Chambana Sun

Champaign Community Unit School District 4 Board of Education met Sept. 23.

Here is the agenda provided by the board:

Board President Amy Armstrong called the Regular Meeting of the Board to order at 5:30 p.m.

Board Members Present

Amy Armstrong, Gianina Baker, Bruce Brown, Chris Kloeppel, Kathy Shannon, Elizabeth Sotiropoulos, Heather Vazquez (arrived at 5:36 p.m.)

Staff Members Present

Superintendent Susan Zola, Deputy Superintendent Laura Taylor, Assistant Superintendent Angela Ward, Executive Director of Human Resources Ken Kleber, Executive Director of Operations Paul Douglas

Approval of Agenda

Member Shannon moved, with a second by Member Sotiropoulos to amend the agenda to add “Public Hearing” to item 8B Adoption of the FY2020 Budget. The motion carried on roll call. Ayes 6. Nays 0.

Executive Session

Member Shannon moved, with a second by Member Sotiropoulos, to adjourn into Closed Session in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/2c) to consider Personnel 120/2(c)(1), Negotiations 120/2(c)(2) and Actual/Potential Litigation 120/2(c)(11). The motion carried on roll call. Ayes 6. Nays 0.

The Board convened into Closed Session at 5:33 p.m. 

Open Session

The Board convened into Open Session at 6:08 p.m. 

Guests

Representatives from CFT, local media and other interested persons

Public Comments

Andrea Murphy – Spoke about the incident at Dr. Howard and wanted to know how the District planned to support students and faculty at that building.

Communications

The Superintendent provided a verbal report regarding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests received since the last Board Meeting. She also provided an update on the District’s Annual Report

Action Agenda: New Business

Oath of Office – Student Ambassadors: Dr. Susan Zola

Board President Amy Armstrong administered the Student Ambassador Oath of Office to Khayriyah Mitchell from Centennial High School and Madisen LeShoure from Central High School.

Public Hearing & Adoption of the FY 2020 Budget: Dr. Susan Zola/Guy Cahill

Member Shannon moved, with a second by Member Sotiropoulos to open the Public Hearing for the FY2020 Budget at 6:49 p.m. The motion carried on roll call. Ayes 7. Nays 0.

There were no questions or comments from the public. Member Kloeppel moved, with a second by Member Shannon to close the Public Hearing at 6:50 p.m. The motion carried on roll call. Ayes 7. Nays 0.

Member Sotiropoulos moved, with a second by Member Shannon for approval and Adoption of the FY202 Budget. The motion carried on roll call. Ayes 7. Nays 0.

The FY2020 Budget in “tentative” form was filed with the Board of Education (Aug. 12, 2019) for public display and the setting of a public hearing and final adoption date (Sept. 23, 2019). Subsequent to the filing, the Board heard a presentation on the FY2020 Budget (Sept. 9, 2019). In the interim time, the budget has been updated to reflect changes in revenues, expenditures, cash and fund balances.

Changes to the budget – from tentative to final – have been summarized. The changes incorporated certain Board actions from the Sept. 9th regular meeting (e.g., charging certain construction related expenses to Food Services; authorizing 2019 Refunding Bond), edits (e.g., correcting expenditures “functions” and “objects” or whole line items), truing-up grant revenues and expenditures, and correcting for duplicate line items (e.g., correcting downward the duplication of EBF funding and offsetting the same with less conservative property tax receipt assumptions). Assuming some form of retroactive clause, the Board will need to amend the budget once the contract with the support staff union is agreed upon and ratified.

Property tax receipts were revised upwards to reflect a more moderate set of assumptions as to growth in new construction and overall commercial and residential valuations. The net effect raises the tentative (Levy Year 2019) rate to more closely align with the prior year level (Levy Year 2018) or roughly $5.0499/$100 EAV (compared to $5.0511/$100 EAV, respectively). This increase offset a duplication of certain special education revenues that were budgeted both separately (incorrectly) and as part of the EBF revenues (correctly). The District moves from “review” status back to “recognition” with the adoption and subsequent execution of the proposed FY2020 Budget (Final).

Administration recommended that the Board of Education adopt the FY2020 Budget (Final) as presented.

Consent Agenda: New Business

Member Soptiropoulos moved, with a second by Member Shannon to approve the Consent Agenda – Unfinished/New Business. The motion carried on roll call. Ayes 7. Nays 0.

The following Consent Agenda items were approved:

Champaign Early Childhood Center – Boiler Replacement construction Contract Approval: Elizabeth Stegmaier

The two boilers at Champaign Early Childhood Center are original to the building and are in poor condition. They have developed cracks and are in need of immediate repair. On September 5, 2019, the District signed an agreement with BLDD Architects Inc. to provide professional services related to the boiler replacement project for Champaign Early Childhood Center. On September 18, 2019. The District received six (6) bids for this project, with Reliable Plumbing and Heating Company as the apparent lowest bidder.

Administration requested approval of the construction contract with Reliable Plumbing and Heating Company, for the amount of $119,520.00, for the boiler replacement project at Champaign Early Childhood Center.

Expenses for this project will be paid from the Health, Life Safety Fund. The team has applied for Ameren incentives for replacing the existing boilers with high efficiency boilers. The application was pre-approved. If the incentive is ultimately approved, those incentives could help offset the costs up to $13K.

Administration recommended approval of the construction contract with Reliable Plumbing and Heating Company for the amount of $119,520.00.

South Side Elementary Addition and Renovation – Broeren Russo Builders Inc. GMP Amendment: Sandra Roesler

In November 2016, District voters approved a facilities referendum to undertake facility improvement projects at several District facilities. On March 6, 2019, the Board of Education approved a budget increase, raising the project budget to $12,097,041. This increase included $197,933 for funding project alternate #1, which allows for a new, west side parent drop off and east side bus drop off at the new main entrance. On September 9, 2019, the Board of Education approved an owner’s cost budget increase, raising the project budget to $12,397,041. The increase allows for new window treatments in the existing building, a 5th grade partition wall, and added owner contingency. Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment D provides Broeren Russo Builders Inc. authority to execute alternate# 1 and changes approved by the BOE on September 9, 2019.

For execution and management of the one contract, Broeren Russo Builders Inc. has established a Guaranteed Maximum Price of $347,464.00. Expenses for this project will be paid from Series 2017, 2019 and 2020 bond proceeds, operating reserves, and additional tax funds from TIF recovery.

Administration recommended approval of the amendment to Broeren Russo Builders Inc.’s contract.

Human Resource Changes: Ken Kleber

The Human Resource Changes were approved as presented.

Policy 440 Operational Services – Incurring Debt: Dan Casillas

This policy represents the District’s effort to continue to update its Board Policy Manual. State law controls this policy’s content. School districts are subject to a statutory debt limitation (105 ILCS 5/19-1(a)); other provisions in 5/19-1 contain exceptions. Moving forward District administration will develop administrative procedures to accompany this policy which speak to borrowings in general, disclosures to be made in the process of borrowing funds and what needs be done on a continuous basis to keep the bond community informed of the District's financial status and any material events that might affect the same. Historically this had only been done on an issue by issue basis; now the same is required, minimally, on an annual basis and/or whenever a material event takes place - e.g., bond rating change, litigation, significant increase in or loss off revenues, and the like.

Administration recommended approval of this policy

Adjournment

There being no further business, Member Kloeppel moved, with a second by Member Shannon to adjourn the meeting at 7:02 p.m. The motion carried on voice vote. Ayes 7. Nays 0

https://www.champaignschools.org/sites/default/files/meetings/minutes/September%2023%202019%20RegMtgMinutes.pdf