Additional $600,000 earmarked for Armstrong project

Unofficial Minutes of the February 20, 2007 Regular Meeting of the Board of Education (pending Board approval)

The Board of Directors of the Bettendorf Community School District, in the County of Scott, State of Iowa, met in open session according to Iowa law for their regular Board meeting at the Administrative Center, 729 21st Street, Bettendorf, Iowa, on February 20, 2007. President Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and the Board recited the Pledge of Allegiance. Maxine McEnany, Acting Board Secretary, verified that the meeting notice had been posted and mailed to the media as required by law.

Members present: Directors Anderson, Crockett, Ehrmann, Tinsman, Weigle. Members absent: Directors Mayer, Justis.

Other officials present: Marty Lucas, Superintendent; Dr. Carol Webb, Assistant Superintendent; Maxine McEnany, Director of Business and Financial Services; Joe Slavens, Treasurer; Celeste Reuter, Director of Communications; John Campbell, Director of Operations; Anna Selser, Student Representative.

Motion by Director Crockett, seconded by Director Ehrmann, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0-2.

Motion by Director Tinsman, seconded by Director Crockett, to approve the consent agenda as presented. Motion carried: 5-0-2.

Approval of February 5, 2007 Special Meeting Minutes.

Approval of February 5, 2007 Regular Board Meeting Minutes.

Financial Reports:

Financial Reports – January 31, 2007

Unspent Authorized Budget

Food Service Report

Approval of February 20, 2007 Bills Recommended for Payment.

Approval of Administrative Recommendations--Personnel.

Schedule D Resignation

Tim Gronski/BHS/Head Freshman/Assistant Sophomore Baseball Coach /Effective 1-15-07

Classified - Recommendation for Employment

Clarissa Pauli/HH/Para Educator/$11.98 per hour/3.5 hours per day /Replacing Carol Keller/Effective 2/13/07

Classified – Letter of Assignment Modification

Carol Keller/from MT to HH/Para Educator/Same rate of pay/From 3.5 hours to 5 hours per day/New position within new ECSE classroom/Effective 2/12/07

Approval of Requests for Open Enrollment.

Into Bettendorf, 2006/07

Briahna Keckler, grade 10, from North Scott, continuation

Into Bettendorf, 2007/08

Charles Knudsen, grade 9, from Pleasant Valley

For information only. The following students have open enrolled out of the Bettendorf Community School District:

Out of Bettendorf, 2007/08

Kirstyn Lambiotte, kindergarten, to Pleasant Valley

Jessica Smith, grade 9, to Pleasant Valley

Sonia Smith, grade 6, to Pleasant Valley

Shared Communications.

Director Crockett shared that she had attended a Grant Wood birthday party celebration. It was a fun day with an author doing a presentation, games, a live chicken – she said it was a delightful experience for the students.

President Anderson reported that he had attended the Davenport City Conference Board meeting. He noted there would be a slight increase (approximately 1%) in the levy for the assessment funds. The Public Hearing on the proposal will be in March.

Neil Armstrong Spending Authority

Maxine McEnany reviewed the proposal for additional allowable growth for $597,625 for the Neil Armstrong new elementary school building project. The request will be for spending authority to pay for playground equipment, technology equipment, furniture, fixtures, and equipment, asbestos abatement, and utilities from the General Fund. The District will appear before the School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) to make the request in May 2007.

500 Board Policy Series.

The Directors discussed the revisions to the 500 Board policies as suggested by the committee. Most of the changes came from the Iowa Association of School Board to make our board policies consistent with the changes in laws.

Local Option Sales Tax.

Maxine McEnany reviewed the Local Option Sales Tax fund and the Physical Plant and Equipment fund. In June 2009 when our local option sales tax is set to expire, the district should have approximately $1,400,000 unexpended funds after the Neil Armstrong project is completed and after we have paid the 1997 and 1998 bonds issued for the elementary media centers and the Middle School music and science additions in full.

If the Board approves the list of 2007/2008 PPEL projects as currently listed we would have approximately $1,500,000 in the PPEL fund at the end of the 2007/2008 school year.

The Board discussed options for the Middle School pod-remodeling project. The current projected cost is $4.5 million. The Local Option Sales Tax expires in 2009 and the legislature has not acted on making the one-cent tax permanent. The Board will continue discussion on the scope of the Middle School pod project and the funding options at the next Board meeting.

John Campbell reviewed the list of 2007/2008 PPEL projects.

He noted the most critical need on the list was the remodeling of the BHS special needs classroom and bathroom.

There was discussion regarding the other project needs and timing and other funding sources.

There was quite a bit of discussion regarding the need to construct a Middle School six-lane running track.

Also, the Board made suggestions for improvements to the bleachers at the high school without doing a total replacement, in order to cut costs.

Superintendent Lucas noted the issue is putting our priorities in order on the list of PPEL projects in relation to the middle school pod project and the funding that is available. When more details are known, we will further prioritize our lists, work on more funding details and bring the information back to the Board.

Motion by Director Tinsman, seconded by Director Crockett, to approve a one-time request to the School Budget Review Committee for Allowable Growth in the amount of $597,625 for the Neil Armstrong Elementary School construction project. Motion carried 5-0-2.

Motion by Director Ehrmann, seconded by Director Crockett, to approve a first reading of revisions to the 500 Board Policy Series, Students, and policy 801.5, Bids and Awards for Construction Contracts. Motion carried 5-0-2.

Motion by Director Crockett, seconded by Director Ehrmann to approve the proposed Neil Armstrong 2007/08 calendar, revised February 12, 2007.

The calendar was amended on February 12, 2007 to include state funded inservice days (if funding is available) on July 30 and January 3. Motion carried 5-0-2.

Next Agenda Planning.

2007/2008 Budget.

Maxine McEnany reviewed three budget estimates prepared for 2007/2008.

One had the current tax levy rate of $15.00 per $1000 taxable valuation, which showed a levy increase of 3.7%.

The second had a proposed levy of $15.43 which would be a tax rate hike of 6.6% and the third would be the maximum we could levy at $15.83 per $1000 taxable valuation and would be 9.3% tax rate increase.

With looking at the balance in all of our funds the Board determined the current levy rate of $15.00 per $1000 taxable valuation would be what we would levy for the 2007/2008 school year.

The Board will approve the 2007/2008 Budget Estimate for publication and set the public hearing date of April 9, 2007 for the proposed FYE 08 budget at the March 5, 2007 meeting.

Superintendent Lucas noted the next meeting will be March 5th at the Thomas Edison Center, when we will have a technology presentation.

We will also have information on the Eagles building.

Agenda topics include SEIU 2007/2008 contract finalization, 2007/2008 PPEL projects, approval of the 2007/2008 Budget Estimate and setting the public hearing on the budget, second reading of series 500 policies, Prep kindergarten report, and an early childhood report.

Motion by Director Crockett to adjourn the meeting at 8:45 p.m.