Harrisburg School Board members learned the district's financial condition is not wonderful, but things are headed in the right direction.
All last year's Tax Anticipation Warrants were paid Monday with $844,252 in new property tax money. There are currently no outstanding loans for the Education Fund.
The board is borrowing money with Tax Anticipation Warrants, probably in October, but that date is much later than last year.
"Last year we had a special meeting in May to pass this resolution so this shows we are headed in the right direction," Superintendent Dennis Smith said.
The district is no longer in second-year warrants, which is borrowing against next year's property taxes rather than this year's taxes. The necessity of second-year warrants is one of the reasons the district was -- and is -- under financial scrutiny by the state.
The district has outstanding long-term debt in the form of Health, Life and Safety bonds, but that is a different pot of money from the Education Fund.
The board will likely request an HLS bond for over $1 million for an elevator at the high school and new roofs at East Side and West Side. Smith told board members the school district may have to cancel classes for a couple days while the hydraulics in the elevator are fixed because of fumes.
Bus company contract
The board put the proposed contract with Robinson Transport on hold and referred the matter to the Transportation Committee.
The contract calls for video surveillance cameras on each bus, but for financial reasons that clause in the contract was not enforced while Ed Bradley was superintendent. Several board members would like to see cameras installed as part of the current contract talks.
"I still think she should have cameras on every bus and I think she should pay for it," Laura Fleming said.
Fleming reasoned the board should not pay to install something on property that belongs to the bus company.
The proposal includes a 9 percent increase, or $74,243 for the regular bus routes and 5 cents per mile more for extracurricular bus trips. The increase is due to higher cost for labor, equipment and maintenance, Joyce Robinson, owner of the bus company, has said.
Youth For Christ
Fleming asked about a $2,138 expense incurred by Youth For Christ. It was not immediately known at the meeting what the bill was for, but it didn't have anything to do with a revival held last spring at Bonnell Gym.
Fleming said she was unaware there was a school Christian organization.
"And goodness sakes, I am a Protestant and Christian," Fleming said.
"It's probably unconstitutional, but we look the other way," Cape said.
Smith pointed out Youth for Christ and Fellowship of Christian Athletes organizations are relatively common at high schools and are usually independent organizations with sponsors.
While the reason for the expense was not known Tuesday night, the YFC's activity fund accounts are open for inspection by the public, Smith said.
Cell phone policy
Dana Tanner asked the board to look into the policies regarding cellular phone use.
Each building has a slightly different policy -- at HMS, cell phones have to be turned off and in pupils' lockers; at East Side phones are turned in at the office and given back at the end of the day; at HHS phones may be carried, as long as they are turned off.
Tanner wanted to know if a uniform policy allowing kids to carry phones turned off can be passed so there are phones available in case of an emergency. At the Columbine, Colo. school shooting, officials first learned about the situation from students with cellular phones, Tanner said.
There is a telephone in every classroom.
Tanner said it would be easier for parents to communicate with kids if they can carry phones turned off, then turn them on at the end of the day to see if there are any messages.
The board agreed to have Smith look into the policy and see if there are any changes that need to be made.
Graduation night
The HHS graduation date is tentatively set for Tuesday, May 19, but several board members have heard concerns from residents about having graduation on a week night interfering with people traveling from out of town to attend the ceremony, which is traditionally held on Saturday night.
The Saturday graduation is always the same day as the girls' or boys' state track meet, former High School Principal Jim Butler pointed out. Having graduation on a week night would also cut down on after-graduation partying, at least on the part of undergraduates, Butler said.
Nothing was officially determined, but the board seemed inclined to go back to a Saturday date.
Smelly Central Office
District officials are still wrestling with what Smith called an "ominous odor" emanating from underneath Cindy Black's office at the Central Office building. Black is director of media, technology and No Child Left Behind mandates.
"There is something unpleasant coming up through the floor of Cindy's office and it has been identified as ... something unpleasant," Smith said.
Howton Plumbing is going to do a couple of core samples first to see if the smell is coming from somewhere other than sewer lines. If that doesn't work, they plan to check the sewer lines with video, Smith said.
Howton, however, doesn't think the smell is in the sewer lines, Smith said.
The regular board meeting was held at HMS rather than the Central Office because of the smell.
ISAT position
After some discussion and a closed session, board members decided not to change the teaching position at HMS that deals with preparing for the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests. The decision could set the stage for a union-board clash.
The position last year was 80 percent time, with six periods of ISAT prep work with pupils and unpaid fourth and sixth periods -- the same as a full-time teacher with no preparatory, lunch or enhanced learning periods. A substitute is handling the ISAT prep for the time being, but the position will be posted after last night's meeting.
Leaving the position at 80 percent could trigger a grievance by the Harrisburg Education Association, Smith told board members.
Linda Smith, the superintendent's wife, was hired for the position last year.
CJ Harbison, the former union president, told Smith the day after the position was created it was probably a violation of the collective bargaining agreement and the HEA was likely to file a grievance. However, the position was not challenged.
The union, under new leadership, has indicated the position will not go unchallenged this year, Smith said.
School attorneys have said the HEA position is legitimate, according to Smith's handout.
The position was worthwhile last year because state test scores rose, Smith said.
Closed session
After a closed session that ran just under two hours, board members took several personnel-related actions:
- The resignations of West Side aide Debora Etienne and West Side Even Start aide Kim Hankins were accepted.
- The retirements of Fran Herring in 2011, Karen Cole in 2010, Marilyn Upchurch in 2010, Susan Nyberg in 2011, Jane Perkins in 2011, Gretchen Wasson in 2011 and Jean Powell in 2011 were accepted. Teachers usually tender retirement notice several years in advance, particularly if retirement incentives are offered by a school district.
- No action was taken on a 6 percent retirement incentive and three-year contract proposal from HMS Principal Jim Butler.
- Courtney Bebout was hired as the assistant cheerleading sponsor for football.
- Glenda Hall was hired as a half-time early childhood teacher at West Side.
- Patricia Pritchett, Lori Price and Brian Hurd were hired as aides.
- A consulting contract with retired HHS custodian Buck Agin was again extended. The agenda emphasized the board intends this to be the final extension.
