Board: Anderson,
Nelson, Pitts, Pronold, Taylor, Peach, Roske, Beth Brander (Student
Representative)
Absent: Caraway, Limmex
Admin: Benson, Hoffman, Richardson, Hayek, Kaukl, Briehl (arrived at 7:45 p.m.)
Others: Lisa Scofield, Bob Holding (Home News), Paula Wedige (Administrative
Assistant)
Anderson opened the meeting. He noted that the meeting had been properly noticed and notice had been provided to the appropriate media and each School Board Member. Peach moved to proceed with the legal meeting. Roske seconded. Motion carried.
Board Training
Opportunities
Nelson stated
that the dates for the WASB Convention in Milwaukee are January 18-21. Pitts
and Taylor will be attending the convention along with Benson and Hayek.
Legislative Update
Taylor urged the Board to review State
Superintendent Burmaster’s proposed 2005-07 budget and the potential impact on
River Valley and to contact
legislators in support.
Student Council Report
Beth Brander outlined several student
council activities such as a food drive, “Caps for a Cause” fundraiser where
students can wear a hat in school for a day if they donate $1, “Random Acts of
Kindness” by members to other students, and a candy cane fundraiser sale. There
may be a dance in January or February where the court would be comprised of the
top ten couples who are matched up by the results of a compatibility survey
completed by each student who wishes to participate.
District Goals - Final
Review and Acknowledgement
Benson outlined the four main
district goals for the 2004-05 school year—pride, communication, information
resources, and differentiated instruction—and showed the connection between this
year goal’s and last year. Benson provided handouts listing various staff
development activities since February 2003 that have included
differentiated instruction and how to modify
instructional practices to teach in the most effective manner.
Discussion of
Budget Deficit Strategies for 2005-06 and Beyond
Benson distributed a memo to the Board
which outlined an administrative recommendation to proceed with budget deficit
strategies in three phases. Phase 1 includes covering the projected $508,960
budget deficit for 2005-06 with budget cuts in the amount of $203,960 combined
with a spend-down of fund balance at $100,000 and Fund 49 at $205,000. Specific
budget cuts will be outlined at the January regular meeting. Phases 2 and 3 of
the proposal would occur simultaneously. Phase 2 would rely on a
community-driven effort to discontinue cuts and work on a new direction for
resolving the district’s financial challenges. At the same time, Phase 3 would
be to proceed with 2006-07 budget cuts. If Phase 1 of this proposal is
implemented, the 2006-07 budget deficit amount would be $649,110.
It was noted that while cuts actually reduce the deficit for the following year by eliminating expenses, the use of fund balance and Fund 49 do not. Using these monies only covers the deficit for the year in which they are used. The expenses return the following year.
Hayek presented information related to cash flow, fund balance, and short term borrowing. He presented figures showing the effects of the district’s continued use of fund balance year after year. In addition, he noted that reducing fund balance may require short term borrowing at times when the timing of the receipt of state aide payment to the district does not coincide with cash flow needs. Fund balance has already been reduced to a point where we are unable to cover cash flow needs, which means we may need to short term borrow this 2004-05 school year.
Consent Agenda: Checks,
Invoices, Receipts – November 2004; Open Session Meeting Minutes – November 11,
2004
Pitts moved to approve the consent
agenda items as submitted. Taylor seconded. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action
on Budget Committee Recommendations
The Budget Committee met prior to the
Board meeting and noted that in 2006, there will be no software support for the
DOS-based “Skyward” financial software currently used in the central office.
The Committee recommends a bid waiver and the purchase of the Windows-based
version of the “Skyward” software. Taylor moved to waive the bid process for
purchases over $15,000 and to purchase the Windows-based version of “Skyward”
for $17,625 from Fund 49 with the software conversion to occur in 2006. Pitts
seconded. Polled vote was 7-0 in the affirmative with 2 absent. Motion
carried.
Consideration & Action on
Ad Hoc School Forest Committee
Recommendations
The Ad Hoc School Forest Committee
recommends the sale of one of the four parcels (parcel #16) in the Lone Rock
forest and to create four lots out of the parcel and sell at $10,000 per lot.
Benson noted that the annual meeting gave permission for the Board to proceed
with looking into the sale of school forest land but also stipulated that a
Class 2 notice be given to the public before any sale takes place. Pitts moved
to direct administration to post a Class 2 notice for the regular January Board
meeting at which time the Board will discuss the sale of parcel #16 of the Lone
Rock forest. Pronold seconded. Pitts noted that the Village of
Lone Rock is not anxious to change the zoning on the remaining parcels to be
commercial or industrial. Motion carried.
Consideration & Action to
Adjourn to Closed Session Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes
19.85(1)(f) and 120.13(1)(c) for the purpose of
holding an expulsion hearing and 19.85(1)(a) and 19.85(1)(f) for the purpose of
deliberating and acting thereon; and
19.85(1)(c) for 2005-07 RVEA Collective
Bargaining Update and for the purpose of preparing for the Superintendent
Evaluation in January
Taylor moved to adjourn to closed
session at 8:29 p.m. pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes
19.85(1)(f) and 120.13(1)(c) for the purpose of
holding an expulsion hearing and 19.85(1)(a) and 19.85(1)(f) for the purpose of
deliberating and acting thereon; and
19.85(1)(c) for 2005-07 RVEA Collective
Bargaining Update and for the purpose of preparing for the Superintendent
Evaluation in January. Peach seconded. Polled vote was 7-0 in the affirmative
with 2 absent. Motion carried.
Submitted by Paula Wedige For Deborah Nelson, School District Clerk
03/10/08 pw