Minutes - 2023.01.23

January 23, 2023

The Board of Directors of the Webster City Community School District in the counties of Hamilton, Webster and Wright, State of Iowa, met in regular session, January 23, 2023, in the School Administration Office Board Room, Webster City, Iowa.

Open Comment to the Board – Tyler Anderson, editor of the Daily Freeman Journal, introduced himself to the Board. 

ITEM 1. – Call to Order – The Board President called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.

ITEM 2. – Roll Call – Members answering roll call were Ms. Greenfield, Ms. Clarken, Mr. Stoakes, Mr. Patterson, and Ms. Van Diest.  Also present were Dr. Ross, Kathy Biere, and members of the media and other interested parties.

ITEM 3. – Approval of Agenda – Motion by Mr. Patterson, second by Ms. Greenfield, to approve the agenda by adding a Contract Recommendation.  Motion carried. 

ITEM 4. – FEH Presentation – High School Study – Tyler Riley, FEH Design, presented the Board with possible options available for the construction of a new High School.   

ITEM 5. – Discussion Items –

1. First Reading of Board Policy 307 Succession of Authority to the Superintendent – Dr. Ross walked the Board through the first reading of Board Policy 307, Succession of Authority to the Superintendent. 

ITEM 6. – Action Items

1. Signage Bid Update – Motion by Ms. Clarken, second by Mr. Patterson, to approve Terry & Bob’s Sign Company signage bid to be paid from the FY24 PPEL/SAVE budget.  Motion carried. 
2. Gift to District – Motion by Ms. Greenfield, second by Mr. Stoakes, to approve Rosine Kennedy’s monetary donation of $200 for the purchase of choir robes.  Motion carried. 
3. Fundraising Requests – Motion by Ms. Clarken, second by Mr. Stoakes, to approve a meal to be sold at a home basketball game to raise money for Prom; High School Boys Soccer to host a soccer tournament; and Dance Marathon to sell chocolates.  Motion carried. 

ITEM 7. – Personnel – Motion by Mr. Patterson, second by Ms. Greenfield, to approve the following:

1. Contract Recommendation:  Bronwyn McKee, Paraeducator; and Kim Van Houten, Paraeducator. 
2. Contract Resignations:  Leah Kasch, 9^th Grade Softball Coach; and Dennis Dilly, Bus Driver.  Motion carried. 
3. Employee Termination - Motion by Mr. Stoakes, second by Ms. Clarken, to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to terminate the classified employee contract of Tina Rollins, Paraeducator, effective immediately.  Motion carried. 

ITEM 8. – Other

1. Items from the Superintendent
   1. The Board will receive an update on strategic planning process in February.
   2. Education Savings Accounts (Vouchers) could go before the Governor on Tuesday.
   3. The intercom system at Northeast Hamilton Elementary should be functional by the end of the week.
   4. Dr. Ross is still waiting to hear from the State Auditor’s Office regarding WC2DC.
   5. Dr. Ross, Collette Bertran and Danyell Artley toured an Iowa Central classroom that would be available for the Hamilton High program to use.
   6. Dr. Ross encouraged the Board to keep the students and staff impacted by the school shooting in Des Moines today in their thoughts.
2. Items from the Board
   1. Mr. Stoakes congratulated the Lynx wrestling team for winning the North Central Conference wrestling tournament on Saturday.  The high school boys basketball team had two overtime wins in their last two games and the high school girls basketball team continues to improve.
   2. Mr. Stoakes announced the basketball games on Tuesday, January 24 will be held at the competition gym.
   3. Sherri Olson, food service worker at Northeast Hamilton Elementary, passed away last week, and Ms. Greenfield asked that everyone keep her family in their thoughts and prayers. 

ITEM 9. – Consent Items – Motion by Ms. Clarken, second by Mr. Patterson, to approve the open enrollment update.  Motion carried. 

ITEM 10. – Superintendent Search Update – Lyle Schwartz and Jon Wiebers, consultants with McPherson and Jacobson, updated the Board on the search for a new Superintendent.  Semi-finalist interviews will take place February 4, and finalist interviews will take place on February 6 and 7. 

ITEM 11.  – Adjournment - Motion by Mr. Patterson, second by Mr. Stoakes, to adjourn the meeting at 7:42 p.m.  Motion carried. 

The next Regular Board Meeting will be Monday, February 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the School Administration Office Board Room.  Board Meetings are subject to change dependent upon need.

Attest:                                                                     Attest:

Kathy Biere, Secretary                                     Beth Van Diest, President