BENTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
IN THE COUNTIES OF BENTON, IOWA, AND TAMA, STATE OF IOWA
BENTON WORK SESSION/REGULAR BOARD MEETING,
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2022, 5:00 PM
DISTRICT OFFICE BOARD ROOM
WORK SESSION – 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M.
Tammi Drawbaugh – IASB, Board Goals
The Board discussed their current goals and collaborated to outline their ideas and interests for continuous improvement. The main goals areas discussed were: Financial, Staff, Curriculum and Instruction, and Academic Achievement. Additional work sessions will be scheduled to continue outlining actionable steps for Board goals.
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
1. Call to Order Regular Meeting: 7:16 p.m.
Present: Directors Becker, Ludeking, Nolte, Phillips, Thompson, Upah and Werning.
A Quorum was declared present.
Also Present: Dr. Ewell, Dr. Bieschke, Rob Arnold, Ryan Junge, Shawn Pfiffner, SRO Deputy Brandt, Casey Hullett, Coleman Silbernagel, and Anna Upah and Jason West via Zoom.
2. Delegations, Communications, Considerations of Additional Items for the Agenda
None
3. Open Forum
Coleman Silbernagel – running for State Senate.
4. Action Item #101 – Approval of Agenda
Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve agenda as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
5. School Improvement Report
a) School Resource Officer – Deputy Brandt
6. Facilities
a) Facilities Master Plan discussions and work sessions
b) Set dates for work sessions
7. Administration
8. Apprenticeships and Pathways
Dr. Ewell reported on the partnership formed between GWAEA and Kirkwood to secure a grant from the Governor’s office with the intent to form an Apprenticeship pathway for CNA/Nursing Academy programs.
9. Approval of FY’21 Audit – Tabled Until Next Month
b) Draft of Preliminary Audit
10. Action Item #102 – Calendar Adjustments
Dr. Bieschke reported on the number of missed school days due to inclement weather or other events: February 22 (ice), March 1 (snow), March 7 (state basketball). Due to these missed days, students’ hours have decreased as well as missed teacher contract days. The revised calendar will add two additional student days, bringing the hourly total to 1099.75 and adds four additional contract days for teachers
Revisions:
May 26 & 27 – school days for students, May 27 (noon dismissal and last day of school, end of semester/school year).
May 31, June 1, 2, 3 – Teacher Contract days (PD)
Motion by Phillips, second by Nolte to approve the revised calendar as presented
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
11. Action Item #103 – Teacher Retention Payments
CERTIFIED STAFF/DIRECTORS AND SUPPORT STAFF ESSER COVID PAYMENTS
Dr. Ewell discussed the Governor’s Teacher Retention payments which schools will be reimbursed from the state for this cost. Dr. Ewell recommended using ESSER III COVID retention funds to provide stipends for all other staff who did not qualify for the Governor’s plan.
Governor Teacher Retention Payments – $1,000 (less FICA and Medicare) – reimbursement from the state for all costs.
Motion by Thompson, second by Werning to approve the Governor’s Teacher Retention payments of $1,000 less the amount for taxes and the District’s ESSER III Covid payments for certified staff/directors and support personnel as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
12. Action Item #104 – FY 22 Budget Amendment
Dr. Bieschke discussed the Budget Amendment for Fiscal year 2022 for Publication
It is necessary to amend our 2021-2022 budget for increased expenditures. Instruction expenditures have been increased due to ESSR positions and the Governor’s one-time $1,000 retention payment for full-time, 100% in the classroom teachers. Total support services needs to be amended due to inflation and the cost of services contracted by the district. Total other expenditures would benefit from an increased amended figure in order to provide assurances that we could address any required maintenance/ improvement project planning that may need to take place in the district.
Budget amendment = $1,325,000
Motion by Upah, second by Thompson that the Board of Directors of the Benton Community School District, Approve the Publication and set hearing date of April 13, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for the FY22 BUDGET AMENDMENT for the purposes of Instruction- teacher retention payments, an increase of $325,000, Total Support Services- inflation of costs of products and services, an increase of $500,000, Other Expenditures- district infrastructure repairs, an increase of $500,000), at the Regular meeting of the Board of Education at 6:00 p.m. at the Central Administration Office Board Room, 304 1st Street, Van Horne, IA 53246.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
13. Action Item #105 – E-Rate Elementary Routers
a) Elementary Router Bids – Tyler Maschino
Director Maschino provided written information explaining the need for purchasing routers for our network – using the E-rate amount.
This project is E-Rate eligible which means that 60% of the cost will be paid for with E-Rate funding.
This project will allow us to upgrade the router at the Keystone, Norway, and Atkins elementary centers. Routers provide several functions. They act as a firewall, keeping harmful Internet traffic out of our network. The elementary routers will also act as our DNS Internet filter at each center. Also, they route traffic which allows us to create VPNs and efficiently direct network requests across our own network and beyond. Routers also determine how much bandwidth a network can handle. Because of the spike we’ve had in network usage we simply need to upgrade our routers to compensate.
To qualify for E-Rate funding bids need to be requested and evaluated. We created a Rubric to evaluate the bids. Mike Kiely and Jason Marshall from GWAEA were instrumental in this process and have been huge assets in the E-Rate process over the years. Based on the criteria set ITS is the recommended vendor.
ITS – $31,099.92
Heartland Business Systems – $32,421.12
Motion by Nolte, second by Phillips to Approve ITS and their quote for $31,099.92 to install and configure Sonic Wall routers, firewalls, and network security manager for our elementary buildings.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
14. Action Item #106- Notice of Publication and hearing for FY’23 Certified Budget
a. Budget Presentation – Dr. Ewell
b. Certified Budge File Information – Dr. Bieschke
FY23 Certified Budget information: Benton CSD FY’23 Budget presented at a property tax rate of $9.61 for FY’23 comprised of Local Additional Tax to include General Fund Levy (Property Tax 7.71), Instructional Support Levy w/ 4% Income Surtax (Property Tax .54) subtotal $8.25, Management Levy 1.03, and PPEL .33 for a total Tax of $9.61 for FY’23
Budget Publication (FY22 Tax Rate= $10.44).
c. IASB FY’23 New Money Calculator: FY’23, 2.5% SSA on increase enrollment of 9.8 students, Oct. 1 2021 count;
d. FY’23 Tax Certification Page;
e. FY 2022 School District Property Tax Rates;
f. Department of Management – Budget Development On-line;
g. FY’23 Certified Budget Notice of Public Hearing
Motion by Nolte, second by Thompson to approve the Publication and set hearing date of April 13, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. for the Certified Budget Fiscal Year 2023 for publication at the Regular meeting of the Board of Education at 6:00 p.n. at the Central Administration Office Board Room, 304 1st Street, Van Horne, IA 52346.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
15. Action Item #107- Budget Guarantee for FY’23
Dr. Bieschke explained the purpose of the budget guarantee and the mechanism necessary for schools who experience declining enrollment.
Motion by Upah, second by Phillips to approve the Budget Guarantee for FY23
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
16. DISCUSSION ABOUT VOTED PPEL – FOR SEPTEMBER 13, 2002
Dr. Ewell explained the Voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy and provided information to the Board. The Board will continue to discuss the VPPEL and if this levy would be needed for capital improvement projects and repairs.
No Action Taken
17. Action Item #108- Certified Staff – Per Diem Rate
Dr. Ewell explained the current rate for reimbursing teachers is $22.50 for additional work (outside of the contract specifically) such as summer curriculum work. The amount has not been increased for several years. The increase would be $25/hour (per diem amount).
Motion by Phillips, second by Upah to approve the per diem rate increase for certified teachers to $25.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
18. Action Item #109 – Business Services
A. Warrants
a) Warrants
B. Financial Reports
Motion by Nolte, second by Ludeking to approve warrants and financial reports as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
19. Action Item #110 – Consent Agenda
A. HIRES
a. Jordan Pilcher, Head Softball Coach
b. Kim Wauters, Sub. Food Service
c. Daralee Schnor, Sub. Associate
d. Katelyn Buscher – L3 Softball Coach
e. Tiffany Moore – Asst. Varsity Softball Coach
f. Brea Griffith – Substitute Teacher
g. Emma Johnson – Sub Special Ed. Associate
B. RESIGNATIONS
a. Jake Voss – PE, Head Wrestling Coach, Co-Weight Room Coordinator, Head 8th Grade Football
C. MEETING MINUTES
D. VOLUNTEERS
a. Lauren Tandy – Asst. Golf Coach
b. Dr. Matt Abraham – Baseball Asst. Coach
E. BIDS
a. Food Van – Thys Bid Proposal
F. CONTRACTS
a. Coe College Student Teaching Contract
b. Mt. Mercy Agreements
c. University of Northern Iowa Agreement
d. Weddings by Carue – DJ for Prom Contract
Motion by Thompson, second by Werning to approve the consent agenda as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
20. Policy Review
Tabled
21. Superintendent
Superintendent Report
a. BOARD GOALS UPDATE –
b. SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION – New ISSL Standards
1) Growth model, discussions, 1 on 1 sessions
2) Superintendent IPDP plan
c. DRAFT topics for April 13th meeting
1. Certified Budget for FY’23 hearing
2. Technology update
3. Deferred Maintenance projects – spring, summer & fall
4. Anticipated graduates
5. Graduation ceremony – May 22, 2:00 p.m.
6. Voted PPEL discussion
22. Exempt Session: IOWA CODE 21.9
a. A meeting of a Board to discuss strategy in matters relating to employment conditions of employees who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement. I.C. 21.9
23. Action Item #111 – ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte to adjourn the board meeting at 10:39 p.m.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
Meeting adjourned at 10:39 p.m.
Jim Magdefrau 