ARCHIVE

Clark, Brunner elected board officers

Mill levy to rise in 2005

By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

The first order of business July 12 during Centre USD #397 board of education meeting was election of officers for the 2004-2005 fiscal year which began July 1.

Clark Davis was unanimously elected as board president. Jesse Brunner received four votes and Leona Hajek three for vice president, giving Brunner the position.

Clerk Peggy Falen presented the 2004-2005 budget as authorized by the board. It establishes the maximum that can be expended. The proposed budget leaves the general fund at 20 mills but raises the levy for the local option budget (LOB) from 15.03 to an estimated 19.201. The LOB levy will not exceed 20 mills.

Capital outlay remains at four mills. Bond and interest will drop from five mills to approximately four.

The vocational education budget will increase from $98,325 to $125,000. Falen said that is due to the addition of classes.

Falen said district valuation will increase by an estimated $875,000.

The board authorized Falen to publish the proposed budget as presented in the Marion County Record no later than July 28. A budget hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 9, at Centre Elementary School library, Lost Springs. District patrons are invited to attend to share concerns and recommendations.

The board filled several vacant positions.

Seth Bishop, a graduate of Kansas State University, was hired to teach high school math, and Cynthia Riedel, a graduate of Kansas Newman College, was employed as high school science teacher.

Steve Smith of Marion was hired as transportation director. He was one of three who were interviewed for the position. There were nine applications. Smith will receive a salary of $22,400. After the first six months and a good evaluation, his salary will be raised to $23,000. He will begin his duties around Aug. 1.

Instructors Lynley Remy and Laura Vinduska were approved as co-sponsors of the student council. They will receive supplemental pay.

The board spent 20 minutes in executive session with superintendent Bob Kiblinger and clerk Falen to discuss certified staff negotiations. No action was taken when the meeting reopened.

Substitute teacher pay was set at the daily rate of $70, $35 for a half-day. After five days of continuous service in the same classroom, the daily rate will increase to $75. After 20 days of continuous service in the same assignment, payment will be 1/188th of the base salary, retroactive to the first day of that service.

In other actions, the board:

— approved purchase of a new tuba with trade-in for $3,300. The old tuba dated back to 1925-1931 and was given a trade-in value by Flint Hills Music, Emporia, of $800.

— authorized the district's attorney, David Shriver, to file a claim regarding reimbursement for leased air space for cable.

— adopted new policies regarding grants and student self-administration of medications, and several revised policies.

— approved board appointments for the 2004-2005 year: Peggy Falen, clerk of the board, KPERS representative, BCBS representative, and criminal background information point of contact; Dawn Luna, deputy clerk of the board; Francie Mueller, district treasurer and purchasing officer; Robert Kiblinger, district and high school petty cash fund treasurer, high school and elementary school activity fund treasurer, truant officer, and criminal reporting officer; Nancy Brockmeier, homeless coordinator.

— approved participation in the federal lunch program and breakfast program and designated Kiblinger as official representative of the board of education and the K-12 determining official. Board president Davis is designated as hearing official.

— appointed Kiblinger as civil rights compliance officer.

— approved resolutions: 1) setting the date and time for all meetings during the 2004-2005 year, that being the second Monday of every month at 7:30 p.m., Centre Elementary School, except for Dec. 13, when the meeting will begin at 8 p.m.; 2) providing for the destruction of certain records; 3) requesting waiver of generally accepted accounting principles; 4) authorizing operation of an activity fund at both school sites; 5) establishing district and high school petty cash funds; 6) authorizing home rule, which gives the board authority to make decisions that are not covered by state statute; 7) rescinding policy statements in board minutes prior to July 1, 2004, and re-adopting the current policy manual.

— designated the Marion County Record as the official newspaper for the 2004-2005 school year.

— designated Pilsen State Bank and Tampa State Bank as official depositories of district funds.

— appointed David Shriver as legal counsel and approved a contract stipulating a "usual and customary" fee of $110 per hour plus out-of-pocket expenses.

— adopted a 1,116 hour school year for all students enrolled in grades 1-11, a minimum of 465 hours for kindergarten and 1,086 for seniors, and two makeup days.

— adopted amended handbooks for teachers, classified staff, and students.

— approved participation in the KASB Workers Compensation Fund.

— set the cost per copy for open records at 20 cents per page.

— set the mileage reimbursement rate at the state approved 37 cents per mile.

— designated Southeast Kansas Education Service Center as the agency to provide verification of in-service credit validity.

— appointed the following as board representatives: Leona Hajek, TEEN; Jennifer Kassebaum, governmental relations; and Julie Klenda, Centre Summer Ball Association.

— accepted a milk bid from Hiland Dairy. The meeting was adjourned at 9:13 p.m.

Quantcast