Illinois Valley Times

Peru Elementary School District 124 Board of Education met July 19.

Here is the minutes as provided by the board:

Call to Order

The regular meeting of the month of July of the Board of Education of Peru Elementary School District

124, LaSalle County, Illinois, was called to order in the Choral Room at Parkside School, 1800 Church

Street, Peru, IL, by Vice President Jim Renk, on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at 6:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance

Vice President Renk led the Board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call

Present: Members Rob Ankiewicz, Josanne Bruins, Simon Kampwerth, Patti Leynaud, C.G. Pillai,

and Vice President Jim Renk.

Absent: President Lamboley.

Others Present: Superintendent Mark Cross, Board Secretary Kim Vezzetti, Dana Dawson, and

Ben Hohenstatt.

Approval of Meeting Agenda

Motion: Moved by Member Ankiewicz, seconded by Member Pillai, to approve the meeting agenda

of July 19, 2017. Roll Call, Voting Aye: Ankiewicz, Pillai, Renk, Bruins, Kampwerth, and

Leynaud. Absent: Lamboley. Nays: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Public Comment, Correspondence, and Announcements

There was no public comment, correspondence, or announcements.

Consent Agenda

Motion: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve the following

items in the Consent Agenda:

 June 14, 2017 Board of Education Meeting Minutes

 June 14, 2017 Executive Session Meeting Minutes

 Financial Reports

 Treasurer’s Report

 District Bills

Roll Call, Voting Aye: Kampwerth, Leynaud, Pillai, Renk, Ankiewicz, and Bruins. ABSENT:

Lamboley. NAYS: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Reports, Updates, and Informational Items

Quarterly Treasurer’s Report

Mr. Cross presented the quarterly report. He reported the weighted average rate of return on all deposit

accounts yields.50 percent. The roughly $2.8 million in brokered accounts with Vezzetti Capital

Management has a weighted average return of.69 percent, while the roughly $1.8 million in the

remaining accounts with Peru Federal Savings Bank have a rate of.41 percent. The total investment

balance in both accounts is $4.6 million dollars.

Superintendent’s Report

 Mr. Cross explained the implications of the pending amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1 by

Governor Rauner. In the absence of either serious compromise or an override of the veto, there is

no mechanism for distributing school funding for FY18. This is an unprecedented time in state

history with both parties embracing the evidence-based funding model, with only slight

differences between the bills that were written for each side. Mr. Cross said that there is

absolutely no reason a solution cannot be reached.

 Registration Day is Tuesday, August 8, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Mr. Cross is hoping

the Kindergarten numbers don’t increase too much, but it is typical to pick up some students in

the lower grades, particularly kindergarten. A preliminary enrollment report will be provided at

the August regular meeting.

 The Illinois State Board of Education is seeking proposals for replacement of the PARCC

assessment. Mr. Cross, along with several other superintendents around the state, have been asked

to participate as an advisor in the process. He stated that it is good that they are allowing school

leaders to be involved so that people with knowledge of the assessment issues at the local level

have input into what needs to be corrected.

Food Service Program Financial Report

Mr. Cross reviewed the expenditures and revenues for the food service program from this past year. He

also noted that due to a recent food service program review, a la carte items will now have its own line

item from the other food program items.

Fiscal Year 2017 Financial Review

Mr. Cross provided a review of ending fiscal year 2017 revenues, expenditures and fund balances. He

reviewed each of the nine funds with the Board. The FY17 Ed Fund deficit brought the total fund balance

down to $1.063 million from the beginning fiscal year balance of $1.915 million. He is concerned with

the issues related to state funding and its effect on the upcoming fiscal year, even though the district

continues to be very conservative with expenditures. He noted the district is still missing half of the

mandated categorical reimbursements from the year just ended. On a positive note, Mr. Cross was pleased

to report on some new home construction in Peru and hopes that helps build the tax base that the district

relies on, since it is still far below its high from several years ago. He noted that a property tax freeze as

has been discussed in the state legislature and by the governor would be devastating to the district.

