September 2022 Board Minutes
September 13, 2022
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 September 13, 2022 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, Bill Jacquot, Shanna Eddinger, Trista Freeman, Molly Traw, Aaron Littig and Steve Moore. Also attending were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WGS Principal Andy Stumpf, WHS Principal Denny Vortman and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
FY23 BUDGET
A public hearing on the proposed FY23 budget was conducted, with no questions or comments from the audience. Littig motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to approve as presented. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Freeman motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the minutes of the August 12th regular meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Freeman, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
Enrollment numbers were reported by the building principals, with 412 at WGS and 171 at WHS, as well as a report on student activities and upcoming events. Superintendent Blankenship reported on summer maintenance projects and segued to a report on the high school building walk-thru by Eddinger and Traw. The district’s architect, along with Veregy, formerly CTS - the WGS renovation contractor - is working on recommendations and rough cost estimates. Noted as the primary areas of concern were HVAC needs, asbestos removal and student safety / security. The deadline for the FY23 School Maintenance Grant application is in November, so a decision on which project to submit must be made at the October meeting.
USE OF FACILITIES
Littig motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to approve the use of district facilities by IEC for its 2023 Annual Meeting, and by youth basketball and volleyball organizations. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
BASEBALL BLEACHER PROJECT
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve contributing district funds, in an amount not to exceed $32,000, toward the Cougar Boosters baseball field bleacher replacement project. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, 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 then asked for questions or comments from the audience, and Brian McKinney voiced his opinion that he felt there was a ‘better way to spend money’ than on a field that hosted eleven games last season.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Freeman motioned at 7:21 PM to enter into closed session. Littig seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Coultas motioned, with a second from Jacquot, to return to open session at 9:28 PM. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced the purpose of the executive session was for personnel matters and collective bargaining.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with all three unions regarding health insurance reimbursement funded by the new carrier signing bonus for out of pocket expenses incurred September 1st to December 31st due to the change in carriers. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
PERSONNEL ACTION
Eddinger motioned, with a second from Coultas, to accept the resignations of Danielle Fanning as cook and Meagan Hettinger as LPN Aide, and to employ Jennifer Wingler as cook. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacquot motioned to approve volunteers for Bass Fishing – Jed Arnold, Landon Barnett, Clint Coats, Matt Coultas, Clint Fox, Dylan Fox, Adam Fundel, Donnie Hankins, Chris Ingram, Scott McCleery, Ryan Shaw, Tony Surratt, and Danny Welsh. Littig provided a second and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, abstain; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being one abstention and six yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacquot motioned, with a second from Littig to dismiss the junior high and high school softball coaching staff effective immediately. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Jacquot motioned to approve Travis Sievers and Kaitlin Wade as co-coaches for the 2022 season of junior high softball with stipends per the contract. Littig seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Littig motioned, with a second from Eddinger, to accept the resignation of Andy Stumpf as WGS Principal effective June 30, 2023. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Jacquot, yea; Eddinger, yea; Freeman, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being seven yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:32 PM.
