Board approvals emphasize cost savings

     Near the end of each meeting of the Monticello School Board, there is a discussion item entitled “What did we learn at this meeting, and what would we want the public to know?”

     At the board’s May 29 regular meeting (moved back a day because of Memorial Day), board member Craig Stadtmueller summed it up in one word.

     “Savings,” he said.

     The board approved a pair of measures that will save the district money. One of them involves sharing Gretchen Kriegel, the Monticello Community School District curriculum director, on an 80-20 percent basis with the Vinton-Shellsburg district for the 2018-19 school year, meaning she would work at V-S one day a week, on average.

     Because there is a state financial incentive to share certain positions with other districts, and because the MCSD will only be responsible for 80 percent of Kriegel’s contract, the district will save about $32,730 through this arrangement.

     “It’s an opportunity for good partnership,” Kriegel said. “I can see some mutual benefits.”

     There was plenty of board discussion about this. Board member Dave Melchert asked if the MCSD would be losing the 20 percent of Kriegel’s time that would go to Vinton-Shellsburg.

     Superintendent Brian Jaeger said, “Nothing will be coming off her plate” in terms of the work she does for Monticello.

     “She’ll be doing some things in the evenings, on the weekends, she’ll try to take advantage of all the time she’s got to continue to move forward with the duties she has here.

     “I think it’s win-win-win for all three groups,” Jaeger added. “There would be a financial incentive for Gretchen to be able to do this, which I think is a win for her. The win for the other school district too is that they have someone with experience who can help kick off their program.”

     The cost savings, he said would be the win for the MCSD.

     The contract will be offered on a one-year basis, after which the arrangement will be evaluated.

     The other cost-saving measure involves the LED lighting project approved by the board for the high school. The board approved the bid of J&B Electric to install the new lighting, at a cost of $53,234.80.

     Through rebates and energy savings, the district figures to save $21,400 per year. District building and grounds director Dennis Dirks said LED lighting would provide the building, including the gym, with 1.5 times the amount of lumens (a measure of brightness).

In other board business

     • The board accepted the fiscal year 2017 audit report from Nolte, Cornman & Johnson, P.C. The report showed a 3.97 percent increase in revenues, and a 9.03 percent in expenses. A copy of the audit report is available for review in the district secretary’s office and on the Auditor of State’s website at https://auditor.iowa.gov/audit-reports.

     • The board approved the 2018-19 curriculum adoption, at a cost of $89,872.97.

     • The board approved a 28E agreement between the district, the City of Monticello, and the Monticello Youth Baseball & Softball  Association (MYBSA), which spells out duties of each relating to youth baseball and softball.

     • The board agreed to move $89,681.01 from the debt service fund to the PPEL fund. Business manager Marcy Gillmore explained that the money had been in the debt service since the district refinanced bonds in 2013. By moving it to PPEL, it can be used for the LED lighting project and other building needs.

     • The board accepted the bid of Gary Rix, Olin, to purchase the district’s 1999, 65-passenger Bluebird bus at a cost of $2,222.

     • The board moved its Aug. 8 work session to Tuesday, Aug. 14 at 6 p.m. to accommodate a scheduling conflict for Jaeger.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board accepted the resignations of Jill Dobel as middle school band teacher and director, and Chelsea Sandin as Interact Coffee Shack sponsor at the high school.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board appointed Andrea Janssen as elementary summer reading teacher, Liz Medina as EL summer program coordinator, Karin Resendiz-Medina as EL summer program teacher/associate, and both Liz Medina and Callie Kromminga Smith as .50 coordinators for the ELL Family Literacy and Outreach Program.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board approved the transfers of Kelli Osterkamp from eighth-grade English teacher to high school English teacher, Dana Hansen from Carpenter special education child specific associate to Shannon special ed child specific associate, and Angie Osterkamp from Carpenter special ed child specific associate to Carpenter special ed program associate.