SWANTON SCHOOL BOARD MEETING … Pictured are: Treasurer Joyce Kinsman, Superintendent Chris Lake, Kris Oberheim, and Ben Remer.
By: Jennifer Ellison
All members for the July 21st 6:30 PM Swanton school board meeting were present, except for David Smith, who was absent.
The meeting was called to order on time and began with the Pledge of Allegiance. The first order of business was to present the agenda for the evening, which was approved by the council.
The meeting began with the Treasurer’s report, in which the minutes from the June 23rd meeting were cleared and approved.
Expenses were down 0.4%, along with the income tax for the month, with an erratic cash balance for the last three years. The purchase of new Chrome books set back the capital outlay, costing an approximation of $110,000 to $115,000.
The Swanton athletic boosters is paying for new uniforms, as well as a donation for kitchen supplies for future culinary students wishing to earn experience by volunteering for work in the school cafeteria.
The general fund saw a financial transfer to the debt fund to the tune of $206,520.
Finally, July’s payroll was completed without further issue.
All items were presented to the council and motioned to approve.
New Business
Point A: Resolution second reading – On the November ballot will be the topic of determining to proceed to submit to the electors a substitute tax levy to sub for the emergency levy. At a cost of around 3.4 million, its potential for growth is expected to appear in its second year of use. This is not a new tax.
Point B: An agreement with Julian & Grube for a $1,500 reimbursement program deal granting $100,000 of Medicaid coverage for students.
Point C: The introduction of an Employee Dishonesty and Faithful Performance of Duty policy in lieu of bond, which the school legal team expressed approval of.
The new business was presented in motion before the council and approved.
Superintendent Chris Lake brought up the plans for new baseball and softball fields on the school property near the 4-acre corn field in front of the soccer field.
The hope is to raise money in tandem with the hopeful $500,000 grant in order to pay for new walkways, restrooms, fields, etc.
Point B: The proposal to increase the custodial pay from $10.00 to $12.00 and the bus driver pay from $15.00 to $16.50 was approved by the council.
Point C: Two personnel resignations have been tendered by the school property and council. Meanwhile, a Middle School English opening has now been filled.
Point D: The decision to move Leigh Pancoast to a new five-year contract as Assistant Principal was brought forward.
All items were approved by the council, with the exception of councilman Ben Remer who abstained from voting due to familial relation to Leigh Pancoast.
There were no formal building reports, although the concern over the butterfly garden was addressed. The construction has been delayed to allow the former farmland to dissipate itself of chemicals from the soil.
The council meeting adjourned and executive session began off-record.
Jennifer can be reached at publisher@thevillagereporter.com