CAT Tracks for February 7, 2003 IT'S OFFICIAL...

...the final say over the financial matters of Cairo School District Number One will be in the hands of a 3-member Oversight Panel appointed by the Illinois State Board of Education.

At a Special Meeting of the Cairo Board of Education on Thursday, February 6, 2003, Superintendent Robert Isom reported on his participation by teleconference in a Special Meeting of the Illinois State Board of Education earlier in the day. Also "attending" the meeting in Cairo were Joe Griggs, Brenda Gooden, Constance Williams, Ilene Pierce, Regional Superintendent Andrea Brown, Assistant Regional Superintendent Dan Anderson, and Bob McIntosh.

According to Isom, State Superintendent Robert Schiller presented CSD #1's case to the State Board...the particulars of the financial status of the District...the steps taken to address same...and the need for assistance. Gary Ey, ISBE's Manager of School Funding & Finance (who conducted the meeting during mid-January at the Regional Office), seconded Dr. Schiller's remarks. (Evidently, both officials warned the State Board that other Districts were also in danger...including Century, Egyptian, and Meridian...a total of 80 districts in the State that will be in deficit spending by the end of June 2003.)

Following the presentations, ISBE voted unanimously to approve CSD #'s petition for assistance. ISBE now has ten (10) days to appoint the members of the 3-member Financial Oversight Panel. That Panel will then come to Cairo, take a first-hand look at the situation, and make "recommendations".

Again...with the Oversight Panel comes money...a $250 per student grant is guaranteed. It is anticipated that the Oversight Panel will also petition the legislature for a $1000 per student loan for the District...a loan to be paid back at a very low interest rate over the term of said Panel...a minimum of three years to a maximum of ten years. The loan is NOT "guaranteed"...the dollars are not available right now. But...ISBE anticipates approval.

Upon completion of the Superintendent's report...and some minor housekeeping chores...the Board voted to go into closed session at 5:15 p.m.

The Board exited closed session at 7:45 p.m. and promptly voted to adjourn. Yeah...2 and 1/2 hours...and no action. This, after doing the same thing two weeks ago...for 3 and 1/2 hours...

Hmmm...wonder what they are up to now?