Board approves financial matters

     A number of financial matters having to do with pay were taken care of by the Monticello School Board at its regular meeting April 27.

     In keeping with distancing guidelines, the board meeting was held online, using Google Meet.

     The board approved the professional negotiations agreement between the Monticello Community School District and the Monticello Education Association for the 2020-21 school year, allowing for a base salary increase of $440, up to $31,730.

     Also approved for 2020-21 were the certified, non-certified and administrative contracts. Those saw an increase of 2.216 percent for the contracts paid through the general fund. Food service contracts increased by 2.236 percent, and Panther Academy contracts increased by 2.278 percent.

     An increase in substitute pay for teachers and nurses was also approved, bumping their per-day pay from $122 to $124. Teacher/nurse long term substitute pay went up from $160.46 to $162.72. All other wages, including teacher associates, clerical help, custodial, food service, and bus drivers, remained the same as in 2019-20.

     Finally, the board approved leave with pay for all employees during the school closure period of May 1 through June 1, in keeping with Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proclamation that schools in Iowa will remain closed for the remainder of the school year.

In other board business:

     • The board approved Portzen Construction Change Orders in the amount of $112,317.14. Katie Harms of OPN Architects was on hand to explain the change orders, the largest of which was a $74,868.68 order for changes to the exterior wall systems at the new middle school to improve the moisture barrier.

     • The saga of the district’s Chromebook purchase took another turn when the second company chosen by the district, CDW, raised its price for 260 Lenovo 300e Chromebooks, after the district had accepted its bid, just as the first company, Firefly, had done.

     The board voted to go back to Firefly, at a cost of $62,140.

     • The board accepted the fiscal year 2019 audit. The auditor, Nolte, Cornman & Johnson P.C. reported that there were no issues of non-compliance, and accepted the district’s responses to issues that the auditor suggested it address.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board approved three appointments: Jim Reuter as bus driver, Paul Fellinger as special education bus driver, and Scotty Hall as special education Level II/III teacher at the middle school.

     • As part of the consent agenda, the board approved four resignations: Stephanie Hosch as district-wide shared school social worker, Sarah Waldof as special education Level II/III teacher at the middle school, Robin Schrader as special education program associate at the middle school, and Kim McQuillen as freshman volleyball coach.