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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022_06_21 Board MinutesIDAHO FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT #91 BOARD WORK SESSION (Tuesday, June 21, 2022) Generated by Jessica Means Board Members present: Administration Present: Elizabeth Cogliati, Trustee Dr. Jim Shank, Superintendent Hillary Radcliffe, Vice Chair Kelly Coughenour, Assist. Supt. Elementary Education Larry Wilson, Treasurer Dan Keck, Assist. Supt. Secondary Education Paul Haacke, Clerk Angela Pendlebury, Director of Finance Lara Hill, Chair (not present) Heather Wade, Director of Human Resources IFEA Present:Margaret Wimborne, Director of Communication Julie Nawrocki, President Jessica Means, Deputy Clerk, Recording Work Session called to order at 4:00 PM by Vice Chairwoman Hillary Radcliffe. ADOPT AGENDA Vice Chairwoman Radcliffe requested a motion to adopt the agenda. Trustee Cogliati made a motion to adopt the agenda. Motion by Elizabeth Cogliati, second by Paul Haacke. Final Resolution: Motion Carried Voting Aye: Elizabeth Cogliati, Hillary Radcliffe, Larry Wilson, Paul Haacke Not Present at Vote: Lara Hill WORK SESSION A. Board Policy Manual Superintendent Shanks speaks to the Board about the policy work that has been done throughout the school y ear. He states the Board Policy Manual has many more policies that need updated and explains the length of time it will take to get the entire manual up to date at the rate we are moving. He explains we have generally three to four policies a month presented, reviewed, and approved. He states that Jess Means, Board Clerk, has meet with ISBA to get information regarding help with an entire Board Policy rewrite. Jess talks about her meeting and the work ISBA states they can help with. ISBA states they can provide a blended rewrite or a fresh start rewrite. They explained the work could take up to two years to complete, they revise a section at a time and then send to us for the Board to review and approve before moving onto another section. With both options, if there is something the Board w ants changed or updated with old language from our policy manual, they can do that. Jess states the work we started at the beginning of this school y ear in updating board policies had the goal of updating anything five years and older. She explains that we have only made it through a few sections and after talking with ISBA recommends doing a fresh start rewrite. The Board and Superintendent discuss the importance to ha ve updated policies and keeping them all current, with the entire policy manual. There is further discussion is the mo ve to have ISBA work on a rewrite. Superintendent Shank talks about the process to have our Board Policy Manual in Board Docs and how the process has been difficult due to the formatting and the age of some of our policies. Trustee Haacke states he understands needing to have the Board Policy in a more accessible area, like Board Docs, and having it more user friendly. The Board is agreeance to have ISBA do a fresh start rewrite and it will be an action item in the next Board meeting. B. Master Facilities Plan Superintendent Shank speaks to questions that the Board needs to address in moving forward with the decision of a Bond. The questions that needs addressed by the Board are cost to build, interest rates, construction, timing of bond, the priorities in the facilities plan, and building plans. He talks about keeping the old plans or starting over with fresh plans. He then adds the Board will need to discuss any barriers they might think are present and the vote to go to bond in the July 13th Board meeting. Superintendent Shank states they he wants the Board to be confident and determined in what the facilities plan is and how it is they will mo ve forward with a plan. Mike Clements, CEO of Bateman-Hall presented the current cost summary forecast for D91 2022 Bond. It is attached in the board agenda. The Board of Trustees discuss the questions that Superintendent Shank presented. The Board agrees that the cost to build and interest r ates will stay the same or continue to raise and the facilities are a need to the district, rather than a want. Trustee Haacke talks about having a reference to the cost per square footage. Trustee Radcliffe follows that with the cost of building changing what the money can purchase if prices continue to rise. She states we will need to present what the facilities needs are with the intent to ha ve modern classrooms, with up to date technology, science labs, gym, auditorium, cafeteria, and most important parts of a school. Trustee Wilson states we should present the cost per square footage and include the intent for the facilities. Trustee Haacke states he thinks there are people that will want to know exactly what the facilities will look like if they vote for a bond. The Board continues to discuss what should be presented. Trustee Haacke discusses if they should list the facilities as different referendums on the ballot separ ately. Trustee Cogliati states that may work out better to separate them to be transparent to the community on the costs for each facility. Trustee Radcliffe that presents a problem if only half of it passes and the other half doesn't. Trustee Wilson adds that we should not keep the same renderings but keep the functionality and eye pleasing facilities. Superintendent Shank asks Margaret about the surveys that were sent out and the percentage of community in favor to the new facilities. Margaret Wimborne, Director of Communication states the 64% of the respondents supported building a new IFHS, 74% supported improvements to SHS, 70% supported new, larger Templeview, and 78% supported a new elementary the South of town. Trustee Haacke states that we need to act now for a bond on the facilities due to the increase in rates and construction. He also states that we agree that high schools are a high priority. Superintendent Shank states that we might segment the priorities. Trustee Wilson states that he thinks when talking about segmenting the high schools and elementary schools, we ma y do better to do all of them at once. The Board discusses keeping the high schools together for a bond. They discuss the any barriers which includes the misinformation the community has with Bateman-Hall. He states we need to be clear the process with working with Bateman-Hall with an RFQ. Mike Clements states he would suggest the district eliminate that hurdle and drop Bateman-Hall from the process prior to mo ving to bond. The Board thanks Mike for being gracious with that and agrees the community needs to be informed with the process. They also continue the discussion with water, sewer, and impact fees not being a barrier. Trustee Haacke talks about the work needing to be done for getting a Yes vote with how the district works and communicates with the community gaining their trust. Trustee Radcliffe states the last bonds failed because there was lack of trust and we need to move forward with being transparent and present everything the plan entails. Trustee Wilson agrees with having transparency and being honest with the cost per square feet. Trustee Radcliffe confirms we will have a July 13th vote in the board meeting for a November bond. The Board agrees with that vote to move forward at the next meeting. ADJOURN Meeting was adjourned 5:56. EXECUTIVE SESSION Executive Session dropped for not all Board Members were in attendance.