TO: BENTON COMMUNITY BOARD OF EDUCATION
FROM: DR. PAMELA EWELL, SUPERINTENDENT
RE: REGULAR BOARD MEETING
TIME: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022
6:00 p.m. – Regular Meeting
PLACE: Central Office – Board room , 304 1st Street, Van Horne, Iowa 52346
REGULAR MEETING & ANNUAL MEETING
Regular Meeting & Annual Meeting
1. Call to Order – Meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m.
Directors in attendance: Directors, Becker, Ludeking, Nolte, Phillips, Thompson, Upah and Werning
A quorum was declared present.
Also Present: Dr. Ewell, Dr. Bieschke, Melisa Venneman, Craig Huegel, Anna Selk, Shawn Pfiffner, Phil Eastman, Jason West, Tyler Maschino, Deputy Tyler Brandt and Jennifer Hayden.
2. Action Item # 30 – Delegations, Communications, Consideration of Additional Items for Agenda
Additions: Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to add the student teaching agreement with the University of Iowa
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
3. Action Item #31 – Approval of Agenda
Motion by Werning, second by Nolte to approve the agenda.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
4. Safety & Security Update
Mr. Maschino provided a report about our camera systems, and our interest in the future in upgrading Norway, Keystone, Central Office, Transportation bldg., and Atkins centers.
Deputy Brandt report:
– Appreciation to local authorities, ambulances, and area communities for bus accident response
– ALICE Training Update
– Recommends key fobs in all buildings
No action taken
5. Open Forum
Jennifer Hayden – Spoke with regard to High School locker room showers and privacy. Concerns expressed about privacy. Ideas provided to replace shower curtains and dividers.
6. Annual Meeting – Annual Meeting called to order at 6:44 p.m.
a. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The meeting was turned over to the Board Secretary (Dr. Bieschke) until officers were appointed and sworn in. Dr. Bieschke called the meeting to order and did a roll call.
Directors Present: Directors Becker, Ludeking, Nolte, Phillips, Thompson, Upah and Werning present.
Also Present: Dr. Ewell, Dr. Bieschke, Melisa Venneman, Craig Huegel, Anna Selk, Shawn Pfiffner, Phil Eastman, Jason West, Tyler Maschino, Deputy Tyler Brandt and Jennifer Hayden.
b. Action Item # 32 – Appointment of President
Dr. Bieschke conducted the process of nominations and voting.
APPOINTMENT OF THE PRESIDENT (1 YEAR APPOINTMENT)
A nomination was provided.
Motion by Thompson, second by Werning to cease nominations.
Dr. Bieschke announced that “….the office of the President for the Board is Roy Becker”.
Oath of Office provided.
Motion by Nolte, second by Upah to approve Roy Becker as Board President.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
Dr. Bieschke turned the meeting over to Roy Becker as President of the Board.
c. Action Item #33 – Appointment of the Vice-President
The newly elected board President ran the process to nominate and vote on the Vice-President of the Board.
A nomination was provided.
Motion by Phillips, second by Upah to approve Theresa Thompson as Vice-President of the Board. Dr. Bieschke announced that “the office of the Vice-President for Board is Theresa Thompson.”
Oath of Office provided.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
d. Action Item # 34 – Appointment of School District Secretary-Treasurer
Motion by Phillips, second by Thompson that Dr. James Bieschke, school business official and associate superintendent be appointed as the school district secretary-treasurer.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
e. Action Item # 35 – Acceptance of Treasurer’s Bond
Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte that the Board approve the $50,000 Treasurer Bond responsibility to Dr. James Bieschke for the 2022-2023 school year.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
f. Action Item # 36 – Appointment of School District Legal Counsel
Motion by Werning, second by Nolte to recommend Lynch-Dallas as the school’s legal counsel.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
g. Action Item # 37 – Appointment of Committees
Motion by Nolte, second by Thompson to appointing the following committees with the understanding that membership can and will change due to factors such as volunteer availability or volunteer recommendations by the Board or administration.