Action Items

Approval of Recommended 2017-18 District Title I Plan

Motion: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Pillai, to approve the recommended

2017-18 district Title I Plan. Aye 6, Nay 0. The motion carried 6-0.

Approval of Recommended Bid for Copy Machine Lease and Services

Motion: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to approve the recommended bid

for copy machine lease and services as presented. Roll Call, Voting Aye: Pillai, Ankiewicz,

Bruins, Kampwerth, Leynaud, and Renk. Absent: Lamboley. Nays: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Approval of Recommendation for Northview Storm Water Detention Moisture Mitigation and

Sidewalk Modification

Motion: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Leynaud, to approve the

recommendation for the Northview storm water detention moisture mitigation and sidewalk

modification. Roll Call, Voting Aye: Pillai, Leynaud, Renk, Ankiewicz, Bruins, and

Kampwerth. Absent: Lamboley. Nays: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Approval of Purchase of Northview Cafeteria Tables

Motion: Moved by Member Bruins, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to approve the purchase of 14

Northview cafeteria tables for a grand total of $19,552.20. Roll Call, Voting Aye: Bruins,

Kampwerth, Leynaud, Pillai, Renk, and Ankiewicz. Absent: Lamboley. Nays: None. The motion

carried 6-0.

Adoption of Illinois Department of Transportation Serious Safety Hazard Resolution

Motion: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to approve the Illinois

Department of Transportation Serious Safety Hazard Resolution for the 2017-18 school year. Roll

Call, Voting Aye: Pillai, Kampwerth, Leynaud, Renk, Ankiewicz, and Bruins. Absent:

Lamboley. Nays: None. The motion carried 6-0.

Executive Session

Motion: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Bruins, to adjourn to Executive Session at

6:48 p.m. for the discussion of information regarding the appointment, employment, performance, or

dismissal of employees or district legal counsel; discussion of information related to employee salaries,

benefits, and issues related to collective bargaining. Roll Call, Voting Aye: Pillai, Bruins,

Kampwerth, Leynaud, Renk, and Ankiewicz. Absent: Lamboley. NAYS: None. The motion carried

6-0.

The meeting returned to Open Session at 7:55 p.m.

Action Items After Executive Session

Approval of Employee Health, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance Program

Motion: Moved by Member Bruins, seconded by Member Pillai, to approve the proposed employee

health, dental, vision and life insurance program as presented. Roll Call, Voting Aye: Member

Bruins, Kampwerth, Renk, Ankiewicz, and Leynaud. Abstain: Kampwerth. Absent: Lamboley.

NAYS: None. The motion carried 5-0.

Employment of Recommended Personnel

Motion: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Leynaud, to employ Jim Dziarnowski

as head custodian at Northview School for the 2017-18 school year. AYE 6, NAY 0. The motion carried

6-0.

Approval of Request for Retirement

Motion: Moved by Member Kampwerth, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to approve the request for

retirement from Tracey Jaegle at the conclusion of the 2019-2020 school year. Aye 6, Nay 0. The

motion carried 6-0.

Authorization of Destruction of Verbatim Audio Recods from Executive Sessions Held Prior to

January 1, 2016 per the Illinois Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120

Motion: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Kampwerth, to authorize the destruction of

verbatim audio records from Executive Sessions held prior to January 1, 2016 per the Illinois Open

Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120. Aye: 6. Nays: 0. The motion carried 6-0.

Consideration of Approval to Release Executive Session Minutes

Motion: Moved by Member Pillai, seconded by Member Ankiewicz, to review and release the

Executive Session Minutes of meetings held on the following dates, with exceptions as noted in minutes

in which the need for confidentiality remains: January 18, 2017; February 15, 2017; March 15, 2017;

April 19, 2017; May 17, 2017; June 14, 2017. Aye 6, Nay 0. The motion carried 6-0.

Adjournment

Motion: Moved by Member Ankiewicz, seconded by Member Bruins, to adjourn at 7:57 p.m. Aye

6, Nay 0. The motion carried 6-0.

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