REGULAR BOARD MEETING
TIME: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023
6:00 p.m. – Regular Meeting
PLACE: Central Office – Board room
304 1st Street, Van Horne, Iowa 52346
HEARING – FLEXIBILITY FUND
Regular Meeting – 6:00 p.m.
1) Call to Order
Directors: Roy Becker, Theresa Ludeking, Matt Nolte, Cynthia Phillips, Theresa Thompson, Emily Upah, Brenda Werning
A quorum was declared present.
Also Present: Dr. Ewell, Dr. Bieschke, Shawn Pfiffner, Jason West, Melisa Venneman, Rob Arnold, Anna Selk, Ryan Junge, and Grant Wood representatives: Sue Gates, Tracy Liebermann and Darrin Strike, and Kenneth Peveler.
2) Delegations, Communications, Consideration of Extra Items for the Agenda
Two resignations (Craig Huegel and Renee Bear) and 1 memorandum of understanding (Tim Casey) were added to the Board agenda.
3) Action Item #176 – Approval of Agenda
Motion by Werning, second by Thompson to approve the agenda.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
4) Open Forum – Kenneth Peveler
5) Grantwood AEA Presentation
7) Action Item #177 – FY’24 Certified Budget Information
a) Budget Presentation – Dr. Ewell
i) Enrollment trends – impact to FY24 budget
(1) Certified and BEDS enrollment
(2) Open enrollment in and out
(3) Packet
b) Certified Budget File information – Dr. Bieschke
FY24 Certified Budget information: Benton CSD FY 24 Budget presented at a property tax rate of $9.70 for FY 24 comprised of Local Additional Tax to include General Fund Levy (Property Tax 7.77), Instructional Support Levy w/ 4% Income Surtax (Property Tax .56) subtotal $8.33, Management Levy 1.04, and PPEL .33 for a total Tax of $9.70 for projected FY 24 Budget Publication. (FY23 Tax Rate= $9.70)
c) FY 24 Tax Certification Page
d) FY 24 Certified Budget Notice of Public Hearing
SET NOTICE OF PUBLICATION AND HEARING FOR FY24 CERTIFIED BUDGET PUBLICATION – MARCH 23 – APRIL 2, 2023 HEARING – APRIL 12, 2023 DUE TO THE STATE – MAY 1
Motion by Cynthia Phillips, second by Emily Upah to set the date for the Notice of Publication As March 23 – April 2, 2023, and to set the date for the hearing and certification of the FY’24 Budget for April 12, 2023.
MOTION CARRIED
ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
8) Action Item #178 – Approval of FY’22 Audit
Executive Summary:
● General Fund revenue and other financing sources increased from $19,835,499 in fiscal 2021 to $19,846,287 in fiscal 2022 while General Fund expenditures and other financing uses increased from $18,081,801 in fiscal 2021 to $18,795,433 in fiscal 2021. This resulted in an overall change in the District’s General Fund balance from $5,239,997 in fiscal 2021, to $6,303,651 in fiscal 2022, an increase from the prior fiscal year.
● Benton Community’s Instructional Support Levy is supported through fiscal 2024, it is funded by a mixture of Income-surtax and local property tax. The levy is scheduled to provide approximately $887,388 for District identified purchases and supported by board resolution.
● The District continues to collect one-cent sales tax revenue from Benton, Iowa and Tama Counties during the 2022 fiscal year. The revenue, approximately 1.2 million annually, has been used to reduce District long-term debt. This funding stream will also continue to fund annual district infrastructure and technology needs as annually identified.
● The economy continues to impact earning rates during the fiscal year, resulting in low General Fund interest earnings on investments. In fiscal year 2021, the District earned $8,064 on investments. In fiscal year 2022, the District earned $7,374 on investments, a decrease over last year’s earnings.
● The District continues to support the .33 cent portion of Physical Plant and Equipment Levy. This levy annually generates approximately $248,636 of revenue through the annual budgeting process and currently. The district does not have currently a voted PPEL in the fiscal budget.
C. Federal Single Audit- Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC)
Motion by Thompson, second by Ludeking to approve audit as presented.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
9) Action Item #179 – School Law Firm/School Attorney
Motion by Nolte, second by Phillips to approve Emily Ellingson and Brett Nitzschke and Ahlers Law Firm as our school legal counsel.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
10) Action Item #180- Board of Director Map – FY24
Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte to approve the RESOLUTION for adoption of the new District Director Map for 2023-2024 as per requirements of the Iowa Code and 2020 census.
a) BEGINS JULY 1, 2023 – District Director Map
b) RESOLUTION
d) DOCUMENT
Motion by Thompson, second by Nolte to approve the RESOLUTION for the new District Director map for FY’24.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
11) Action Item #181 – Flexibility Account
Motion by Brenda Werning, second by Cynthia Phillips to hereby Resolve the Benton Community School Board to establish a Flexibility Account allowed in Iowa Code 298A.2 indicating the needs have been met for the original purpose of the funds, including the expenditure purpose and amount.
