PV Board to object to LeClaire's 25-year TIF plans

MEMBERS PRESENT: Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Dayman. Members present: Adams, Dayman, Huegel, Messman, Paulsen, and Witters. Absent: Schurr. Also present: Jim Spelhaug, Cyndy Behrer, Mike Clingingsmith, Chris Harvey, Tony Hiatt, Jolene Mullins, Katie Selden, and Mary Louise Speer.

AGENDA APPROVED: Motion by Witters, second by Adams that the Agenda be approved as presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

COMMUNICATIONS: President Dayman welcomed visitors to the meeting.

She congratulated the cast and crew of “A Flea in Her Ear” for an excellent performance. She also congratulated the twenty students who were accepted into the Iowa All State Chorus, Band, and Orchestra.

Cyndy Behrer congratulated the district’s boys cross country team for achieving first in the state; Devin Allbaugh for placing 2nd in state individually; the girls cross country team for placing 11th in the state; the girls swimming team for placing 4th in the state; Liz Horvat for placing 1st in the 500 freestyle; and the competition cheer squad for placing 3rd in the state.

She also congratulated all the fall athletic teams for achieving academic all conference team status. Eighty (80) students involved in athletics achieved Academic All Conference for fall sports.

Dr. Spelhaug thanked Carol Sorensen, Pleasant View secretary who is retiring at the end of December, for her many years of excellent service to the students and families of Pleasant View and wished her well.

In an update on the PVJH Wellness addition, he noted that the precast panels and steel are scheduled to be delivered to the junior high addition site within the next week.

Bridgeview principal Tony Hiatt introduced Katie Selden, volunteer, and Jolene Mullins, Bridgeview literacy specialist, who then described the implementation of Literacy Links, a new supplemental reading intervention for grades K-3 that uses volunteer partners to share weekly reading time with selected students. Mrs. Selden described a typical reading session. Mr. Hiatt noted that twenty people responded at Bridgeview to the call for volunteers for twenty-eight students. This program is in place at each of the elementary schools.

CONSENT AGENDA: Motion by Adams, second by Witters that the Consent Agenda be approved as presented. All ayes. Motion carried. The Consent Agenda consists of the following:

approval of the minutes of the October 16 Regular Board Meeting; the resignation and retirement of Carol Sorensen, who has been a Pleasant View secretary for nearly 30 years;

the resignation of Jennifer DenHartog as an elementary teacher for the 2007-08 school year; the extra-duty assignment of Courtney Kipp as freshman girls basketball coach and Pat Seamer as 8th grade boys basketball coach;

Sara Tinsman, Orchestra Assistant’s stipend will increase from 8% to 16% effective the 2006-07 school year;

the resignations of John Heeney and Seth Schurke as year round part-time custodians at PVCHS;

the regular employment of Nikki Doerge as a special education aide at Bridgeview, Jennifer Ericksen as a food service worker at PVJH, Jennifer Hillman as a special education aide at Bridgeview, Steven Noack as a custodian at the Administration Center, Maintenance Center, and at PVCHS, Camelia Rodriguez as a special education aide at Pleasant View, Rita VanWetzinga as a special education aide at PVCHS, Wendy Williams as a food service worker at PVJH, and Molly Yoeckel as a tech/AV aide at the Administration Center and PVCHS;

the probationary employment of Lori Gudmundsen as a food service worker at Riverdale Heights and Laurie Williams as a secretary/aide at Pleasant View;

and three open enrollment applications-in for 2006-07 from Bettendorf Schools.

EXPENSES APPROVED: Motion by Adams, second by Witters that General Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $217,380.31 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Paulsen, second by Messman that Nutrition Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $37,712.01 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Huegel, second by Paulsen that Elementary/Junior High Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $6,265.03 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Messman, second by Huegel that High School Activity Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $25,669.36 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Paulsen, second by Witters that PPEL Fund warrants be issued in the total amount of $64,659.36 in payment of invoices presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Motion by Witters, second by Paulsen that a Capital Projects Fund warrant be issued in the total amount of $6,217.39 in payment of the invoice presented. All ayes. Motion carried.

Director Schurr arrived at 7:26 p.m.

LECLAIRE TIF DISTRICT DISCUSSION

Dr. Spelhaug and Mike Clingingsmith updated the board relative to the district’s calculations of the impact of LeClaire TIF (Tax Increment Financing) projects. At issue is the shift in TIF philosophy by the City of LeClaire. Originally the plan was to create a TIF zone of limited duration (10 years) and utilize this on a project by project basis. This would ensure developed properties would be brought back into the taxable valuation formulas that are used to calculate revenue (and hence levy rates) for the school district. The city has moved away from this original philosophy to one which creates a small number of mega-TIF’s which operate in a manner which denies the school district property tax revenue for 25 years into the future. Dr. Spelhaug stressed that this is a balancing act between the financial needs of the district and economic development within the city. The district will present to the LeClaire City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m.

AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK PROCLAMATION: President Dayman read the following American Education Week Proclamation into the minutes:

WHEREAS, public schools are the backbone of our democracy, providing young people with the tools they need to maintain our nation’s precious values of freedom, civility and equality; and WHEREAS, by equipping young Americans with both practical skills and broader intellectual abilities, schools give them hope for, and access to, a productive future; and WHEREAS, education employees, be they substitute educators, custodians, teachers, bus drivers, or librarians, work tirelessly to serve our children and communities with care and professionalism; and WHEREAS, schools are community linchpins, bringing together adults and children, educators and volunteers, business leaders, and elected officials in a common enterprise. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Deborah Dayman, serving as President of the Board of Education, Pleasant Valley Schools, do hereby proclaim November 12–18 as the 85th annual observance of American Education Week.

FIRST READING OF REVISED BOARD POLICY 605.1, “PROGRESS REPORTS OF STUDENTS: Cyndy Behrer presented Board Policy 605.1, “Progress Reports of Students” and recommended revisions for its first reading. The policy is being updated to include required language regarding how the district informs parents of primary age students of reading level progress.

PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY RENEWAL REVIEW: The board anticipates holding a referendum in February or March of 2007 to renew the PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) for another 10 years. This levy has been utilized by the district since 1968 and is a very important resource for addressing costs associated with upkeep and repair, building remodeling, additions, and equipment acquisition.

The board reviewed material utilized the last time PPEL was renewed and provided input relative to emphasizing that the referendum was for a renewal of an existing levy and not a levy increase and the importance of the levy to the health of the district.

The meeting adjourned at 9:04 p.m.