December 2022 Board Minutes
December 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 December 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, Molly Traw, Aaron Littig and Steve Moore. Trista Freeman, Shanna Eddinger and Bill Jacquot weres absent. Also attending were Superintendent Kevin Blankenship, WGS Principal Andy Stumpf, WHS Principal Denny Vortman, and Administrative Assistant Becky Lashmett.
TAX LEVY PUBLIC HEARING
A duly advertised public hearing was conducted regarding the proposed property tax levy, with no questions or comments being raised. Coultas then motioned to approve the levy as presented, with a second from Littig. Roll call resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
MINUTES / FINANCIALS
Traw motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the minutes of the November 15th regular meeting. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Traw motioned, with a second from Littig, to approve the financial reports and bills to be paid. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ADMINISTRATORS REPORTS
Students of the Month were reported by the building principals, as well as an update of student activities and upcoming events. Superintendent Blankenship reported on the recent Triple I conference.
PRESS POLICY UPDATES
Coultas motioned, with a second from Littig, to adopt the updated policies from IASB Press Services initially presented for first reading in November. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
TAX ABATEMENT
Coultas motioned to adopt a resolution abating $60,000 in property taxes, transferring that amount from countywide sales tax to the bond payment. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
BUS LEASE
Superintendent Blankenship presented three bids for the bus fleet lease, and Coultas motioned to enter into a three-year lease effective July 1, 2023 with Central States Bus Sales. Littig seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four 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 questioned the booster club expenditures in relation to Title IX requirements, and was invited to meet with Superintendent Blankenship to go over specifics.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Littig motioned at 6:57 PM to enter into closed session. Traw seconded the motion and roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
Coultas motioned, with a second from Traw, to return to open session at 7:25 PM. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed. President Moore announced the purpose of the executive session was for student discipline and personnel matters.
PERSONNEL ACTION
Traw motioned, with a second from Coultas, to approve the personnel recommendations to employ Shelby Shelts / certified aide, Amy Davis / grade school head volleyball coach, and Kaitlin Wade / grade school assistant volleyball coach, to accept retirement notices of teachers Tracy Eisenhauer / May 2024 and Barb Weder / May 2025, and to approve drama volunteers Delany Fearneyhough, Lacy Daniel, Tom Welch, Hannah Pate and Emily Vineyard. Roll call vote resulted: Coultas, yea; Traw, yea; Littig, yea; and Moore, yea; there being four yeas and no nays, the motion passed.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / ADJOURNMENT
President Moore announced the January 17, 2023 meeting would be held at 5:00 PM in the WHS Home Ec room. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:29 PM.