Roll call vote of Directors: BECKER Yes, LUDEKING Yes, NOLTE Yes, PHILLIPS Yes, THOMPSON Yes, UPAH Yes, WERNING Yes.______
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
12) Action Item # 182 – CALENDAR CHANGES
The district has missed 7 full days of school and have had 7 late starts and 1 early dismissal. Make up dates will be as follows:
May 25 – full day of school
May 26 – full day of school
May 30 – full day of school
May 31 – full day of school
June 1 – last day of school, noon dismissal
June 2, 5, 6 – Teacher PD days
Motion by Nolte, second by Phillips to approve May 25, May 26, May 30, May 31 and June 1 as school make up days. June 1st will be an early dismissal at noon and the end of the 4th quarter of the school year.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
13) Action Item #183 – Business Services:
Motion by Upah, second by Ludeking to approve warrants and reports.
1. WARRANTS
4. FINANCIAL REPORTS
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
14) Action Item #184 – Consent Agenda
*ALL HIRES ARE CONTINGENT ON BACKGROUND CHECK, PROPER LICENSING, AND RELEASE FROM CURRENT CONTRACT IF APPLICABLE
Motion by Werning, second by Phillips to approve consent agenda.
ii) Hires
(1) Tim Casey – Asst. 8th Gr. Boys Basketball – MOU
(2) Taylor Nickell – Para – Special Education – Keystone
(3) Tyler Comisky – Secondary Science – MS/HS
(4) Bethannie Fox – FCCLA Sponsor – Supplemental contract for 22-23
(5) Kelsey Madsen – Elementary Vocal – Supplemental contract for 22-23
(6) Shyanne Wiegel – Norway Food Service
(7) Mitch Moser – Full Assistant Varsity Baseball Coaching Position – was a previously shared position with Dave Kaestner
(8) Chelsea Moser – MOU, MS Track boys and girls assistant coach
iii) Volunteers
(1) Dave Kaestner, Varsity Baseball
iv) Resignations
(1) Sally Meyne – Norway Food Service
(2) Emily Fitzgerald – Associate – Atkins Elementary
(3) Will Stockman – Assistant 7th Grade Football
(4) Dave Kaestner – Shared Assistant Varsity Baseball Coaching Position
(5) Craig Huegel – Activities Director/Assistant MS/HS Principal
(6) Renee Bear – HS Guidance Secretary
v) Positions
(1) Supplemental contracts – required – Perkins
(a) DECA Coordinator
(b) SkillsUSA Coordinator (career and technical student organizations (CTSOs)
vi) MEETING MINUTES
(1) February 22, 2023 Minutes
vii) CONTRACTS
(1) Cooperative Agreement UNI
(2) Coe College Teaching Contract
(3) Morningside Agreement
(4) Mt. Mercy University
(5) Des Moines Independent CSD
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
15) Superintendent Report
Work Session – Tues. March 28, 2023, 6:00
Post-bond Survey
a. Regular Board meeting dates AND Professional Learning
i. Apr 12, 2023 – 6:00 p.m.
ii. May 17, 2023 – 6:00 p.m.
iii. Jun 21, 2023 – 6:00 p.m.
iv. July 19, 2023 – 6:00 p.m.
16) Exempt Meeting
As per Iowa Code – Chapter 21 – 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
17) Action Items #185 & 186 – Closed Session
Discussion from prior meetings
21.5(1)(j) – 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.
Legal counsel
Action Item #185
Motion by Nolte, second by Upah to go into closed session at 9:00 p.m.
Roll call vote of Directors: BECKER Yes, LUDEKING Yes, NOLTE Yes, PHILLIPS Yes, THOMPSON Yes, UPAH Yes, WERNING Yes.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
Action Item #186
Motion by Phillips, second by Upah to come out of closed session at 9:24 p.m.
Roll call vote of Directors: BECKER Yes, LUDEKING Yes, NOLTE Yes, PHILLIPS Yes, THOMPSON Yes, UPAH Yes, WERNING Yes.
No Action
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
18) Action Item #187 – Adjournment
Motion by Nolte, second by Phillips to adjourn the meeting at 9:24 p.m.
MOTION CARRIED ALL MEMBERS PRESENT VOTING AYE
Meeting adjourned at 9:24 p.m.
Jim Magdefrau 