Board of Education - Meeting Minutes
Faulkton Area School District 24-4
Faulk, Hand, Hyde and Potter Counties, South Dakota
Monday, November 5, 2018
6:00 p.m.
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof a meeting of the School Board of Faulkton Area School District 24-4, of Faulk, Hand, Hyde and Potter Counties, South Dakota, was held on November 5, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in the Faulkton School Dining Room. The regular meeting was called to order by School Board Chairman Jerry Weyand at 6:00 p.m.
The pledge of allegiance was recited. Roll call of members present were Kelly Aesoph, BJ Kalkman, Scott McCloud, Ryan Nelson, and Jerry Weyand. Also present were Superintendent Scott Lepke, Secondary Principal Craig Cassens, Business Official Lisa Hushka, Val Ramsdell from the Faulk Co. Record, Dean Marske from HKG Architects, staff members: Melissa Geditz and Jeremy Demery, and the following district patrons: Gloria Bode, Angie Borstad, Michelle Brand, Carrie Deiter, Lori Kalkman, Tammy McCloud, Steve Roseland, Dave Speck and Corrine Weyand.
2018-19.74. Agenda Approval. Motion by Nelson, second by McCloud, to approve the proposed agenda with the deletion of 6.1 “Declare Dixon ZTR 5023 Surplus” and the addition of 6.5 “Approve Pre-Bond Election Service Contract with HKG” and the addition of 6.6 “December Meeting Date and Time Discussion”. All members voted aye. Motion carried.
Acknowledgments. Mr. Lepke acknowledged and thanked Deb Roseland for all the embroidery and apparel services she does for our school and staff.
Conflict of Interest Waivers. No conflict of interest waivers were presented.
Open Forum. No comments were made.
2018-19.75. Minutes & Financial Approvals. Motion by McCloud, second by Aesoph, to approve the following consensus agenda: minutes of the October 31, 2018 special meeting, October 2018 Financial Report, October 2018 Trust and Agency Fund Report, and payment of the presented bills for November 5, 2018. All members voted aye. Motion carried.
November 5, 2018 Bill Payments: Agtegra $427.09 Gas, Bauer’s Super Valu $396.61 Supplies, Dustex $190.80 Services, Faulk Co. Record $257.09 Publishing, Homan Ace Hardware $61.26 Supplies & Repairs, Homan Welding $51.15 Supplies, K&D Busing $24,388.53 Services, McCrossan Boys Ranch $6,188.98 Services, Pheasantland Industries $735.60 Supplies, Quill $601.87 Supplies, Thrive Nutrition $14,685.88 Food Service Contract, Time Management Systems $45.76 Services, Richard Wahlen $30 Services, Ted Williams $1,430 Services, November 2018 Payroll: General Fund: $181,746.72 w/ benefits, Special Ed. $31,655.22 w/ benefits, Food Service $2,640.47 w/ benefits, Pre-K $1,975.19 w/ benefits.
ASBSD Delegate Assembly. Mr. Lepke gave the board a list of all the resolutions that will be presented from ASBSD at the legislative session. Chairman Weyand wanted to discuss D2, which was a Sales Tax Exemption Review. The board was not in support of this resolution if it meant farmers and ranchers would now be taxed on items not currently taxed on. Another resolution was B11, which was an alternative instruction oversight for homeschool students. Lepke stated currently this is the school’s responsibility. Weyand stated he would rather have a state department overlook homeschool testing and instruction. The rest of the board agreed.
Building Project Discussion. Dean Marske stated he received some feedback from contractors on the schedule. He said they were concerned with being able to get the elementary remodel done in time for school to start in the fall and was thinking if the high school was done first that might make the schedule run more smooth. This scenario would only displace the high school/junior high students next year and the elementary would stay intact until the summer of 2020. Marske said nothing has been officially decided yet but just wanted the board to be informed of this option, otherwise all students would be displaced at some point during the 2019-2020 school year. Mr. Lepke thought this would be the best option also. Marske then discussed the timeline for the Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) to have the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) determined, in which gives HKG about one month to finish the drawings in order to go out for bids. Aesoph stated she supports having a vote on this, but has reservations about the number of uncertainties there is and she would like clarification on some things. Her uncertainties were: 1. Not having the CMR on board at this point. 2. If the bids come in too high, what will we tackle with the money if things have to be cut? 3. Was concerned with the relocation of students and the cost of that. 4. Concerned with the shared spaces of staff. 4. Concern with the classroom sizes and if our current tables would fit or we’d have to change to desks. 5. Concern where the maker space would go. Marske stated the CMR will guarantee a price but there will be alternatives in case the bids come in too high. There was then discussion on when to hire the CMR and if hiring and/or interviewing them before the vote would affect the rate they charge. Cassens informed everyone that some teachers will share spaces and that the schedule sometimes drives that, as well as the space allowable. Cassens also gave options for the maker space with the current plan.
