The original graduation date was set for Sunday, May 25th but the students asked to change it to Saturday, May 17th. While the district has always had graduation on Memorial Day weekend, the Class of 2025 felt it shouldn’t be on that weekend due to the holiday. They also didn’t want their graduation on the same day as Erie High School.
After approaching Principal Janet Barnhart about their request, she suggested they gather signatures on a petition and present their request to the board. Since that meeting, she’s received no parental feedback at the high school.
Blake Geuns of the Class of 2025 was in attendance Monday night and said the request is only for this year, but the board wondered about changing it in perpetuity afterwards. They agreed that this would be a trial year, and all voted yes to make the changes for this year only.
The other agenda item was approving work on the middle school gym floor at a cost of $33,995, which includes sanding down the wood, repainting the lines and EP logo, and applying sealer coats. Lensing said it will take the gym out of commission for the summer as it cures. The board wondered if there’s time to adjust the center logo, with Lensing saying this is approval of the budget and proceeding with the summertime project, and they can look into that change.
In the personnel report, the board approved the resignation of varsity head volleyball coach. The consent agenda consisted of approving meeting minutes, January bills and payroll for $733,608.31, additional December bills and payroll from Dec. 17-31 for $334,966.86, and the treasurer’s report, investment schedule, and activity account reports.
Administrative Reports
Lensing provided board members with a copy of the annual audit and said she hopes to have a presentation of the findings at next month’s meeting, though the auditing firm is experiencing “significant delays.”
Last week, the district received a letter from the IRS stating that they owe $26,320 based on a claim of $280 per incorrect form submitted in 2020. Lensing said the district’s 1095 forms only had four digits of social security numbers, but they’ve been aware of the issue. “We’re working on it, we have documentation,” said Lensing. Their last correspondence from the IRS was in April 2023.
Next, she reported on work progress with Veregy Illinois, such as taking samples of asbestos at night. She thanked District Facilities Manager Kevin Everly for ”working late and pulling samples and cores,” since they can only do the work when the building is empty.
The real estate purchase at 42 Ferry Street is progressing and they’ll be signing off on an official document soon. Board members and the PLTTA recently had a negotiation presentation. The Co-op Board of Control recently met and had an executive session on personnel.
Informational Items
In an update of school and activity fees, Lensing provided info on tentative fee structure changes. If they enroll in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for school nutrition, other fees such as core registration and book rentals will have to be eliminated, so they would need to account for those changes. There’s also been discussion on offering a family pass, or having students not pay to attend EP athletic events. “There’s been a push to lower or remove fees to get more people to attend,” she noted.
The board next discussed establishing up to three part-time Utility Professional positions to help as needed with transportation, custodial, or food service. The ultimate goal is to get bus drivers, but they aren’t attracting those individuals based on the current scheduling offer. The district is also short on staff so when the drivers are sick, it affects the busing schedule. And they especially need at least one position for next year’s attendance centers.
The Personnel & Finance Committee proposed three positions to offer some flexibility in other departments, while providing structure and boundaries for the position. “We hope to get people on staff while maintaining and supporting the current employees too,” said Lensing. “We want to give them assurance that this is what we’re bound to by systematizing something. We’re trying to put some ranges, but we’re not married to those exact percentages. It’s just a starting point.”
Lensing said instead of a seasonal job, they could work annually on a part-time basis. This is an effort to “try something different, try something new.” The board agreed to move forward with the process and will vote on the full job descriptions once finalized.
Director of Transportation Dawn Fisk said she had to address rumors on social media and that it costs $3,000 upfront to get a CDL license, saying that’s not the case. The district does reimburse applicants $50 for the fingerprinting, $65 for the DMV fee, and paying for the physical.
“It takes time to learn all the material,” said Fisk, and getting a CDL is a time intensive process that can take up to three months. There’s 65 hours of video and testing, a CDL booklet, one 8-hour class, then taking a written test. After that, they get a permit and learn how to physically drive the bus, with Fisk training after her afternoon routes or on Saturdays. Once they get a CDL bus license, they must keep it active and be actively employed. “If you’re not using it after 30 days it’s invalid,” she noted, which means there’s no “pool” of bus drivers to call on.
Lensing next reported on getting to a “comfortable amount” of financing for the schools now that the BOE approved an agreement with Veregy. They could get an alternative bond for $10 million dollars with a 20-year debt assumption and have no tax level implication. To get funding from a non-referendum bond would have a tax impact.
She’s still looking at what they could get done without having the impact of those bonds. Veregy’s phase I plan is estimated at $10.5 million dollars and she’s working to get it down to 10 million by removing a few items for another phase. She’s expecting the main base bid from Veregy at the Feb. 24th meeting, which will include the scope and pricing of phase I.
After reviews of all the areas at the 6-12 campus, work is expected to include HVAC, steam boiler, flooring, ADA elevator, access controls, lighting, and panel work. PES items include HVAC, steam boilers, lighting, fire alarm systems, and flooring, and TES items include foundation repairs, smoke detectors, and exterior lighting.
The board wondered about using Health Life Safety Funds, with Lensing noting that the “restrictive” account has $400,000 and could be used for a few projects such as LED lighting. The potential is out there, they just need to get pricing and a timeline, Lensing concluded. Staff and students are excited to see movement and they’re having conversations about what’s coming to the buildings.
Dr. Laura Crisp provided the PLTTA report, noting that everyone is diving into the second semester for “student learning and knowledge building.” The PLTTA negotiations have a good tone, and staff are happy with the attendance center changes and having a say in the district calendar.
The next regular meeting of the PLT#3 Board of Education will be on Monday, February 24th at 7 p.m. at the District Office in Prophetstown.
Attached are the administrative reports:
