CAT Tracks for October 17, 2003

CAT Tracks for October 17, 2003

OCTOBER REGULAR BOE MEETING

Probably one of the most uneventful meetings in the Board's history, but the way things usually go around here, "boring" is better...

Minutes, treasurer's report (revised), and payment of bills/payroll were approved without question.

The Board voted to change their regular meeting dates for November and December due to other commitments (State School Board Conference in Chicago in November) and the holiday schedule (that had the FOP meeting on Christmas Day to approve December actions by the BOE.) So...the meetings are being moved up two days - to November 18th and December 16th respectively.

Under "Plant (Buildings and Grounds)"...

The District's architect has made some recommendations concerning repairs and alterations to the Junior High School roof and gymnasium. The superintendent also informed the Board that it needed to apply for an extension of time for health and life/safety work at all buildings...that approximately $70,000 of work remained to be done. The District has also renewed its request for a waiver to allow it to be reimbursed for transporting students who live closer than a mile and a half from school due to hazardous conditions.

The superintendent also reported that there is a need to purchase a dishwasher for Emerson Elementary - that they were having to use paper products because the dishwasher did not work...had not worked for some time. However, he advised postponing any action until receiving a report from the Jr/Sr High School...stating that he knew they were having problems also. (Later, District Maintenance Supervisor Lorenzo Nelso added Bennett Elementary to the list...that it's dishwasher was working, but that it was a day-to-day situation.)

Back to the roof...well, the Jr/Sr High School roof. Seems that there are still problems - it still leaks. No problem you say...it's a "new" roof...still under warranty!? Well, it seems that the Martin Roofing Company (which did the installation) maintains that the District still owes them $22,000. Until this issue is resolved to the satisfaction of the Martin Roofing Company, they are refusing to send in the warranty. Therefore, any repairs ordered by the District will have to be paid for by the District. It's now in the hands of the lawyers, so hope for a loooong dry spell!

Now...back to the Junior High School building. No...not the students and teachers! There was discussion of the need to "secure" the Junior High School building. It seems that despite extensive efforts to prevent entry, a person or persons unknown are paying frequent unauthorized visits to the building and (probably) "liberating" whatever is/was left. There was much discussion of inventories - that the ones taken upon closing last year were no longer accurate due to authorized (and unauthorized) moving of equipment and supplies. That prompted discussion of the need for new inventories, but no agreement was reached on "WHO" might do such a thing. (The options ranged from District maintenance personnel to SIU college students doing "volunteer work." Hmmm...)

The final item under "Building and Grounds" was whether or not to "reopen" the Junior High School gym...to take the stress off of trying to schedule practices and games - for boys/girls and Jr/Sr High. No consensus was reached and it was emphasized that to heat the gym, the entire complex would have to be heated. The last suggestion was to look into getting permission to use the St. Joseph's School gym...that it had a new roof! The superintendent is supposed to look into the matter.

Lorenzo Nelson was called upon to give his "monthly report". He stated that he did not really have a report as such, but that he would be happy to answer any questions that the Board might have. Other than the discussion about securing the Junior High School building, the only concern was the curtain in the Jr/Sr High School gym which allows separation of high school and junior high school students. It does not work well (It never did!) and (of course) the company was bought out and companies do not make that type of curtain anymore. So...do we try to find parts?...do we buy a new type of curtain?...do we just keep our fingers crossed that we can open the curtain for the first home basketball game? Stay tuned!

There were no "Suggestions and/or Questions (Patrons, Employees)", so the Board voted to go into closed session at 8:08 p.m. They exited at 10:18 p.m.

The superintendent recommended a pay increase (to $250 per day) for Rose Mary Kloss (on those days that she serves as librarian). The Board approved a ULP settlement with the CAESP. The recall of Kim Meinke and Lisa Childs were "vacated" due to "no response". It was reported that Monica Woodson had "declined recall" as a teacher's aide. Barbara Layman was hired as 6th Grade Language Arts teacher under Title I and Joyce Dalton was hired as an independent contractor to serve as Curriculum Coordinator for up to 120 days, also under Title I.

The Board voted to adjourn at 10:22 p.m.