The Carmi-White County Unit #5 School Board approved the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget. Total receipts for all funds are projected as $16.3 million with expenditures of $14.9 million for a balance of $1.4 million. This budget will allow the district to maintain programs and provide dollars to maintain the positive teaching and learning experience that our teachers and students deserve.
The Board of Education and the Carmi White County Support Staff Association agreed on a collective bargaining agreement for the 2019-20 through the 1921-22 school years. The board agrees to pay an additional $25 a month towards the individual health insurance premium for each employee up to a maximum of $700. The school board passed a Memorandum of Agreement to increase the premium retroactive to September 1st until the end of the contract.
As required every two years, the Illinois School Code requires that board policies be reviewed. The policy on Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation and Harassment was reviewed by the board of education and re-evaluated, and deemed no changes were to be made.
The school board passed a resolution in support of the Illinois Oil and Gas Industry. Approximately $7.5 million of that revenue was distributed to Unit Five over an eleven year period from 2007-2017. They appreciate all that the oil and gas industry does for Unit Five.
The first two state aid payments were received by the district with receipts totaling $826,868 for the month of August including $56,853 from the one percent sales tax.
Joe Zieren, president of the Lion’s Club, presented a check from the club for $750 from a breakfast they held last month, with all proceeds going to the district to help pay for school fees that families cannot afford to pay.
In the Superintendent’s report. Brad Lee said the district’s sixth day enrollment for the 2019-20 school year was 1,370—up 25 students from last year.
According to County Treasurer Pam Armstrong the revenue for local taxes will be a couple of months behind from previous years. The first installment will be due November 15th and the second January 15th. Lee said they will be able to withstand the delay due to being financially stable.
In other business, the board adopted the Serious Safety Hazard Resolution to certify that serious safety hazards still exist; accepted the resignation of Diana Lamon as breakfast supervisor at Jefferson School effective immediately; accepted the retirements of Sheila Napier as Carmi-White County Unit 5 Bookkeeper effective September 30th and Barbara Flack as Special Education Individual Aide at Brownsville School effective September 18th; and accepted $1,175 in donations to Brownsville School.
The board went into closed session at 7:23 PM to discus personnel.
Following the closed session, Mike Knight, Allison Kosikowski, Sally Riley and Emily Williams were approved as building volunteers at Lincoln Attendance Center for the 2019-2020 school year. Shelly Aldrich was employed as Part-Time Breakfast Supervisor at Jefferson Attendance Center for the 2019-2020 school year to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Diana Lamont. Kathleen Buchanan was employed as a Special Education Individual Aide at Washington Attendance Center for the 2019-2020 school year to fill the vacancy created by the reassignment of Jennifer Foote.