MINUTES BOARD OF EDUCATION REPORT JANUARY 10, 2022
The regular meeting of the Board of Education was held on January 10th. This meeting was advertised in the January 5th edition of the Battle Creek Enterprise. President Jeremy Pochop called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. Members present were Brent Bode, Tammy Bierman, Sean Lindgren, Paul Kuchar, and Toby Thompson. Also, present were Superintendent Jake Luhr and Principal Curtis Childers, 4 seniors, Jay Speerman, John Wieser, Bob Soukup, and a visitor. The new open meeting law poster was discussed and posted and will be followed at every Board meeting. To start the Board meeting, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Mr. Luhr, Secretary of the Board of Education, assumed the chair from President Jeremy Pochop for the purpose of presiding during the election of the Board president. Secretary Jake Luhr then asked for nominations for Board president.
Toby Thompson made a motion to nominate Jeremy Pochop for Board president. There were no other nominations. Sean Lindgren seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with five ayes. Jeremy Pochop abstained.
Jeremy Pochop then assumed the chair as president and asked for nominations for vice president. Sean Lindgren nominated Brent Bode as vice president. There were no other nominations. Paul Kuchar seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with five ayes. Brent Bode abstained.
The following Board positions were appointed:
Secretary – Jake Luhr
Treasurer – Jean Unkel
Recording Secretary – Ann Barry
Attorney – Perry, Guthery, Haase & Gessford, P.C., L.L.O.
Newspaper – Battle Creek Enterprise
Depository – Battle Creek State Bank
Committee on American Civics – Pochop, Thompson, Bierman
Building & Grounds(Facilities) Committee – Bode, Kuchar, Lindgren
Finance Committee – Thompson, Bode, Lindgren
Negotiations Committee – Pochop, Bierman, Kuchar
Brent Bode made a motion to approve the appointed positions. Toby Thompson seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.
Toby Thompson made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, which included the January general fund bills that totaled $154.469.69. Paul Kuchar seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with five ayes. Brent Bode abstained.
Mr. Luhr presented to the Board a few examples of superintendent evaluations used by other school boards. Mr. Luhr will get a couple more evaluation tools for the Board to review at the February Board meeting, and then select one that they like.
Mr. Luhr presented to the Board a copy of the letter sent to Dean Carroll of First Student Bus Company advising him that the school is terminating the bus barn lease agreement with them effective at the end of the 2021-22 school year.
Mr. Luhr presented to the Board a rough draft of the master contract for the 2022-23 school year. No motion was needed to approve the calendar as Mr. Luhr will review it with staff before bringing it back to the Board for approval in February or March.
Toby Thompson made a motion to approve the contract of Curtis Childers, Elementary Principal, in the amount of $94,245.00 for the 2022-23 school year. Sean Lindgren seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.
Paul Kuchar made a motion to approve the contract of Jeff Heimes, Secondary Principal, in the amount of $116,065.00 for the 2022-23 school year. Brent Bode seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.
Sean Lindgren made a motion to approve the contract of Jake Luhr, Superintendent, in the amount of $148,584.00 for the 2022-23 school year. Tammy Bierman seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with six ayes.
Brent Bode made a motion to approve the construction manager at risk contract between Battle Creek Public Schools and Hausmann Construction for the proposed additions and renovations to the elementary, high school, and athletic facilities. Toby Thompson seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with five ayes. Sean Lindgren abstained.
John Wieser and Matt Miller of Hausmann Construction presented to the Board a budget for the proposed additions and renovations project to the high school building and athletics facilities and to the elementary school building with a total project budget of $7,911,071.
Jay Spearman of Piper Sandler presented and reviewed with the Board a Resolution to hold a Special Bond Referendum, which provided the necessary language for initiating a bond election along with the preliminary figures for the bond election. Toby Thompson made a motion to approve a resolution calling for a special election to be held in Madison County School District 0005(Battle Creek Public Schools) in the state of Nebraska regarding a proposition to issue general obligation bonds of the district and approving related matters. Tammy Bierman seconded the motion. On roll call vote, the motion carried with five ayes. Sean Lindgren abstained.
President Jeremy Pochop tabled the agenda item, Enrollment/Staffing Projections until the February Board meeting so that both principals would be present to review the current enrollment numbers and discuss staffing needs for the 2022-23 school year.
There were no option enrollment requests for this month.
Comments were heard from the Board, Principals, and Superintendent.
With no further business, Board President Jeremy Pochop adjourned the meeting at 7:06 P.M.
Submitted by,
Jake Luhr, Secretary Board of Education