Thursday, September 8, 2022 6:00pm followed at 7:00pm Regular Board Meeting - Alsea School Board Meeting

Discussion:  District goals and samples are attached in boardbook. 

GOAL 1. Graduation requirements were discussed and how the school would make sure that students know what is required and where they are in terms of graduating. With a guidance councillor now in place to counsel our students, no student will be missed. There will be scheduled times for each high school student to meet with Ms. Rose, Guidance Councilor. Some students will need to have more guidance than others, but all will have the opportunity to speak to the councilor when needed.
The board would like to bring back Senior Projects and Job Fairs. Mr. Gallagher would like to do this but the Admin team would like to set these things up for success. They would like to wait until the 2023-2024 school year  so they can have time to set-up the process. This will be a future goal for the 2023-2024 school year.
Sixth through eleventh grades will start and update their grad plans every year. This will get us back into compliance with state law. We need to let students know what is out there for them in terms of careers and schooling. J term tie in and involve staff on how to make it happen.
Board would like updates in December and March.

Goal 2. Communication: Still important. A team of communicators. Who would be part of the team? Does the Board want to be part of the team? Present team (Superintendent/PIO/Teachers/Admin) - First draft in December to get us going.

Goal 3. Budget  

Looking into this - work in process, making things right with the employees. Questions about audits? NONE

Superintendent  Budget: Jan 2023 more accurate, better transparency, historical precedent to work off of

Stability is an area that is still a problem.  There is still a bleed.  

Ryan:Van Leuven would like to go through the bills so the board knows who is being paid and why the school is spending the funds. What are the checks and balances for those bills?  Get this info in a public place that’s easily searchable. Possible thing to add as a vote in the general meeting.  All agree that goals look good with the small changes made during the meeting.  Add to action items.

Board operating agreement needs to be built  Suggestion of day in October/November... Maybe it needs to be done sooner. 
District retreat date: September 24th, 2022 from 12 to 4.  In the Alsea School Library. 
Risteen Follett will reach out to Vincent for sample retreat ideas/agenda. 

Adjourned: 6:48pm

Discussion:  Risteen Follett called to order at 7:00pm

Discussion: 

Action items add (i) for the approval of district goals and (j) for District Retreat date 9/24/22 @ 12pm.
 

Discussion: 

Bond report session on 9/6 - went well

School has had a lot of staff/students out ill - if you don’t feel well, stay home - 

Sean  is out next week and will try and stay in touch but limited cell service 

HR Reset Teacher Contracts will be out soon, job descriptions, policy change with board not approving job descriptions.  Only cert will sign contracts.  Analysis data is being finalized. We want to be competitive and fair with our employees.  Continuing to have conversations will affect all employees.  Final analysis.  Request for records with the secretary of state and ODE has been put forth.  Rumors of Forestry improvement plans are in place, but not ready for the board just yet.  Very excited about it.  Transferring all payroll to ESD.  Athletic schedules are difficult and they are sorry about the daily changes that are happening.

Bond update: 

Scott Marshall: working on trying to redirect and get everyone on the same page with where things are going with the project.  Approach to completion: reach a solution, construction process is hard to understand and has a lot of moving parts, Each project is very different, diligently working on plan to move forward: understanding as to the why moving forward: See the attached document for complete list and documentation.
Hot button questions.

Risteen Follett does this include our ESSER funds?  Sean Gallagher:The cost of the project numbers don’t necessarily show what funds we have, could be more of a savings.  

Risteen Follett: Cafeteria not seen, due to the budget cost availability.  

Scott Marshall: Not getting a cafeteria, but will provide the hook up available for the future. Occupancy, would have a shell...but not able to occupy . Contingency could be used, but it would be close.  All the bells and whistles wouldn’t be available. See,  A133 Exhibit,  Memo Alsea VOC Shell, Alsea Elect, VOC Shell Only Budget 

Jamie and Richard Olsen: Why are we considering anything we can’t occupy? Scott Marshall: the shell would only protect it from weather and then we can wait till the rest of the bids come in without losing any momentum.  The contingency could be added and then finish the project...would roll the leftover funds into completion.  Could make the new building differ from the proposed plan.  This contract would be amended to make the building occupiable.  

