November 9, 2020
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, November 9, 2020, in the School Administration Office Board Room, Webster City, Iowa.
ITEM 1. – Call to Order – The Board President called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ITEM 2. – Roll Call – Members answering roll call were Ms. Williams, Mr. Pruismann, Mr. Stroner, Mr. Patterson and Ms. Van Diest. Also present, via Zoom, were members of the media and other interested parties.
ITEM 3. – Approval of Agenda – It was moved by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Mr. Pruismann, to approve the agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
ITEM 4. – Open Comment to the Board – There were none.
ITEM 5. – Annual Meeting
Kathy Biere, Board Secretary, took over the meeting.
A. Election of President and Vice President – Motion by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Pruismann, to nominate Beth Van Diest for School Board President. Motion carried. Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Ms. Van Diest, to nominate Eric Patterson for School Board Vice President. Motion carried.
B. Administration of Oath of Office to newly Elected President and Vice President – Kathy Biere, School Board Secretary, administered the oath of office to newly elected School Board President Beth Van Diest and newly elected School Board Vice President, Eric Patterson.
President Van Diest took over the meeting.
C. Establish Meeting Dates, Time and Location – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve Board Meeting dates as the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month at 6:00 p.m. in the School Administration Office Board Room and to note that Board Meetings are subject to change upon need. Motion carried.
D. Name Official Publication – Motion by Mr. Pruismann, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve the Daily Freeman Journal as Official Publication. Motion carried.
E. Designation of Legal Counsel – Motion by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Stroner, to appoint Ahlers Law Firm as legal counsel for the Webster City Community School District. Motion carried.
F. Designation of Financial Depositories – Motion by Mr. Pruismann, seconded by Ms. Williams to approve the Designation of Financial Depositories and Limits for District Funds as follows: ISJIT - $10,000,000; First State Bank - $8,000,000; Availa Bank - $8,000,000; and WCF Financial Bank - $8,000,000. Motion carried.
ITEM 6. Webster City High School Yearbook Awards – Michele Veldhuizen, Yearbook Advisor; Erin Bailey, Yearbook Committee Member; and Leah Kasch, Yearbook Committee Member; gave a presentation to the Board on awards the 2020 High School Yearbook won.
ITEM 7. – Action Items
A. Board Work Session Facilities Priority List – Motion by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve the list of facilities projects to guide the work of staff. Motion carried unanimously.
B. High School Options – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Mr. Patterson, to direct the Superintendent to begin working with FEH Design to provide direction to the Board regarding updating or new construction at Webster City High School. Motion carried unanimously.
C. Sale of Rental House – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Ms. Williams, to direct the Superintendent to begin the process to sell the rental house in Blairsburg as it stands or have it moved off the property. Motion carried unanimously.
D. Debt Service General Obligation Bond Interest Payment – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Mr. Patterson, to approve the Debt Service General Obligation Bond Interest Payment in the amount of $167,005.54. Motion carried.
E. Resolution to Consider Continued Participation in the Instructional Support Program - Director Pruismann introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption. Director Williams seconded the motion to adopt. The roll was called, and the vote was:
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AYES: |
Williams, Pruismann, Stroner, Patterson, Van Diest |
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NAYS: |
None |
The President declared the Resolution adopted as follows:
RESOLUTION TO CONSIDER CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has determined that to continue the current level of services and to fund the ongoing programs of the School District, continuation of participation in the Instructional Support Program for a period of five years is necessary and in the best interests of the District and its residents and students; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors wishes to consider continued participation in the Instructional Support Program as provided in Sections 257.18 through 257.21, Code of Iowa; and
WHEREAS, the authorization for the current Instructional Support Program will expire on June 30, 2021; and
WHEREAS, this Resolution sets forth the proposal of the Board of Directors, including the method that will be used to fund the program; and
WHEREAS, notice of the time and place of a public hearing must be published:
NOW, THEREFORE, it is resolved:
- The Board of Directors wishes to consider continued participation in the Instructional Support Program as provided in Sections 257.18 through 257.21, Code of Iowa, for a period of five years, commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022.
- The additional funding for the Instructional Support Program for a budget year shall be determined annually and shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total regular program district cost for the budget year and moneys received under Section 257.14, Code of Iowa, as a budget adjustment for the budget year.
- Moneys received by the District for the Instructional Support Program may be used for any general fund purpose.
