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A quorum being present, the special meeting was called to order by Board President Marty Owen at 6:00 p.m.

Patrons of the district present:  Diana McClure, Becky Shively, Darin Westhoff, Carolyn Bohi, Sheralyn Shockley, Maggie Smith, Doug Berryman, Edward Reese, Jr., Ken Turner, Kim Byrd, Ryan and Danelle Howard, Garry Klicker, Albert Martin, Jeff Ashmore, Barry Day, Brendan Keegan, Rick Lynch, Joe Crozier, Scott Spurgeon of the Bloomfield Democrat.

Board President Marty Owen asked for comments from the public.  Ken Turner urged the school board to consider cuts and said other districts have cut principal positions.  He also asked that there be no closed session later in the meeting.  Albert Martin asked if the old high school building would be torn down and also stated there are government grants for constructing dome buildings.  Carolyn Bohi said bowling for high school gym class is still ongoing.  She felt the director of support services employee is spread too thin trying to supervise maintenance, transportation and food service.

Board Member Ken Wuthrich stated that Sheryl Wright, Rod Lynch and he met last Saturday with a group in Pulaski to answer questions from the public.  He encouraged community members to contact their school board representatives with questions.

Board President Owen reminded everyone that the school board’s job is to serve children and hard decisions are sometimes necessary.

Superintendent Miller gave an update on the FY11 budget.  The across-the-board cut in state aid and the elimination of Phase I money resulted in over $600,000 in revenue cuts to the district.  The district’s financial condition prior to those cuts will enable the district to get through FY10.  The savings from early retirement and cost saving ideas are really for FY11.

Miller explained that there are only 20 districts in the state that do not have an instructional support levy (ISL).  Money generated from an ISL is used for daily operations of a school district, whereas a cash reserve levy should be used to build up reserves.  An ISL enables a district to gain spending authority whereas a cash reserve levy does not if the money generated is used for daily operations of the district.  He submitted two scenarios for FY11, one that proposed an ISL of $300,000 and a cash reserve levy of $100,000 and a second scenario that proposed an ISL of $0 and a cash reserve levy of $400,000.  In both cases the levy rate would be $14.22.

Alan Johnson asked several questions relating to spending authority and declining enrollment.

Board President Owen opened the public hearing regarding consideration of an instructional support levy (ISL).

Edward Reese, Jr., thought it was a good time to do an ISL.

Darin Westhoff asked if the ISL would be all property tax.  Superintendent Miller said the school board chose to do all property tax because the revenue would be received in FY11 whereas revenue from an income surtax would not be received until FY12.  Westhoff stated that assessments have increased which should affect the levy rate.  He would like to see the district cut expenses by $500,000. 

Carolyn Bohi asked if the cash reserve levy would be discontinued.  Miller answered no.

Albert Martin asked if the board had considered selling the McCollum Complex where the board meetings are held.

Ken Turner asked how many students had been lost since the September 2009 count.  Miller did not have that information readily available.  Turner wanted no ISL until after expenses are cut.  He asked that board packet information be made available on the district’s website.  He urged the board to vote no on the ISL because future school boards could increase the ISL.

Miller said the board approved the early retirement policy that will save money, and most of the cost-saving ideas do not require board approval.  The administration has already identified $650,000 in expenses that can be cut for FY11.

Board President Marty Owen advised that the state could affect any budget approved by the school board as was evidenced by the governor’s ten percent across-the-board cut in October 2009.  This is not fair to people in the local community but unfortunately that is what happens.

Alan Johnson said he would like to see a hiring freeze except for the superintendent position.

Ken Wuthrich stated that the ISL is a way to provide money for expenses associated with meeting the requirements of No Child Left Behind.

Miller indicated that bargaining with the two unions must be completed before the district will know for sure if any hiring will be necessary in light of the early retirements.  The board must approve all contracts before they are issued.  In the past contracts have been issued March 15 and employees had 21 days to sign and return the contract.  It will not be possible to issue contracts that early this year.

Jeff Ashmore thanked Superintendent Miller for his presentation regarding the updated FY11 budget and the ISL.  He said the city, county and all other taxes are increasing, and there was no alternative to the ISL.  He said the board needs to do what is needed to educate kids.

Garry Klicker said that if assessments are going up that would mean the same levy rate would now generate more dollars.

Ken Turner also asked about the dollar amount of tax asking.

Miller said a $14.22 levy rate in FY11 as referenced earlier in the meeting would generate approximately $85,000 more than the $14.02 levy rate in FY10.

Carolyn Bohi said that as a bus driver for the district she knows the transportation department is already cutting expenses.  She said she heard that sports are going to be cut and the vocational agriculture (Vo Ag) program is going to be cut.

Miller said all expenses are being considered for cuts.  However, cuts in the Vo Ag program have never been approved.  He questioned where Bohi was getting her information and said people should find out the facts before saying things.

