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 An item was added to the consent agenda for the
board. Jill Awe, a former member of the board of education, was
added as a returning member. The item was added, and the consent
agenda was approved with no further comment. President Jim Mammen
said Jill Awe is “a very valued member of the board.”
State EAV lowers district’s property tax rate
Superintendent Robert Bagby addressed the subject of tax rates for
the upcoming school year. Bagby said that the overall state EAV went
up by $15 million to a total of $284 million. “This is really good
news, and it lowered the district’s tax rate,” said Bagby. For
comparison, Bagby said that in 1996, the district’s tax rate was
$2.2559, and this year it will be $2.2237. “Its four cents lower
than it was last year, and lower than it was in 1996,” said Bagby.
Bagby said that the resulting increase to the education fund would
be $159,000.
Keeping an eye on state actions
However, Bagby said he is still cautious about this development, as
no one is sure what the legislature is going to do about a proposed
property tax freeze bill. Bagby said the same bill is tied to
legislation on prevailing wage and collective bargaining agreements.
Additionally, there are conflicting dates between two bills, with
one bill beginning in 2015 and one in 2016. “Governor Rauner’s
proposal was that the property tax freeze would take effect in
2016,” said Bagby.
 Bagby said the problem arises with money that the district has
already levied for and then abated with one-cent sales tax money and
bonds. If a property tax freeze goes into effect and limits what the
district can levy for, then the district would have to call a
referendum to access money that they have technically already
acquired and then abated. “You will never be able to access dollars
you are legally allowed to access,” said Bagby. Bagby said that even
if EAV continues to climb, the district would be tax-capped by the
property tax freeze.
“You would have to go to the voters to access dollars you are
legally entitled to,” Bagby reiterated. “There could be money
sitting there that legally you couldn’t ask for.”
Bagby said that personally, he does not believe the tax freeze as
currently written will pass, but he is still cautious on the matter.
Bagby also said he is happy to report the lower tax rate. “Once
again, the board has done what it promised to do; lower property
taxes, based on the one-cent sales tax,” said Bagby.
New fiscal year begins July 1st
Bagby made a brief presentation on the state of the current fiscal
budget, which is set to end June 30th of this year. Bagby said that
the fiscal year will end on an unbalanced budget, but a deficit
reduction plan is not needed. This is because of the remaining cash
they have on hand, as well as state codes, which set limits for how
much deficit is required. Under these codes a district would need to
have a fund balance of less than three times the deficit spending.
In total, the difference between the district’s expenditures and
revenues for the fiscal year is $113,562, with direct revenues
totaling $8,648,826 and direct expenses totaling $8,762,388. The
estimated remaining fund balance for the fiscal year is $7,390,825.
The board approved of the Bagby’s report so it may be sent to the
state in preparation for the annual audit.
Cosmetology program costs to be moved to registration time
Bagby asked that the board consider two changes to fees at the
school. The Cosmetology program at the school currently does not
charge a fee at registration, although there are costs that come up
during the program. Bagby said that he would like to present those
fees up front so parents and students know about it sooner. The fee
would be $40. It was approved unanimously by the board. Breakfast and lunch fee to go up slightly
A second change to fees would be an increase for breakfast and
lunch. Due to increases in cost for food and equipment for the
school, Bagby proposed either a nickel or dime increase. Darrell
Vermeire asked if the school is losing money in the cafeteria
budget. Bagby said they are at the moment by at least $20,000 due to
needing to purchase new equipment last year.
Vermeire asked if this would affect the feeder schools, and Bagby
said it would. Awe agreed with the suggestion of raising the cost by
a dime. Mammen said he was thinking about increasing the cost by a
nickel two years in a row, bringing the total to a dime.
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Currently, feeder school students pay $1.25 for breakfast for K – fifth grades;
and sixth - eighth grades pay $1.50, with adults paying $1.75. Lunch costs $1.90
for K – fifth; sixth - eighth is $2.40, and adults pay $2.65.
The board unanimously approved of raising the food prices by a dime.
Academics
Under the principal’s report, Todd Poelker said the school is beginning their
four-week credit recovery program. Students participating in the program can use
computers in the alternative education center for three hours a day, four days a
week. Poelker said there are usually kids using the computers at the school
every day, as they may not have Internet at home or they may be more motivated
to get work done at school.
Poelker also said that Cathy Stoyak is putting together a brief exchange program
with students from Costa Rica for next year. Poelker said that around a dozen
students would spend a week or two here to see the school, and vice versa.
On a related note, Bagby added that seventeen districts have completed testing
with the state bi-literacy program, including LCHS. “Seven hundred and ninety
nine students state-wide received that [the highest] recognition, and five
students were from LCHS,” said Bagby. Poelker added that eight students were
recognized a step below that.
Assistant Principal Rhonda Hyde said the school year ended with 813 students
enrolled. 93 of those students were special education students. Overall
attendance for May was 93 percent.
Assistant Principal Missy Koning said that most of the summer break so far has
been spent working with student schedules and making sure everything is ready
for registration. Koning also said they are working on restructuring the
academic intervention program. “Rather than just looking at reading, math, and
writing intervention, we need to look at academic readiness,” said Koning. She
said they are looking at working on time management, study skills, and using
technology.
Koning also said the number of out-of-district students in the school will
decrease for the upcoming year. Koning said the decrease is likely due to
increased transportation costs for the districts that would have to transport
students to LCHS.
Bagby said that he received a letter from the Springfield office of the FBI.
Bagby said that the FBI would like LCHS to participate in an outreach program.
Bagby said they are having problems recruiting young people for the FBI, so they
are reaching out to several districts in the area. Bagby said this would fit
nicely with their criminal justice program as an LTEC course, and they could
likely add it to the dual-credit program as well.
Vermeire reported on Building and Grounds matters for the school. Vermeire said
that the school now has new lettering on the front of the building, there are
three new drinking fountains in the school, and soon they will be hanging new
high school flags. These projects were purchased by the senior class.
Vermeire also requested that the board consider purchasing a new sound system
for the football field. He would like to see it installed before the start of
the next football season. Later on in the meeting, the request was approved by
unanimous vote.
Those present at the meeting included President Jim Mammen; returning member
Jill Awe, Darrell Vermeire, Marsha Dahl, Robert Bagby, LCHS superintendent; Todd
Poelker, principal; Rhonda Hyde, assistant principal; and assistant principal
Missy Koning. Andi Hake was present at the beginning of the meeting. Members Jim
Allen and Mark Aughton were absent.
[Derek Hurley]
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