principal Irwin, and Board Secretary Hetzel. There were 7 visitors present.
Stogdill welcomed everyone and asked if anyone wished to speak in open forum. No one addressed the board.
Urban moved to approve the agenda, seconded by Williams. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Franks moved to approve the consent agenda, which included minutes from the previous meetings, approval of bills for payment, financial reports and the following open enrollment requests: Grahm Newberry and Jason Rahn out to Glenwood. Poort seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Personnel:
Urban moved to approve the assignment of elementary principal duties to Superintendent Croghan until October 1st. Poort seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Poort moved to approve the elementary principal contract for James Dick, seconded by Franks. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Williams moved to approve extra duty contracts as follows: Boys Golf & Girls Golf – Joe Wortman, JH Co-Head Football – Nick Greiner & Chris Irvin, JH Head Boys Basketball – Nick Greiner, JH Assistant Volleyball and Girls Head Track – Alexzandra Moyer. Urban seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Poort moved to approve a reduction in force for Debra Coleman, media associate. Franks seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried. President Stogdill wished to thank Deb for her service to the district and her flexibility in job movement.
Williams moved to accept a resignation from Chris Irvin for JH Assistant Football, and Joe Wortman for JH Head Football. Urban seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Old Business:
Franks moved to select the following 2014 IASB Legislative Priorities: 1. Supports continued progress in the development of rigorous content standards and benchmarks consistent with the Iowa Core focused on improving student achievement, including the following state actions: Provide and fund technical assistance to help school districts fully implement the Iowa Core; Develop or obtain high-quality summative and formative assessments, aligned to the skills students should know and be able to do to succeed globally and locally. Include and fund all the components of successful standards systems: assessments aligned to high expectations, improved and aligned instruction and quality professional development. 2. Supports continuation of sufficient incentives and assistance to encourage sharing, reorganization or regional high schools to expand academic learning opportunities for students and to improve student achievement. 3. Supports reform of Iowa’s k-12 education system that: Is research-based; Is focused on student achievement; Includes comprehensive assessments to measure the full range and rigor of the Iowa Core; Maintains oversight and control by locally elected boards of directors; Does not “repurpose” existing education funds; and Does not impose new mandates unless they are fully funded. 4. Supports a school foundation formula that adequately, and in a timely manner, funds changes in demographics, including socio-economic status, remedial programming, and declining and increasing enrollment challenges. 5. Supports the use of physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) funds for the maintenance and repair of transportation equipment that can be purchased or financed with PPEL funds. Williams seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
New Business:
Rhett and Mindy Goy of Nishna Insurance presented the board with the annual insurance policies and invoices. Poort moved to approve the 2014-2015 insurance renewals, seconded by Williams. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Director Urban introduced the following Resolution and moved that it be adopted. Director Williams seconded the motion to adopt. The roll was called and the vote was: Ayes: Stogdill, Franks, Poort, Urban and Williams. Nays: None. Whereupon, the President declared the resolution duly adopted as follows: RESOLUTION FOR THE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 422 MAIN STREET, MALVERN, IOWA, MILLS COUNTY, IOWA, TO LIGHTHOUSE MANAGEMENT, LLC. Whereas, pursuant to notice published as required by law, the Board of Directors of the East Mills Community School District on the 9th day of July, 2014, held a hearing on the proposal to sell District-owned real property, located at 422 Main Street in the City of Malvern, Mills County, Iowa, and legally described in this Resolution; and the extent of objections received from residents or property owners as to said proposed sale of real property has been fully considered; and, accordingly, the following action is now considered to be in the best interests of the East Mills Community School District and the residents thereof: NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST MILLS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT:
Section 1. That the real property described below shall be sold by the East Mills Community School District to Lighthouse Management, LLC for $44,000 in cash, payable at closing, and other good and valuable consideration, and in accordance with the other terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement hereto. Section 2. That the District Superintendent, District Business Manager, and other appropriate members of the District administration, and the Board President, Board Secretary, and other appropriate officers of the District, are authorized to take all actions necessary to complete the sale of said real property, including the preparation and/or review and execution of all documents related to transfer of title. Section 3. That the real property to be sold is, located at 422 Main Street in the City of Malvern, Mills County, Iowa, and legally described as follows: Building: W 106’ S 22’ N 66’ LOTS 209-213 INCL STRAHAN’S ADD. Adjacent Lot: W 106’ N 44’ LOTS 209-213 INCL STRAHAN’S ADD (“the Property).
Franks moved to approve the milk bid from Anderson & Erickson for the 2014-2015 school year, seconded by Poort. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Urban moved to approve the bread bid from Hy-Vee for the 2014-2015 school year, seconded by Williams. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Poort moved to approve the propane bid from Agriland FS for the 2014-2015 school year, seconded by Franks. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Williams moved to approve the trash bid from Papillion Sanitation for the 2014-2015 school year, seconded by Urban. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Director Franks introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption. Director Urban seconded the motion to adopt. The roll was called and the vote was: Ayes: Williams, Poort, Stogdill, Urban and Franks. Nays: None. The President declared the Resolution adopted as follows: RESOLUTION ORDERING ELECTION ON THE QUESTION OF LEVYING AND IMPOSING A VOTER APPROVED PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT PROPERTY TAX AND INCOME SURTAX. Whereas, this Board has determined that an election should be called on the question of levying and imposing a voter approved physical plant and equipment property tax and income surtax. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST MILLS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN THE COUNTIES OF MILLS AND MONTGOMERY, STATE OF IOWA: Section 1. That an election is called of the qualified electors of the East Mills Community School District, in the Counties of the Mills and Montgomery, State of Iowa, on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. The following Proposition is approved, and the Secretary is authorized and directed to submit and file the Proposition for the Ballot with the Mills County Commissioner of Elections at least 46 days prior to the election.
