The Greene County School Board met Wednesday night in regular session.
The meeting started with a public hearing on the 2025 fiscal year budget amendment. The adjustments to the expenses for mostly benefit and salary driven for a total of $4,700,000 increase that included instruction, total support services, noninstructional programs and other expenditures. After there were no comments made during the hearing, the Board then approved the amendment, following the hearing.
During open forum, a resident requested a closed session with the Board and the lawyer that was involved from this past Monday’s two special school board meetings, where the result was a 2-1 vote to terminate Chelsi Lawrence and Jessica Goughnour for violating Iowa Code for professional conduct and ethics regulations. Superintendent Brett Abbotts mentioned that if there is discussion about a certain individual, that person must also be presented at the closed meeting. The Board President, Cindi Daubendiek, acknowledged the requested and instructed the individual to communicate with the Business Manager and Board Secretary Laura Marshall to schedule the closed meeting.
Cindy Wise then addressed the Board during open forum. She thanked Lisa Garnett for helping to bring Stacy Besch to present the trafficking program, Gridshock. When asked for public comment from the Board members that attended and the superintendent, it was mentioned that they would communicate to her via privately because they were not allowed to comment during open forum.
Then, Chris Deal gave a report about the former middle school apartment conversion project. He said the bids on the estimated $8.5 million project were expected to be returned late this week, but that everything else was on track to start construction as early as this summer.
Abbotts then presented certificates to all of the School Board members in recognition of National School Board Appreciation Month, along with a plaque from the Iowa Association of School Boards that was originally presented at the last School Board Convention for the Team Achievement Award.
Board Vice President Michelle Fields reported that the Facilities Committee is working with Greene County Engineer’s Office about funding to finish the sidewalk project to the high school.
Next, the Board approved four student driving permits for Alana Gettler, Naomi Schirmbeck, Addison Wright and Cody Taggart. They also approved several fundraising requests as presented, bus driver contracts with a 2.5 percent activity increase, via the Bus Driver’s Union to make the hourly rate $20.03 and the hourly route rate to $45.35. The Board then approved pay rates for increases for substitutes, long-term subs, as well as other positions as presented.
Additionally, the Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding and paid $25,000 for the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) 11th and 12th grade program, and a well easement request from the city of Jefferson to increase the space around the well that is located on Highway 4, near the former middle school building. They also approved a $35,500 quote from Campbell Concrete to install several concrete pads and parking lot patches, with payment to come from the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy, as well as the Sales Tax Fund.
The Board then set a public hearing for June 2nd at noon for the plans and specifications, form of contract, and cost estimate for the solar panel project, followed by the contract documents for Story Construction to officially make them the Construction Manager At-Risk for the solar panel project. Finally, the Board approved the superintendent’s contract for it to be a two-year continuing contract, unless either party notifies the other by March 15th to terminate that agreement.