- The Instructional Support Program shall be funded by instructional support state aid and a combination instructional support property tax levied annually upon the taxable property within the School District commencing with the levy of property taxes for collection in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, and an instructional support income surtax imposed annually, the percent of income surtax to be determined by the Board for each budget year to be imposed upon the state individual income tax of each individual income taxpayer resident in the School District on December 31, 2021, and each year thereafter.
- The Secretary is authorized and directed to give notice of a public hearing to be held in the Administration Office Board Room, 820 Des Moines Street, Webster City, Iowa, on December 14, 2020, 6:00 P.M.
- Following the public hearing the Board intends to take action on the question whether to continue participation in the Instructional Support Program.
F. School Budget Review Committee Request for Modified Allowable Growth for Open Enrolled out Not in Fall 2019 – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve the School Budget Review Committee Request for Modified Allowable Growth for Open Enrolled out Not in Fall 2019 in the amount of $92,880. Motion carried.
G. School Budget Review Committee Request for Modified Allowable Growth for ELL Beyond 5 Years – Motion by Mr. Pruismann, seconded by Mr. Stroner, to approve the School Budget Review Committee Request for Modified Allowable Growth for ELL Beyond 5 Years in the amount of $113,255. Motion carried.
H. Gift(s) – Motion by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Stroner, to approve the monetary donation from Theresa Stromberg-Murphy, Terracon, to purchase equipment and supplies for the WC Rockery Club. Motion carried.
I. Varsity Group Advertising/Equipment Contract – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Mr. Patterson, to approve the Varsity Group Advertising/Equipment contract for advertising, revenue sharing, and installation. Motion carried.
J. General Education Contract – Motion by Ms. Williams, seconded by Mr. Stroner, to approved the General Education contract for student services with the Mason City Community School District. Motion carried.
K. Second Reading of Board Policy 803.2 Lease, Sale or Disposal of School District Buildings and Sites – Motion by Mr. Pruismann, seconded by Mr. Stroner, to approve the second reading of Board Policy 803.2 Lease, Sale or Disposal of School District Buildings and Sites. Motion carried.
L. Fundraising Request – Motion by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Mr. Patterson, to approve the fundraising request for the High School Student Council to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. Motion carried.
ITEM 8. – Personnel – Motion by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Ms. Williams, to approve the following:
- Contract Resignation of: Dave Hilton, Head 8th Girls Basketball Coach (One-Year Sabbatical); Travis Hurt, High School Custodian
- Contract Recommendations of: Carson Hartnett, Assistant Wrestling Coach; Craig Signorin, transfer from Assistant 8th Girls Basketball to Head 8th Girls Basketball Coach (One-Year Contract); Kayleigh Epps, Assistant 8th Girls Basketball Coach (One-Year Contract).
Motion carried.
ITEM 9. – Other -
A. Items from Dr. Ross –
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- Dr. Ross congratulated Coach Howard and the football team on a great season.
- Dr. Ross thanked community donors for providing 170 tickets for students to attend last Friday night’s football game.
- Dr. Ross informed the Board the District received a refund check in the amount of $4,364 from the Iowa Local Government Risk Pool for participation during the 2019-2020 school year.
- Dr. Ross told the Board she was meeting the Public Health and the School Nurses November 10th to assess the increase in COVID numbers.
- Dr. Ross told the Board Iowa Central Community College might be going virtual for the remainder of the semester.
- Dr. Ross discussed the Timberline Data Breach and said the District is looking for ways to inform families.
- Dr. Ross acknowledged Mr. Stroner and all veterans in honor of Veteran’s Day and thanked them for their service.
B Items from the Board –
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- Mr. Stroner asked Dr. Ross to look into the District’s legal standpoint regarding visitors to athletic events and the District’s mask policy.
- Mr. Patterson, Ms. Van Diest and Dr. Ross discussed the Informal Board Meeting held with Stratford Community School prior to tonight’s board meeting. Topics discussed were: enrollment, instructional delivery, snow days, daycare centers, transportation and the electronic backpack.
- Mr. Stroner asked how the sharing agreement with Stratford was working.
ITEM 10. – Consent Items – It was moved by Mr. Stroner, seconded by Mr. Pruismann, to approve the minutes of the October 26, 2020 Board Meeting, to approve General, Schoolhouse, Lunch and Activity Fund Reports, payment of the bills and claims as listed at the close of these minutes, to approve the interfund transfer and the fundraising report. Motion carried.
ITEM 11. – Adjournment - A motion was made by Mr. Patterson, seconded by Mr. Pruismann, to adjourn the meeting at 7:33 p.m. Motion carried.
The next Regular Board Meeting will be Monday, November 23, 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