TO:             BENTON COMMUNITY BOARD OF EDUCATION

FROM:         DR. PAMELA EWELL, SUPERINTENDENT

RE:         REGULAR BOARD MEETING 

TIME:         WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21,  2022

6:00 p.m. – Regular Meeting

PLACE:       Central Office – Board room

304 1st Street

Van Horne, Iowa 52346

2023-2024 SCHOOL CALENDAR HEARING

REGULAR MEETING 

1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PETITION – PRESENTED TO SCHOOL BOARD, SCHOOL BOARD RECEIVES PETITIONS
3. RESOLUTION
   1. RESOLUTION ORDERING AN ELECTION ON THE ISSUANCE OF $48,500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BONDS
   2. CALL OF THE SCHOOL ELECTION FOR MARCH 7, 2023, GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND

NOTICE MUST BE GIVEN PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 21, CODE OF IOWA, AND THE LOCAL RULES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

RESOLUTION PROCESS 

Dec. 21, 2022

3. The Board of Directors of the Benton Community School District, in the Counties of Benton, Tama and Iowa, State of Iowa, met in open session, in the Central Office Board Room, 304 1st Street, Van Horne, Iowa, at 6:00 P.M., on the above date.  There were present President Roy John Becker, in the chair, and the following named Board Members:  (roll call) President Becker, Vice-President Thompson, Director Nolte, Director Werning, Director Ludeking, Director Upah, Director Phillips, Director Ludeking
4. The President of the Board called the meeting together and stated that a Petition had been filed purporting to be signed by eligible electors of the School District numbering at least 25% of those voting at the last election of school officials.  The Petition requests that an election be called on the issuance of bonds in an amount not to exceed $48,500,000, to provide funds to build, furnish, and equip a new elementary building in Van Horne and to acquire and improve the site; to build, furnish and equip an addition to Atkins Elementary building and related remodeling; to implement HVAC systems and safety improvements at the Middle/High School building; to remodel, improve, furnish and equip existing spaces in the Middle/High School building, including a secure entryway.
5. The President submitted the Petition to the Board which examined the Petition.  292 qualified electors voted at the last election of school officials; the number of eligible electors who have signed the petition is 431.
6. Director ____________________ introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption.               Director ____________________ seconded the motion to adopt.  The roll was called, and the vote was:

Ayes:

Nays: 

7. The President declared the Resolution adopted as follows:
8. RESOLUTION ORDERING A SPECIAL ELECTION ON THE ISSUANCE OF $48,500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BONDS
9. WHEREAS, there has been filed with the President of this Board a Petition of eligible electors of this School District asking that an election be called to submit the question of contracting indebtedness and issuing bonds of the School District in an amount not to exceed $48,500,000 to provide funds to build, furnish, and equip a new elementary building in Van Horne and to acquire and improve the site; to build, furnish and equip an addition to Atkins Elementary building and related remodeling; to implement HVAC systems and safety improvements at the Middle/High School building; to remodel, improve, furnish and equip existing spaces in the Middle/High School building, including a secure entryway; and
10. WHEREAS, this Board has examined the Petition and finds that it is signed by eligible electors of the School District numbering at least 25% of those voting at the last election of school officials and that the purposes set forth in the petition cannot be accomplished within the limit of one and one-quarter percent of the assessed value of the taxable property in the School District; and
11. WHEREAS, the proposal for the issuance of Bonds or any other proposal incorporating any portion of it has not or will not have been submitted to the qualified electors of the School District for a period of at least six months prior to the date of election being called in these Proceedings;
12. WHEREAS, this Board has also determined it is necessary to submit at the special school election the proposition of authorizing the Board of Directors to levy annually a tax exceeding Two Dollars and Seventy Cents ($2.70) per Thousand Dollars ($1,000), but not exceeding Four Dollars and Five Cents ($4.05) per Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed value of the taxable property to pay the principal of and interest on bonded indebtedness; the Board acknowledges that approval of this proposition does not limit the source of payment of the Bonds and interest but only restricts the amount of Bonds which may be issued:
13. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED BY THE BENTON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN THE COUNTIES OF BENTON, TAMA AND IOWA, STATE OF IOWA:
14. Section 1. That an election is called of the qualified electors of the Benton Community School District in the Counties of Benton, Tama and Iowa, State of Iowa, on Tuesday, March 7, 2023.  The following Proposition is approved, and the Secretary is authorized and directed to submit and file the Proposition for the Ballot with the Benton County Commissioner of Elections at least 46 days prior to the election. 