Weyand asked Lepke what the overall thoughts of the staff were. Lepke said most of the staff feel this plan will work. He said there will be some challenges in some areas that they will have to address.
Nelson stated he agreed with a lot of things Kelly said and thinks we have come a long way but would like to see more time.
Weyand stated that state law limits us to $9.7 million for total project cost and the building committee was unanimous and he thinks we should move forward with the vote for this plan. Weyand said a lot of compromise has been done and its time to let the public have their say.
2018.19.76. Bond Resolution. Board Chairman, Jerry (Jerome) Weyand, introduced and moved for the adoption of the following Resolution No. 2018-19.76. :
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-19.76.
RESOLUTION DECLARING NECESSITY AND EXPEDIENCY FOR ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BONDS, CALLING AN ELECTION THEREFORE AND HIRING PROFESSIONALS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of Faulkton Area School District 24-4, Faulk, Hand, Hyde and Potter Counties, South Dakota, as follows:
1. Declaration of Necessity. It is hereby found, determined and declared that it is necessary and expedient for this School District to borrow money by issuing its general obligation school bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,000,000 payable from 1 and not to exceed 25 years from date of issuance, bearing interest payable at such times and at such rate or rates as may be determined by the School Board, to pay for capital improvements including the costs of remodeling the elementary building, construction of a new high school and commons buildings and demolition of old high school and financing costs of issuance, if so approved by the voters.
2. Election. The question of authorizing the issuance of such bonds shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the District at a bond election which is to be held on the 18th day of December 2018, between the hours of 7:00 o'clock a.m. and 7:00 o'clock p.m. The question shall be in substantially the following form:
SHALL THE FAULKTON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT 24-4, FAULK, HAND, HYDE AND POTTER COUNTIES, SOUTH DAKOTA, ISSUE ITS NEGOTIABLE GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BONDS IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING $9,000,000 ISSUED IN ONE OR MORE SERIES, BEARING INTEREST AT SUCH RATES AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD, PAYABLE AND MATURING FROM 1 AND NOT TO EXCEED 25 YEARS AFTER THE DATE OF ISSUANCE, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING THE COSTS OF REMODELING THE ELEMENTARY BUILDING AND OLD KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS, CONSTRUCTION A NEW HIGH SCHOOL AND COMMONS/ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING AND DEMOLITION OF OLD HIGH SCHOOL, AND COSTS OF ISSUANCE?
SHALL THE ABOVE PROPOSITION BE APPROVED AND THE BONDS ISSUED?
3. Polling places and Judges. Polling places and judges and clerks for said election shall be selected according to South Dakota Law.
4. Voter Registration Deadline. The Business Manager is hereby authorized and directed to give notice of voter registration and deadline therefore, as required by law. The deadline for voter registration shall not be less than fifteen (15) days prior to the election. The Business Manager shall give notice of the availability of registration officials and state when registration will be terminated and the effect of a failure to have registered. Such notice shall be published in official newspapers of the District at least once each week for (2) two consecutive weeks, the last publication to be not less than (10) ten nor more than (15) fifteen days before the deadline for registration.
5. Notice of Election. The Business Manager is hereby authorized and directed to give notice of school bond election, said notice to be published in the official newspaper for the District, once each week for two (2) successive weeks before said date of election. The second notice shall be published not less than four (4) days nor more than ten (10) days before the election.
6. Ballots. The Business Manager is authorized and directed to cause printed ballots to be prepared for use at said election in substantially the form on file with the Business Manager and to publish with the second notice of election.