Sheralyn Shockley asked for clarification about the ISL and cash reserve levy.  Miller advised that the proposed FY11 budget lowers the tax levy rates for dropout prevention and cash reserve and substitutes the ISL instead. 

Board President Owen declared the public hearing closed at 6:50 p.m.

Rod Lynch moved to approve the Resolution to Participate in the Instructional Support Program.  Rob Melvin seconded the motion.  AYES-Bodkins, Lynch, Melvin, Owen, Wuthrich.  NAYS-Johnson.  Motion carried.

Superintendent Miller advised that retiring elementary principal Linda Perry works 40-50 hours per week managing the largest elementary school in the district conference with over 450 students and over 50 staff members.  A committee interviewed five applicants for elementary principal and recommended Jennifer Donels for the position.

Rob Melvin moved to approve the following contract:

            Jennifer Donels                       Elementary Principal ($72,000)

 Alan Bodkins seconded the motion.

Alan Johnson wanted to defer hiring an elementary principal until fall.  He suggested the current middle school principal could be the elementary principal also.  He thought the assistant high school principal could then be changed to the assistant elementary principal and his duties at the high school could be delegated to other staff.

Superintendent Miller advised that the current middle school principal could not do both middle school and elementary because no leading would be possible in either building.

Joel Pedersen, current middle school principal, stated that every school building needs both a manager and an instructional leader.  Management duties at the middle school take up a lot of his time, and therefore, he does not believe he would be able to provide the instructional leadership necessary at the elementary school.  He said good things are happening in the elementary school now because of that instructional leadership, and he did not feel it would be best for kids to have one person be both the middle school and elementary principal.

Rod Lynch said students are getting good scores.  If the administrators say there needs to be a middle school principal and an elementary school principal then the school board should accept that advice because the administrators are the experts in teaching kids.

Marty Owen stated the elementary school is a critical building because the education process begins there.

Rob Melvin said kindergarten through fourth grade are critical years in education.

Alan Bodkins said at first he did not think the elementary principal position should be filled but changed his mind after talking with some teachers and some students.  Students told him it is good to have another adult to talk to at the elementary school other than just teachers.

Joel Pedersen added that right now the middle school principal position is a good fit for him.

In light of no further discussion, Board President Owen asked for a vote.  AYES-Bodkins, Lynch, Melvin, Owen, Wuthrich.  NAYS-Johnson.  Motion carried.

Alan Bodkins moved to ratify the Agreement between the Board of Education in the Davis County Community School District and P.P.M.E. Local 203, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (AFL-CIO) (support staff) as follows:

            The Board proposes that the total package for salaries, longevity payments

and cafeteria payments be increased by 1.0% ($12,920.58). 

The Board agrees that, from the date of the execution of this Agreement

until June 30, 2011, there will be no involuntary layoff of any bargaining

unit employees.  The Union understands and agrees that this no-layoff

guarantee does not apply to voluntary reductions in the work force which

arise as a result of resignation, retirements or the death or disability of

an employee.

Rod Lynch seconded the motion.  AYES-Bodkins, Johnson, Lynch, Melvin, Owen, Wuthrich.  NAYS-None.  Motion carried.

Board President Owen thanked the support staff bargaining team for their willingness to agree to such a low amount and said it showed that those employees really care about the school district.

Ken Wuthrich made the following motion to go into closed session:  Based upon the written request of the candidates for a closed session to evaluate the candidates’ professional competency for purposes of hiring, and based upon the nature and scope of the questions which must be posed in order to fully and frankly evaluate the candidates, I move that we find that a closed session is necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to the candidates’ reputations, that we incorporate as part of the basis for this motion the written requests for closed session submitted by the candidates to the District, and that we hold a closed session as provided by Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(i) to prevent needless and irreparable injury to an individual whose professional competency is being evaluated for purposes of hiring and who has requested a closed session.  I would also move that we hold a closed session pursuant to Iowa Code Section 21.5(1)(a) to review or discuss employment applications and records which are required or authorized by state or federal law to be kept confidential.  Alan Bodkins seconded the motion.  A roll call vote was taken as follows:  AYES-Bodkins, Melvin, Lynch, Wuthrich, Owen.  NAYS-Johnson.  Motion carried.  (7:10 p.m.)

Rob Melvin moved to return to open session.  Alan Bodkins seconded the motion.  A roll call vote was taken as follows:  AYES-Owen, Wuthrich, Johnson, Lynch, Melvin, Bodkins.  NAYS-None.  Motion carried.  (8:00 p.m.)

Board President Owen reminded board members that the focus remains on students.  It is impossible to please everyone, and the school board must do what is right.

There being no further business to come before the board for consideration at this time, upon motion made by Ken Wuthrich and seconded by Rob Melvin, the Board President declared the meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.

Betsy J. Bassett

                                                                        Board Secretary/Business Manager

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