MINUTES OF THE MCPHERSON USD 418 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING FOR MONDAY, September 9, 2019
(Today’s Minutes of the Meeting is SPONSORED by CrossDove Writers)
BOARD BRIEFS for USD 418:
Board Members Present:
Jeff Johnson, Chris Wiens, Brad Berg, Alan Burghart, Kim Janzen, Brian Kynaston & Emily Greer
USD 418 Administration Present:
Gordon Mohn, Superintendent; Sheldon Anderson, Facilities Director; Melissa Strathman, Director of McPherson County Special Education Cooperative; Brandi McWilliams, Director of Curriculum and Instruction & Shiloh Vincent, Assistant Superintendent
PRELIMINARIES TO THE MEETING:
- Call to Order – The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Approval of Agenda – Brad Berg moved, and Alan Burghart seconded the motion to approve the regular and consent agenda. Motion carried 7-0.
- Comments from the Public – Erica Shook shared concerns from her perspective as a teacher.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION:
- N/A
GIFTS & DONATIONS TO SCHOOLS:
- Donation Report – Several USD 418 Schools received gifts/donations and a report was presented to the Board for approval. Washington Elementary received a donation of $110 from Friendship Meals at the McPherson Senior Center, the money is to be used to help with students’ needs. Eisenhower Elementary Library received an anonymous donation of $200.
- Board Action – Brad Berg moved and Kim Janzen seconded the motion to approve the gifts and donations as presented. Motion carried 7-0.
CONSENT ITEMS:
- Personnel – Motion to approve the Personnel Report dated September 9, 2019.
- PDC Recommendations – Motion to approve the Professional Development Council recommendations dated September 3, 2019.
- Purchases in Excess of $5,000 – Motion to approve purchases as presented. Presented were Food Service needing a tilting skillet for the Senior High Kitchen at cost of $11,680; Food Service needing hot carts and steam table pans throughout the district at a cost of $7,690; Building Safety/Security needing an Automated External Defibrillator district wide at a cost of $17,900.
- Approval of Consent Items – Motion to approve all consent items.
REPORTS:
- Assistant Superintendent Report – Shiloh Vincent reported to the Board on the following: Fall Recruiting Fairs and upcoming District Leadership Team (DLT) Meeting.
- Special Education Report – Melissa Strathman reported to the Board on the following items: Breakdown of number of students served by the McPherson County Special Education Cooperative, and the FTE breakdown of current staff providing for those students.
- Superintendent Report – Gordon Mohn reported to the Board on the following items: Review of Purchasing Guidelines, In-Town Bussing Report and Classified Vacancy Report.
- Superintendent Search Report – Board officers led discussion regarding a tentative timeline for the upcoming superintendent search.
OLD BUSINESS:
- CMAR Selection – The Facilities Committee is recommending that the committee conduct the interviews of firms applying to be the district’s Construction Manager. After the interviews, the committee will recommend a construction management company to the Board.
- Board Action – Kim Janzen moved, and Brian Kynaston seconded the motion to instruct the Facilities Committee to conduct interviews for the Construction Management company and present a recommendation to the Board.
- Motion Carried: 7-0
NEW BUSINESS:
- Out of State Travel Request – The McPherson High School Baseball team requested permission to travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma during Spring Break. The team also requested that the district provide the transportation. Board Action – Chris Wiens moved, and Brian Kynaston seconded the motion to approve the request from the McPherson High School Baseball Team to travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma during spring break and provide school vehicles for the trip. Motion Carried: 7-0.
- Vehicle Financing – Local lending agencies were invited to submit bid proposals for lease-purchase agreements to acquire two vans and a minivan. Results of that process were presented to the Board.
- Piper Jaffray Financial Advisors Presentation
- Report on Superintendent Search
FUTURE MEETING SUGGESTED ITEMS:
- Mileage Reimbursement Policy for October 14 meeting
- Review of Committee Assignments
- Board Policy Review
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Board of Education Meeting on September 23, 2019 to be held at 6:00 p.m.
- Board of Education Candidate Forum to held Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. at the Kansas Municipal Utilities building located at 2090 E. Avenue A
- Board of Education Meeting to be held on October 14, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
- Board of Education Meeting to be held on October 28, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
- October 18, 2019 is NO SCHOOL – Flexible Teacher Workday
- Week of October 21st – Parent/Teacher Conferences
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
- Executive Session regarding Personnel – Brad Berg moved and Chris Wiens seconded motion to go into executive session to address an employee concern pursuant to the non-elected personnel exception under the Kansas Open Meetings Act, and the open meeting will resume in the board room at 8:00 p.m. The Executive Session will include the Board and Central Office Administrators. Motion Carried: 7-0.
- Board returned to open session at 8:00 p.m.
- Board Action – Brad Berg moved and Chris Wiens seconded motion to terminate the employment contract of Katie Reece effective September 17, 2019. Motion Carried: 7-0.
- Executive Session regarding Safety and Security – Brad Berg moved and Alan Burghart seconded motion for Board to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing matters relating to the security of the Board, the school, school buildings or facilities, or the information system of the school with the open meeting to resume at 8:10 p.m. Included in the executive session were Board Members and Central Officer Administration. Motion carried: 7-0.
- Board returned to open session at 8:10 p.m.
- Executive Session regarding Negotiations – Brad Berg moved and Alan Burghart seconded motion for Board to go into executive session to discuss the proposed Negotiated Agreement with teachers pursuant to the exception for employer-employee negotiations under the Kansas Open Meetings Act, and the open meeting will resume in the board room at 8:40 p.m. Included in the executive session were Board Members and Central Office Administration. Motion Carried: 7-0.
- Board returned to open session and then went back into Executive Session three more times before finishing at 9:30 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT:
- Board Chairman Jeff Johnson declared the meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