7. Canvass. Said election shall be held and conducted and the votes cast thereat shall be counted, certified and canvassed according to law, and this Board shall meet at the regular meeting room in Faulkton, South Dakota, in the District for the purpose of canvassing the results within six (6) days of the election.
8. Hiring of Professionals. Meierhenry Sargent LLP of Sioux Falls, South Dakota is hereby designated as bond counsel for this issue and Dougherty & Company LLC, hereby designated as Underwriter for this issue. The President and Business Manager are authorized to execute such documents as are necessary to carry out the intent of this paragraph.
9. Authorization of Officers. The Superintendent, School Board President and Business Manager are authorized to sign any acknowledgement, certificates or documents required by Underwriter in connection with the Bonds.
Member BJ Kalkman moved for the adoption of the foregoing Resolution. Said motion was seconded by Member Scott McCloud and upon vote being taken the following voted AYE: Kelly Aesoph, BJ Kalkman, Scott McCloud, and Jerome Weyand; and the following voted NAY: Ryan Nelson.
Whereupon said motion was declared duly passed and adopted, and was signed and attested by the President and Business Manager.
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ATTEST: Board President, Jerome Weyand
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Business Manager, Lisa Hushka
STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA )
:SS
COUNTY OF )
I, Lisa Hushka, the undersigned, duly qualified and acting Business Manager of Faulkton Area School District 24-4, Faulk, Hand, Hyde and Potter Counties, State of South Dakota, hereby certify that I have carefully compared the attached and foregoing Extract of Minutes with the original thereof on file and of record in my office, and that the same is a full, true and complete transcript of the minutes of a meeting of the School Board of said District duly called and held on the date therein indicated, so far as such Minutes relate to the issuance of bonds by said School District.
WITNESS my hand and official seal of the District as such Business Manager this 5th day of November, 2018.
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Business Manager, Lisa Hushka
Construction Manager At Risk. There was a lot of discussion about when (before or after the vote) to bring in the CMR. Both Weyand and Hushka verified with Marske that the CMR and legal fees of issuance were figured into the project cost amount. It was decided to advertise for the CMR now, have proposals due on November 29th, select which CMR’s to interview the week of December 3-7, interview on December 12th, and hire after the bond vote passes.
2018-19.77. Pre-Bond Election Service Contract with HKG. Motion was made by Kalkman, seconded by McCloud, to approve the Bond Pre-Election Support contract for $10,000 with HKG Architects. Chairman Weyand did a roll call vote with all board members voting aye. Motion carried.
December Board Meeting. It was decided to have the regular board meeting on December 12th at 6 p.m. due to the Christmas concert on December 10th. CMR interviews will be throughout the day on the 12th.
Superintendent’s Report. Mr. Lepke stated American Education week will be observed November 12-16 and he will be planning some fun things for the staff at the school during that week and may be asking for some help from the school board. Lepke then told the board that he has begun the process to start a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) in Faulkton. Lepke said he is hoping the new website will be rolled out by the first of the year. Lepke stated Sandra Newman (Artist in Schools Program) will be here this week to work with elementary students on painting. The 2018 SD Report Card data will officially be made available to share with school boards November 15-19 and goes live on November 20th. Lepke told the board that our districts data looks really good and all schools have improved their scores from the previous year. Lepke said Weyand will attend the ASBSD Delegate Assembly in Pierre on November 16th. Lepke then gave the parent/teacher conference attendance rates per grade at Faulkton Elementary and the following upcoming events: Nov. 6 Election Day and Volleyball in Miller, Nov. 8 State Football (Vermillion), Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day, Nov. 13-14 Pre-K & Kindergarten conferences, November 15-17 State Volleyball (Sioux Falls), and Nov. 21-23 Thanksgiving Break.
Secondary Principal’s Report. Mr. Cassens informed the board of the parent/teacher conference attendance rates per grade at Faulkton Junior High and High School. Cassens then reviewed and explained the 2017-18 ACT report with the board, also stating the scores were higher than the previous year.
Open Forum. 1. Corrine Weyand stated most all schools have a plan in place already when looking at relocating students. She stated the board should look into that and that there could be lots of options.
2018-19.78. Adjournment. Motion by Aesoph, second by Nelson, to adjourn at 7:12 p.m. All members voted aye. Motion carried.
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Board Chairman, Jerry Weyand Business Official, Lisa Hushka