1. SIAC – School Improvement Advisory Committee
2. FSAC – Facility Study Advisory Committee
3. Calendar Committee
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
7. Action Item # 38 – Resolution – Check Signature
a. Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve the following: BE IT RESOLVED THAT CHELSEA SAVINGS BANK, VAN HORNE, IOWA be hereby designated depository of this corporation, and it is hereby requested and directed to honor checks and/or warrants for payment of money drawn in this corporation’s name, to the individual properly endorsed with the facsimile signature of the Board President or Board Secretary, are printed thereon; and the Chelsea Savings Bank of Van Horne, Iowa, for such purported checks regardless of by whom or by what means the actual facsimile signatures thereon may have been affixed thereto if such facsimile signatures resemble the facsimile specimens duly certified to or filed with the Chelsea Savings Bank, Van Horne, Iowa, by the Secretary or other officer of this corporation.
The board president called for a roll call vote, directors voting:
b. Becker__Aye__, Upah Aye, Ludeking Aye, Nolte Aye, Phillips Aye ,Werning Aye ,Thompson Aye
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
8. Action Item #39 – Resolution – Naming of Depositories
a. Motion by Nolte, second by Thompson that: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the Benton Community School District that the District does hereby designate the following banks to be depositories for the Benton Community School District funds in the amounts named opposite each designated depository and the Secretary is hereby authorized to deposit district funds in the amount not to exceed the amounts named for said banks as follows:
b. Atkins Savings Bank, Atkins, Iowa $2,500,000
c. Bank Iowa, Norway, Iowa $2,500,000
d. Benton County State Bank, Blairstown $2,500,000
e. Chelsea Savings Bank, Van Horne, Iowa $10,000,000
f. Keystone Savings Bank, Keystone, Iowa $2,500,000
g. Wells Fargo Bank, Newhall, Iowa $2,500,000
h. Watkins Savings Bank, Watkins, Iowa $2,500,000
i. Business Manager, Business Manager’s Secretary, Building Principal, and Building Principal’s Secretary have access to Activity Funds and Nutrition Funds.
The Board president asked for a roll call vote, directors voting:
Becker AYE, Upah Aye, Ludeking Aye, Nolte Aye, Phillips Aye, Werning Aye, Thompson Aye
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
9. Action Item #40 – Resolution – Payment of Bills
i. BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUTHORIZE the Board Secretary to issue warrants when the Board is not in session in payment of freight, drayage, express, postage, printing, water, light, telephone, rents, and for payment of salaries pursuant to the terms of a written contract, but only upon verified bills filed with the secretary. The Board Secretary shall either deliver in person or mail the warrants to the payees. The Board of Directors also authorize the Board Secretary upon the approval of the president of the board, to issue warrants when the board is not in session, but upon verified bills filed with the secretary, and the secretary shall either deliver in person or mail the warrants to the payees. Each warrant must be payable only to the person performing the service or presenting the verified bill, and must state the purpose for which the warrant is issued. All bills and salaries for which warrants are issued prior to the audit and allowance by the board must be passed upon by the board of directors at the next meeting and entered into the minutes of the secretary. The board president will ask for a roll call vote.
Directors voting: Aye Becker, Aye Upah, Aye Ludeking, Aye Nolte, Aye Phillips, Aye Werning, Aye Thompson
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
10. School Improvement Report
a. ISASP RESULTS FROM SPRING 2022
11. Administration
12. CAR FY22 – September 28 extension by State of Iowa – Special Meeting
Tabled
13. Voter-Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION:
We mailed 3,430 mailers out.
Our reports that Mailing Services sent—- regarding duplicates since we only mailed 1 flyer to each mailing address in our school district.
