CAT Tracks for August 30, 2003

CAT Tracks for August 30, 2003

REGULAR AUGUST FOP MEETING

State Superintendent Robert Schiller attended this month's meeting of the Cairo Financial Oversight Panel...

Roll was called at 10:30 a.m. All FOP members were present (with one attending by telephone again because of health problems.) The minutes of the previous meeting were quickly approved and they voted to go into closed session at 10:34 a.m. They exited closed session after only 11 minutes...easily a record for a regular meeting for any kind of Board meeting in Cairo!

After returning to open session, the following actions/discussions took place:

The update on the Cairo BOE policy manual (placed on reading last week) was approved.

Two bills for Energy Systems were discussed because of items that need to be repaired. It appears that some work done this summer has created a "sauna" in the gym which is compounded by the fact that the unit for the cafeteria is not working! (Folks...it is HOT AND HUMID beyond imagination. How hot is it? It is sooooo hot that the PE classes are going outside...where it is more "comfortable"!) Superintendent Isom stated that (according to Energy Systems) the doors to the gym must be kept closed for the system to work...because the system works on Barometric pressure. Superintendent Isom expressed his belief that the District should follow the directions of Energy Systems - i.e. keep the doors closed - and see if it will work. The FOP agreed. (According to information received during the staff meeting at CJ/SH, IF they get the system operating according to specifications...it will lower the inside temperature to 6 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. So...if the outside temperature is 96 degrees...which it has been this past week...the gym temperature will be a pleasant 90 degrees! Now, isn't that a relief!? According to personnel who have entered the building late at night...after the doors have been closed - and locked - for hours...the temperature in the gym was still 89 degrees! Hey...I gotta wonder...what happens in January when the outside temperature falls to sub-freezing? Also...that steel panel that was mysteriously welded into place...did anybody happen to check...was it placed over a heating vent by any chance?) The Panel agreed to pay a portion of the Energy Systems bill(s) and hold the remainder until the it is determined that the system is working properly.

The tentative budget for the coming school year (that was place on reading last week by the BOE) reflects an operating plan that will not be easy to work with, but DOES cut expenditures.

State Superintendent Schiller initiated a discussion as to enrollment of our district and the surrounding districts. During this discussion, he spoke mainly to Regional Superintendent Dan Anderson (who was attending and sitting in the audience.) Superintendent Schiller also brought up Bunge being closed and its effect on the District. No action was taken.

Using the old CJHS building to house Emerson, Bennett, and Garison was discussed. According to Superintendent Isom, 35 classrooms would be needed but only 26 are available under the building's current configuration. Superintendent Isom said that (so far) District officials did not know how to get the funds for expansion.

Four members of the Cairo BOE will attend the annual meeting in Chicago this November.

DISCLAIMER: For those of you who have had occasion to attend meetings in the Board Office...the air conditioner was on full blast and everyone was speaking very low! Therefore, reports on proceedings are sometimes a guess...but we do our best. The law requires that the meetings be public, but there is no indication of required volume level. Maybe this (intentional?) situation falls under the (horrid!!!) category of "there is more than one way to skin a CAT." Okay, back to the meeting...

Approved a list of personnel items that had been acted upon by the BOE at its August 21st meeting. (See last week's CAT Tracks for details.)

Extended the contract for professional fees of the FOP administrators at the current rate. They also agreed to report monthly.

Regional Superintendent Dan Anderson provided the FOP with information concerning regional planning for the next 4-5 years. Consideration is being given to sharing teachers for such things as shop classes, industrial arts classes, etc.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.