Jamie Olsen: would that potentially mean that we would end up with a 1.5 million dollar storage shed? Scott Marshall: that is always a possibility, but he doesn’t foresee that. Doing this would open up the building renovation to start. 

Deb Lindberg: HVAC/Elect: any bids? Scott Marshall: 1a was bid, it came in high, they value engineered the generator out of it.  This estimate will then be utilized elsewhere.  Scott Marshall, yes you would have someone local able to be called for problem solving.  Always design something that is generic for easy fixability.  Andy Brophy: the HVAC contractor is from Salem, has some ideas to take $ out of his bid. Look at the larger system as well. Electrical side: Roseberg and Albany. Risteen Follett: Waldport/Corvallis/Albany - who did you contact? Andy - will send the board a list of contractors he has contacted. Risteen Follett wants local contractors. CJ Hanson is a company in Salem. Work with them to get an ongoing service agreement set up 

Risteen Follett's follow up to Deb Lindberg, HVAC system, have a local company sign off on the design to ensure we'd have support in fixing.  CJ Hanson is the company in Salem.  Work with them to get an ongoing service agreement set up. 

Youth in Transition - David Fricke

YTP is a mandated service for schools, usually comes through SPED, Tasked to build a program, it was a challenge, but they got it done.  Summer employment program 14 - 18 year olds can serve kids who didn’t even attend school.  They were assigned 850 work hours for kids over the summer. It was a successful year for it being year one for us.  The program is growing. 

Angie Turpen: Showed a powerpoint submitted to the board by a student.  The program helps with HS dropouts and may help them find their way back. There are 6 weeks worth of sessions. Very successful and the kids recovered credits.  Working with students on their future. It helps to build local relationships. The  Fish Hatchery would love to see more over the school year. Like to see moving forward; more Alsea community kids involved. 

 

Discussion: 

LaRea Sullivan:. 
Sean Gallagher is having LaRea Sullivan  look at the break even point for LaHO, should know better by mid September.
Payment Process - LaRae explained the payment process and our checks and balances. 
How is the business office handling reimbursements?  We are still using the old paper form, but staff need to ask their supervisors in advance to spend the funds. If they don;'t they risk not being reimbursed.
LaRae reviews all contracts and keeps track of payments. Risteen Follett asked if contracts could be loaded to the web for easy access?  LaRea Sullivan, there’s no problem with that. 
Vendor evaluation process? LaRea Sullivan said, usually you go out for state approval before you can change or shop around, or get quotes.
Sean Gallagher and LaRae Sullivan both look at duplicate services.
We need to have 16% cost saving in all categories. Will we make it? LaRea Sullivan, we will need to wait until November//December to have a better idea. 
Board asked several questions about the bills and LaRae explained what they were, they asked about school accounts in the hole and what or how we would be getting them in the black.  Some are student accounts which will require some fund raising. Explained that we change online services from APEX to Edmentum. Edmentum provides better programming for less cost.

 

 

Discussion:  Risteen Follett asked that July 14th minutes be corrected. Student success presentation was placed there which is incorrect.

RECESS UNTIL 8:50pm.

Risteen Follett would like to split Agenda and Checks and not have a consent agenda - Board agrees.

Payment of Bills: Board asked for clarification on several bills. LaRae Sullivan and Sean Gallagher answered their questions Annual is in the negative $1050, AP will be doing some fundraising to make that up

Leadership $4000 in the negative, they need to do some major fundraising.  Board asked Sean to follow up.

Risteen Alsea Education Scholarship? Teachers Union funded.  Please follow up on all negative balances

Checks - Deb - Check 10327 to Tim Pearson? Sean, went to teacher training. He went through the process

Edmentum? Replacement for Apex system.  Sean said this was a time to make a break.  They provide us the same/better programing for less cost.

 

$190,000 was from last year, $120,000 is from this year's statement.  This was due to the increase in enrollment.  

Benton County Development is the permits 

John Boys - Multiple expenditures - looking at a better way to do this

Western Bus Sales - One of the contracts for the DEQ Grant.  

Cell Phone carriers - Multiple - HR Reset will address this. 