15. PROPOSITION ___(numbering to be assigned by county office)
16. Shall the Board of Directors of the Benton Community School District in the Counties of Benton, Tama and Iowa, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness and issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $48,500,000 to provide funds to build, furnish, and equip a new elementary building in Van Horne and to acquire and improve the site; to build, furnish and equip an addition to Atkins Elementary building and related remodeling; to implement HVAC systems and safety improvements at the Middle/High School building; to remodel, improve, furnish and equip existing spaces in the Middle/High School building, including a secure entryway?
17. PROPOSITION ___
18. Shall the Board of Directors of the Benton Community School District in the Counties of Benton, Tama and Iowa, State of Iowa, be authorized to levy annually a tax exceeding Two Dollars and Seventy Cents ($2.70) per Thousand Dollars ($1,000), but not exceeding Four Dollars and Five Cents ($4.05) per Thousand Dollars ($1,000) of the assessed value of the taxable property within said school corporation to pay the principal of and interest on bonded indebtedness of said school corporation, it being understood that the approval of this proposition shall not limit the source of payment of the bonds and interest, but shall only operate to restrict the amount of bonds which may be issued?

Section 1. 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.

Section 2. That the Election Board for the Voting Precinct or precincts be appointed by the County Commissioner of Elections for each County conducting an election, not less than 15 days before the election.

Section 3. The Commissioner of Elections for each County conducting an election 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 election, in a newspaper that meets the requirements of Section 49.53(2), Code of Iowa.

Section 4. Benton County, Iowa is the Controlling County for this election.

Section 5. That the County Commissioner of Elections for each County conducting an election shall prepare all ballots and election registers and other supplies necessary for the proper and legal conduct of this election and the Secretary of the Board is directed to cooperate with these Commissioners of Elections in the preparation of the necessary proceedings.

Section 6. That the Secretary is directed to file a certified copy of this Resolution in the Office of the County Commissioner of Elections of the Controlling

County 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 Chapter 47, Code of Iowa.

“President Becker announcement:  

Anticipated:

PASSED AND APPROVED this 21st day of December, 2022.

4. OPEN FORUM
5. BUS BIDS
6. DELEGATIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND CONSIDERATIONS OF ADDITIONAL ITEMS FOR THE AGENDA
7. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
8. FACILITY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND MASTER PLAN
9. 2023-2024 SCHOOL CALENDAR 
   1. 2023-2024 CALENDAR
10. ADMINISTRATION REPORT
11. APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBER TO CONFERENCE BOARD
12. SUPERINTENDENT RETIREMENT AND REPLACEMENT
13.  BUSINESS SERVICES
    1. WARRANTS
    2. ADDITIONAL WARRANTS
    3. SUMMARY OF WARRANTS
    4. FINANCIAL REPORTS
       1. GENERAL FUND
       2. ALL FUNDS REPORT
14. POLICY REVIEW 
15. CONSENT AGENDA
16. SUPERINTENDENT 
    1. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT
17. CLOSED SESSION
18. Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i) to “evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual’s reputation and that individual requests a closed session.”

18. CLOSED SESSION 
    1. as per Iowa Code 21.5(e)  To discuss whether to conduct a hearing or to conduct hearings to suspend or expel a student, unless an open session is requested by the student or a parent or guardian of the student if the student is a minor.
19. CLOSED SESSION
20. 21.5(1)(i) – To discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property.

20. ADJOURNMENT