Director Franks introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption. Director Urban seconded the motion to adopt. The roll was called and the vote was: Ayes: Williams, Poort, Stogdill, Urban and Franks. Nays: None. The President declared the Resolution adopted as follows: RESOLUTION ORDERING ELECTION ON THE QUESTION OF LEVYING AND IMPOSING A VOTER APPROVED PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT PROPERTY TAX AND INCOME SURTAX. Whereas, this Board has determined that an election should be called on the question of levying and imposing a voter approved physical plant and equipment property tax and income surtax. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE EAST MILLS COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN THE COUNTIES OF MILLS AND MONTGOMERY, STATE OF IOWA: Section 1. That an election is called of the qualified electors of the East Mills Community School District, in the counties of Mills and Montgomery State of Iowa, on Tuesday, September 9, 2014. The following Proposition is approved, and the Secretary is authorized and directed to submit and file the Proposition for the Ballot with the Mills County Commissioner of Elections at least 46 days prior to the election.
SHALL THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC MEASURE BE ADOPTED? PROPOSITION A
Shall the Board of Directors of the East Mills Community School District, in the counties of Mills and Montgomery, State of Iowa, for the purpose of purchasing and improving grounds; constructing schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; purchasing of buildings; purchase, lease or lease-purchase of technology and equipment; paying debts contracted for the erection or construction of schoolhouses or buildings, not including interest on bonds; procuring or acquisition of libraries; repairing, remodeling, reconstructing, improving, or expanding the schoolhouses or buildings and additions to existing schoolhouses; expenditures for energy conservation; renting facilities under Chapter 28E; purchasing transportation equipment for transporting students; lease purchase option agreements for school buildings or equipment; purchasing equipment authorized by law; or for any purpose or purposes now or hereafter authorized by law, be authorized for a period of ten (10) years to levy and impose a voter-approved physical plant and equipment tax of not exceeding One Dollar Thirty-four Cents ($1.34) per One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of assessed valuation of the taxable property within the school district, and be authorized annually, in combination, as determined by the board, to levy a physical plant and equipment property tax upon all the taxable property within the school district commencing with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, and to impose a physical plant and equipment income surtax upon the state individual income tax of each individual income taxpayer resident in the school district on December 31 for each calendar year commencing with calendar year 2015, or each year thereafter?
Section 2. That the notice of the election and ballot form used at the election shall be prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Iowa Code and Iowa Administrative Rules. The polls will be open from 12:00 Noon to 8:00 P.M.
Section 3. Mills County, Iowa is the control county of this School District; this election will be conducted by the County Auditor as Commissioner of Elections.
Section 4. That the Election Board for the voting precinct or precincts be appointed by the County Commissioner of Elections, not less than 15 days before the date of the election, a certified copy of which appointment must be officially placed on file in the office of the Secretary. Section 5. The Commissioner of Elections is requested and directed to make publication of the Notice of Election at least once, not less than four days nor more than twenty days prior to the date of the election, in a legal newspaper, printed wholly in the English language, as defined by Iowa Code section 618.3. Section 6. The Malvern Leader, a legal newspaper, is published within the District and is hereby designate to make the publication of the Notice of Election. Section 7. That the County Commissioner of Elections shall prepare all ballots and election registers and other supplies as necessary for the proper and legal conduct of this election and the Secretary of the Board is authorized and directed to cooperate with the Commissioner of Elections in the preparation of the necessary proceedings. Section 8. That the Secretary is directed to file a certified copy of this Resolution in the Office of the County Commissioner of Elections to constitute the “written notice” to the County Commissioner of Elections of the election date, required to be given by the governing body under the provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 47. PASSED AND APPROVED this 9th day of July, 2014.
Poort moved to approve a Wednesday evening softball make-up date on July 16th. Williams seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried.
Administrative Reports:
Jr/Sr High School Principal Irwin gave a written and oral report regarding the 2014-2015 activities calendar. Superintendent Croghan gave an oral report. We will have a site visit from the Department of Education in March. This is done every five years. Mr. Croghan commended Mr. Irwin for all his work in scheduling classes for next year using different scenarios depending on building use. Registration will be held on July 29th & 30th. He stated that he started his sharing of superintendent duties in Essex on July 1st.
Communications/Information:
A. We will begin moving classrooms at East Mills Elementary on July 11th at 8:30 a.m. The move from Chantry to EMES will be on July 21st at 8:30 a.m. Multiple groups have expressed interest in helping. Mr. Croghan explained where the Pre-School – 6th grade classrooms will be located.
B. The board directed Mr. Croghan to contact two bonding companies to come present the bonding process to the board. We will plan a board workshop to appoint a bond committee. The August 9th meeting will start at 6:30.
C. We do not need to determine an architect at this time.
D. The Board will do a self-evaluation in August.
Board Calendar Review:
Rural Schools meeting July 26 at 2:00 p.m. at the Red Oak AEA
The next regular board meeting will be August 11, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. at the East Mills Jr/Sr High School Media Center, Malvern
ABLE workshop at East Mills Jr/Sr High School August 21, 2014 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Good News:
Peggy Boeye sent a thank you note to the district for her retirement gift. Mr. Croghan said the number of people who have offered to help with the move is greatly appreciated. Good that the elementary principal, Mr. Jim Dick, has been hired and look forward to him beginning his duties on October 1st. Mr. Irwin stated that softball is over and the baseball districts start next Tuesday.
Urban moved to adjourn the meeting. Poort seconded the motion. Ayes-5 Nays-0. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 9:43 p.m.
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Susan Stogdill, Board President
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Darla Hetzel, Board Secretary