Linda - Special Occasions - Payment from last year for rentals

Risteen - Senior Banquet -  why doesn’t that come from ASB - fundraising possibility 

 

Motion to approve bills - Deb Lindberg - Linda Montanez seconds - All Agree

 

Patron Comments - Scott Marshall: revisit bond presentation, apologize on clarity, contractor needs direction on GMP, haven’t canceled concrete pour yet, need that to reassess when it’ll be poured.  

 

Board Comments: Risteen: UDE link to article for title IX changes.  

Discussion: 

Scott Marshall: revisit bond presentation, apologize on clarity, contractor needs direction on GMP, hasn’t canceled the concrete pour yet, needs that to reassess when it’ll be poured.  

Discussion:  Discuss if the board should continue with the twice a month meetings or move to one. Deb Lindberg said she likes two a month.

OSBA Annual Conference. This conference fills up fast. We have a space available if anyone is interested.  No vote required

 Accepting funds from a donor -Resolution 23-02 Resolution to accept additional funds from a donation, create budget and spending authority for the "Family Outreach Program" FY22-23

Sean Gallagher asked if the board would like him to investigate getting a Project Manager?  Board discussed pros and cons. Just looking not hiring.

The Board discussed choosing a liaison from the board who would be a rep of the board that would be part of the process, making it easier for someone who has a different skill set, the ability to communicate more with contractors and then bring back information to the board,making it easier to communicate. 

The board voted on giving all employees the option of the HRA option. Resolution #2023-03 A Resolution Authoring the Adoption of a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) Plan

OSBA amendments to title IX, we have an opportunity to respond as a board. Risteen put forth a statement and states that it is by no means everyone's view and can be added/changed.

 Approval of VOC GMP for Shell. Deb Lindberg wanted to continue with the concrete pour before rains come and talk out what has already been completed. Much discussion took place on the cons of going forward as well as the cons of not. Ryan Vanleuven feels that we’re been put on the spot, we’ve wanted HVAC/Electric and now we have to make an on the spot decision. We’re topping out our budget if we do it now and we might be way out of budget and still have nothing to show for it. Sean Gallagher reminded them that we could take out a loan if we had to in order to complete our top priorities. The GMP is only good for now and it would take two weeks to obtain a new one.  Took a recess at 9:55pm  returned at 10:01.  Ryan VanLeuven wants hard numbers for the projects. Derek Howard stated"  Spend some time tomorrow for occupiable space. Don’t use contingencies unless there is a major design error.  Doesn’t see any or that in this project.  Might use 10-15% of the contingency plan.  $180-200,000 to put back in.  Main power didn’t take out the engineer's generator cost.  Electrical was played conservatively. HVAC they haven’t seen yet to see if they can shave off some cost places for the more specifications.  Look at it this way. Now you have them and the 4-6 weeks gets pushed out even further because they find a better job.  He would like to see it kept local.  Ryan Van Leuven : If we wait, will the concrete guys walk? Andy Brophy: No not yet, we’ve been waiting on their guys to become available.  If we wait we stand the chance of losing them to other jobs and not getting them back. GMP is good for a month or two, mid October.  Risteen Follett: could we delay, and not be out anytime really? Derek Howard: yes, but you need to move forward on the full build out due to electrical and plumbing fluctuations happening so frequently. Much higher risk.  In 2 weeks they’ll have hard numbers for electrical and HVAC upgrades. So long as electrical will play ball. CPI had an addendum that was issued, there are no mechanical drawings till tomorrow. Ryan Vanleuven wants a special session.  Risteen Follett suggested : 9/12

Adoption of district goal as a working document and additions

The Board retreat was discussed and decided to have on September 24, 2022 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.

The Board discussed and accepted the statement by the Public Information Officer to be put on the web concerning the Bond.

Regular Session Adjourned at 10:31pm
 

Discussion:  Went into Executive session at 10:34pm

Discussion:  Returned to Regular Session at 11:52pm no items to vote on.

Discussion:  Meeting Adjourned at 11:52

Discussion: 

___________________________    ______________________________
Risteen Follett, Board Chair Date     Sean Gallagher, Superintendent  Date