Flyers sent to each county:
● Benton County 3,167 flyers
● Iowa County 190 flyers
● Tama County 73 flyers
Number of Registered Voters in each county that live in our school district:
Benton County – 6,095 registered voters = 92% of all voters in the school district
Tama County – 158 registered voters = 2.3%
Iowa County – 399 registered voters = 5.8%
PRELIMINARY Results:
○ Total votes = 804
○ Yes = 375
○ No = 429
○ Would have needed at least 55 more YES to pass
○ Results by precinct
i. Van Horne = 77 yes, 55 no (out of 789 total registered voters)
ii. Newhall = 32 yes, 78 no (out of 821 total registered voters)
iii. Norway = 32 yes, 85 no (out of 1001 total registered voters)
iv. Atkins = 149 yes, 96 no (out of 2022 total registered voters)
v. Keystone = 32 yes, 51 no (out of 674 total registered voters)
vi. Blairstown = 33 yes, 52 no (out of 788 total registered voters)
14. Action Item # 41 – Facility Improvement and Master Plan
Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve the superintendent to schedule appointments for two architectural companies to attend work session discussions and assist the Board with facility improvements. Selection of an architectural company to be determined.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
15. Action Item #42 – Foreign Exchange Student
Motion by Nolte, second by Ludeking to approve Yago Garin Martinez as a foreign exchange student from Spain for the 2022-2023 school year.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
16. Action Item # 43 – Policy Review
Motion by Thompson, second by Upah to approve the policies and revisions as presented.
1. Policy 602.1 – Curriculum Development
2. Policy 602.2 – Curriculum Implementation
3. Policy 602.3 – Curriculum Evaluation
4. Policy 605.1 – Instructional Materials Selection
5. Policy 605.3 – Objection to Instructional Materials
6. Policy 501.14 – Open Enrollment Transfers – Procedures as a Receiving District
7. Policy 501.14 – Open Enrollment Transfers – Procedures as a Sending District – Page 2 of 2
8. Policy 501.18 – Insufficient Classroom Space
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
17. Action Item # 44 – Business Services:
Motion by Nolte, second by Ludeking to approve the warrants and financial reports as presented.
a) WARRANTS
d) FINANCIAL REPORTS
a. GENERAL FUND
i. FY23
e) AUL Special Trust – Midamerica – Payment into trust accounts for second and final payments of early retirees for FY’21, and first payment of early retirees for FY’22. Amount of payment is $100,522.86.
f) Lane Changes
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
18. Action Item # 45 – Consent Agenda
The Consent Agenda includes common topics.
*ALL HIRES ARE CONTINGENT ON BACKGROUND CHECK, PROPER LICENSING, AND RELEASE FROM CURRENT CONTRACT IF APPLICABLE
Motion by Thompson, second by Werning to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.
1) HIRES
a. Macee Nelson, ESSR Associate, Atkins
b. Theresa Mitchell, Nurse, Special Education
c. Marie Wilhelm, Teacher – assigned to 7th-grade Science
d. Ashley Jones, MS Student Council Sponsor
2) RESIGNATIONS
a. Jon Degraff – Assistant Varsity Softball Coach
3) MEETING MINUTES
4) CONTRACTS
a. Tyler Brandt – 28 E Agreement – Update and continuing
b. Work – Based Learning Coordinator – shared 28E agreement with V-S, Williamsburg, Benton, and Kirkwood Community College
5) VOLUNTEERS
a) Mercedes Meyer, Volunteer Cheerleading Coach
b) Spencer Sahu, Volunteer Robotics Coach
6) Out of State Field Trips:
a) FFA Travel
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
19. Superintendent Report
IASB convention – Nov. 16 – 18
DISTRICT MAP
1. Oct. Board meeting
Work Sessions
a) Dates of upcoming Regular meetings and work sessions:
a) Sept. 28, 6:00 p.m., Special Session & Work Session – Shive-Hattery
b) Oct. 10, 6:00 p.m., Work Session – OPN
c) Oct. 19, 6:00 p.m., Regular meeting
i) Presentation of Long Range Needs Assessment and other district data
ii) Introduction of new teaching staff
d) Oct. 26, 6:00 p.m., Work Session
e) Nov. 2, 6:00 p.m., Work Session
f) Nov. 9, 6:00 p.m., Regular meeting
i) Tanager presentation and shared personnel
ii) Introductions of new teaching staff
g) Dec. 21, 6:00 p.m., Regular meeting
17. Action Item # 46 – Adjournment
Motion to adjourn at 8:53 p.m. by Upah, seconded by Phillips.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
Meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.
Jim Magdefrau 