October 2020 Board Minutes
October 13, 2020
The Board of Education, Community Unit School District No. 1, 149 South Elm Street, Winchester, Illinois counties of Scott, Morgan and Greene, met in regular session on Tuesday October 13, 2020 at 6:30 PM in the Winchester Elementary School gymnasium.
President Steve Moore called the meeting to order with the following members answering roll call: Ron Coultas, Phyllis McGuire, Bill Jacquot, Shanna Eddinger, Jody Clanton, Trista Freeman and Steve Moore. Also attending were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WHS Principal Denny Vortman, WGS Principal Andy Stumpf, District Bookkeeper Angie Slagle and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
AUDIT REPORT
The results of the independent financial audit for fiscal year 2020 was presented by Suzanne Steckel of Zumbahlen, Eyth, Surratt, Foote & Flynn, noting the designation of financial ‘Recognition’ status. Freeman motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to approve the audit report as presented. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Coultas motioned, with a second from McGuire, to approve the minutes of the September 15th meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Coultas motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
The administrators acknowledged the faculty and staff for their efforts going ‘above and beyond’ during the pandemic. Expansion of the school day from the 1:30 dismissal is a top priority, but while there are still a number of students choosing remote learning, teachers need time in their work day for 1on1 time with them.
Superintendent Blankenship noted that while possible transportation purchases were discussed last month, he recommends holding off until state/federal funding stabilizes. He announced that IASB extended the free meals for all students p[rogram through the end of the current school term.
STUDENT DRUG TESTING
Jacquot motioned, with a second from McGuire, to approve Midwest Service Corporation to provide random student drug testing. MSC is a division of Midwest Truckers, the firm that performs bus driver random testing. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
CLOSED MINUTES
Freeman motioned to make public the closed session minutes from January through June 2020. Clanton seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; McGuire, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Clanton, yea; Freeman, yea and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUESTS / QUESTIONS/COMMENTS
President Moore asked the status of Freedom of Information requests, and Superintendent Blankenship reported there were none. President Moore asked for questions or comments from the audience, and there were none.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:12 PM.
