Following is a summary of minutes of a regular meeting of the Board of Education of Jasper County Community Unit School District No. 1 held in the office of the Board of Education on Monday, January 17, 2022 at 6:30pm. Board members present were Mrs. Mandy Rieman, Mrs. Holly Farley, Mr. Jerry L. Jed Earnest attended by Zoom, Mr. Jason Kuhl attended by Zoom, Mr. Bill Meinhart and Mr. Brady Shull. Members absent: Mrs. Mandi Utley.
All votes are considered unanimous unless otherwise noted.
Mandy Rieman called the meeting to order.
Agenda was approved as presented.
There was 1 FOIA request from Andy Pullen.
Approval of the Consent Agenda:
Regular and Special Minutes from December 20, 2021 and January 5, 2022,
Bills, Payroll and Monthly Financial Reports,
Destruction of closed session recording for November 18, 2019,
Technology items declared as surplus and 2 Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 welders as surplus, these welders are approximately 5-7 years old and are used daily. We will replace them with new welders purchased with CTEI grant money.
Final reading and approval of PRESS POLICY Updates and 5 year review.
Approval of fuel bid with Wabash Valley Service Company beginning February 1, 2022 through January 31, 2023, they were the only bid.
Approval of NCHS Graduation on Saturday, May 14, 2022 @ 7pm in the NCHS gymnasium.
Stephen Adams with PMA presented through zoom, regarding funding of building projects such as the JCJH/NCHS elevator, HVAC and Early Childhood Expansion. Mr. Adams and Mr. Johnson shared various options for funding these projects, such as HLS funds, ESSER II, ESSER III (ARP), Fund balances from Working Cash fund, Education fund, and O & M fund, as well as utilizing the CSFT (1% sales tax revenue), seeking debt certificates and or seeking HLS bonds. No action on these items was taken
Approval of Bus Lease/Purchase Agreement with Central States Bus for the financial portion of this third rotation of the past four years. Buses will be financed at a 1% rate. We have one more rotation to complete the cycle for almost all buses in the fleet to be less than five years old and all buses to be eligible for depreciation reimbursement from ISBE.
Much discussion and approval to seek bids for next year’s rotation of buses or consider utilizing Sourcewell. Sourcewelland the entities that access Sourcewell’s cooperative purchasing contracts (Participating Entities). Participating Entities will purchase Vendor’s equipment, products, or services through an authorized independent dealer of Vendor’s products (“Participating Dealer”) who will sell to Participating Entities in accordance with this Contract and such additional terms and conditions as may be negotiated between the Participating Entities and the Participating Dealers (such terms and conditions may not be less favorable to the Participating Entity than this Contract and Vendor’s Proposal). District will seek bids soon for the fourth rotation of buses in the 5-year cycle in hopes to have the new buses here prior to August 2022. The district is still waiting for rotation number three buses to arrive, they were ordered last May / June – but have been delayed due to the shortages across the country in the labor force, etc.
Approval of the Teachers Retirement Savings Supplemental Savings Plan (457 (b) Resolution. Recent Illinois state law requires TRS, for the first time, to offer a deferred compensation plan to its membership as another retirement savings vehicle to complement the established pension from the defined benefit program. TRS has worked diligently to create a best-in-class deferred compensation plan that will provide members the means to Bring More to their future retirement. This process has resulted in the launch of the Supplemental Savings Plan. The SSP is an optional retirement savings plan that allows you to contribute a portion of every paycheck to your future retirement goals. The SSP adds to your existing TRS pension – it does not replace it. When you retire, you will be able to receive your monthly TRS pension from the defined benefit program and will also be able to draw on the money you have saved in your SSP account, however you see fit! In partnership with TRS, the SSP account will be administered by Voya Financial, a national leader in retirement security for millions of Americans. Throughout this introductory period and while you maintain an SSP account, you will receive communications from TRS and Voya and obtain account access, plan information and investment education from Voya and their representatives
Approval of School Maintenance Grant Application. This is a $50,000 matching grant through the Illinois State Board of Education. This money will be applied to the JCJH / NCHS elevator project that the board recently approved to move forward with the next steps in the process. Total estimated project cost will be $600,000. Most of this financial obligation will be paid by the current HLS funds. Current balance in HLS is approximately $485,000.
Discussion and approval of a 3 year contract with Kemper CPA Group in Olney for the district’s audit for fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, 2023 and 2024. Ayes: Kuhl, Rieman, Farley, Meinhart, Shull. Nays: Earnest. Motion carried 5-1.
Approval of a leave of absence for Ashley Bergbower lst Grade Teacher at Newton Elementary effective May 15, 2022 and return date after Labor Day in the FY23’ school year.
Approval of a leave of absence for Mikkel Andrews 3rd Grade Teacher at Newton Elementary effective April 1, 2022 and return date May 16, 2022 or 6 weeks after she leaves to start the leave of absence.
Approval of a leave of absence for Mary Jo Walk Resource Teacher at Newton Elementary effective May 6, 2022 and return date for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval of a leave of absence for Erin Niebrugge CEO and Business Teacher at Newton Community High School effective March 13, 2022 and return date for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.
Approval of the retirement of Janet Benefiel District Secretary effective June 30, 2022.
Approval to advertise for a District Secretary to begin training as soon as possible and to be on their own July 1, 2022 and a JCJH (preferred Science and English Teacher) to start August 2022.
Approval to hire Cynthia Griffith as a full-time substitute teacher at Newton Elementary. Ayes: Meinhart, Shull, Earnest, Rieman, Farley. Nays: None. Abstain: Kuhl. Motion carried 5-1.
Approval to hire Rickie Steber as Newton Elementary School Counselor effective January 1, 2022. Prior to January 1, she was a social emotional coach at Newton Elementary.
Approval to hire Heather Baud as a Newton Elementary Cook beginning January 19, 2022.
Approval to hire John Lidy as a NCHS Football Assistant Coach.
Under the superintendent’s report, the board members will be receiving the superintendent’s evaluation form from Janet within the next month.● Mr. Johnson presented his mid-year report/State of the District. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VT_xYENSkzg1byP14eU7R-PSxkXDsX_IGv-K0ZKqdWk/edit?usp=sharing ● Cassy Baker, Science Teacher at NCHS was present. Mr. Johnson congratulated her on renewing her National Board Certification. ● There was much discussion regarding a Sportsboosters/JCCU#1 joint project fundraiser. Mr. Johnson will do further research.
The board went into executive session at 8:55pm for 5 ILCS 120/2 ( c ) ( 1 ) – To consider information Regarding Appointment, Employment or Dismissal of Individual Employees, 5ILCS 120/2 ( c ) (21) – To Discuss minutes of meetings lawfully closed under the open meetings act, January 19, 2017 – June 21, 2017, 5ILCS 120/2 ( c ) (2) – Collective Negotiating Matters or Salary Schedule for One or More Classes of Employees and 5 ILCS 120/2 ( c ) (11) – Litigation, When an Action is Filed and Pending.
Approval to return to open session at 10:25pm.
Approval to keep closed the closed session minutes from January 19, 2017 to June 21, 2017.
Meeting adjourned at 10:27pm. Next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 21, 2022 at 6:30pm at the Board Office.
