At this time (without comment), the Superintendent moved to Item #VIII of the Agenda - Informational.

At 6:58 p.m., the BOE resumed with the regular agenda...

IV. Recognition of Guests/Comments From Public And Employees - None.

V. Approval of Previous Minutes - A motion was made, seconded, and passed.

1. Regular Minutes of March 18, 2010
2. Closed Minutes of March 18, 2010

VI. Approval of Agendas - It was noted by the Chair that the Regular Agenda had already been modified. It was further noted that the Closed Agenda would also be modified with the tabling of Items #2, 3, 7, 8, and 9. A motion was made, seconded, and passed to approve the agendas as modified.

• Regular Meeting
• Closed Meeting

VII. Approval of Treasurer's Report - The Superintendent read the totals. A motion was made, seconded, and passed to approve the Treasurer's Report.

VIII. Approval of Payment of Bills/Payroll - A motion was made, seconded, and passed.

IX. Informational

1. Beta club Scholarship Program - Cairo Jr/Sr High School Student - Awarded $1,000 Scholarship - Noted by the Superintendent and congratulations offered.

2. Superintendent Swopes presented the history and mission of the National Board of Certified Teachers as a prelude to officially honoring Mary Herndon of Emerson Elementary for becoming the first Cairo School District Teacher to achieve such and honor. A "Golden Apple" was presented to Mary Herndon as a token of recognition and appreciation for her accomplishments. Several members of Mary's family were in attendance to join in the applause rendered by those present. In addition, Superintendent Swopes informed the audience that the District had worked in cooperation with the Cairo Association of Teachers to reach a Memorandum of Understanding that would give a monetary recognition to Mary and any future teachers who achieved her status. (A copy of the "MOU" is presented at the bottom of these minutes.)

3. And then the architects took the floor...

   Superintendent Swopes introduced them by reminding the BOE/Audience that the District was going through a transition (with the closing of Bennett Elementary and the Central Office.)

   Since we last met...

   The $350,000 that the District was going to spend to make renovations to Emerson Elementary (so that it would become the new "Cairo Elementary School", housing K-6 students) and the Cairo Jr/Sr High School (to accommodate Pre-School and the new, improved Central Office) has now morphed into two possible grants...one of $2.8 million and another of $1.1 million. If the District gets these grants (described as a "long shot"), the District would have to fund 25% of the cost...approximately $1 million. According to the architects, the District's share would come out of "funds on hand" (that the District said it didn't have when it RIFed teachers, aides, secretaries, and custodians. Uh, I said that last part...not the architects, who made $12,000 for their efforts last month. Guess that's why the attorneys didn't make out like the bandits that they normally do. Actually, I lied. I'll have a separate CAT Tracks on the attorneys...tomorrow.) The architects said they were also hopeful of finagling some Life-Safety money by taking liberties with the wording of the grant.

   In further shenanigans...

   Evidently there has been a change in state law...concerning the awarding of contracts of less than $50,000 (thus Item # 8 under Section X.) Apparently (with Mevert Architects serving as the "project manager"...CHA-CHING!), the District can simply negotiate "no-bid contracts" to do much of the construction work (with or without bonding). An aside offered by Dave Mevert...that the District might have to "engage legal counsel"...that since the change in the law was new, it was uncharted territory. The District would be the "new kid on the block". Hey...Maybe this will make Robbins et al happy...and they will agree NOT to push an appeal (in the James Gibson decision) down the District's throat so that the meter will continue to run. I mean...money is money. Climb down off the dead horse and engage in "cutting edge" litigation! (Let us pray...that the District doesn't try to hire nonunion workers! Local 773 will be all over the District...like "white on rice"...if they try to pull THAT stunt! Eddie Smith et al don't play...)

   The architects indicated that the key to getting the grant was the addition of new classrooms. Accordingly, the District has included two new special education classrooms in the grant...classrooms that would be built behind the kitchen (constructed with a brick facing to match the current building. Apparently the classrooms would be large - 1400 square feet each - with a sliding partition so that the rooms could also serve as a multi-purpose room.)

   Some more news...

   The Emerson Elementary boiler is "sick" has leaks. The architects recommended replacing the sick boiler with TWO new boilders...for something like $111,900. The "good news"...with two boilers, if something should happen to one, you would not be totally without heat. I think by then, everyone must have been getting a little glassy-eyed at the dollar amounts being thrown around so freely. Why? Because the architects dropped the other shoe...a "warning"...that, oh, you can always wait until the boiler fails. It will probably be in the middle of the winter and will cost much, much more.

   The final "bad news"...

   That the District had already passed all the deadlines that had guaranteed a completion of the necessary renovations by August...in time for the opening of the next school year. The architects indicated that unless they got an immediate commitment from the BOE (and the FOP?)...that the project would probably not be completed until September...or October.

   The best laid plans...

   Remember when all this "Close Bennett"..."Close the Central Office"...business started? That it was to save money?? Now we're talking $1 million???

   The final comment by the architects..."There's a lot in play."

   And, how do you spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R?

   
   

   Oh, hell...I forgot the best part...the part that I did not hear for some reason, until my fellow CATs broke the news to me in the hallway during closed session.

   THE ELEVATOR!!!

   Yes...one of the renovations to "Cairo Elementary School"!

   AN ELEVATOR!!!

4. Checks Deposited - District Account

   $428.19 - Fresh Fruit & Veg. Grant
   95,000.00 - Title I Low Income
   190,314.92 - ARRA GSA-ED SFSF
   1,559.00 - Title VI - Rural Ed. In.
   1,759.00 - Tech. Enhancing Ed.
   831.00 - Safe & Drug Free Schools
   12,375.00 - Title II Teacher Quality
   82,636.80 - Real Estate Taxes- Alexander County
   476.99 - Cairo Site Lunches - Jan. - ROE
   2,618.75 - CCEC Lease - Shawnee College- March
   190,314.92 - ARRA GSA-ED SFSF
   520.81 - Fresh Fruits & Veg. Grant
   20,731.73 - Federal Lunch
   11,222.24 - Federal Breakfast
   1,127.42 - Driver Education
   44,662.58 - Personal Property Replacement Tax
   2,618.75 - CCEC Lease - Shawnee College- April Payment
   190,314.92 - State Aid - March - 1st Payment
   3,086.00 - Title VI Rural Education
   881.00 - Tech. Enhancing Eduction
   831.00 - Safe & Drug Free Schools
   12,375.00 - Title II Teacher Quality
   50.00 - First Student Transit - Rent

X. Closed Session - The BOE voted to enter closed session at 7:09 p.m. The BOE voted to exit closed session at 8:47 p.m.

XI. Requiring Action/Decisions By Board of Education

1. Personnel employment, resignation, release, discipline, or compensation

   a. Accept Resignation of Vanassa Thomas - Grants Secretary - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

   b. Recall Carrie Bridges - Position - Special Ed. Teacher - Cairo Jr/Sr High School (Jr. High) - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

2. Approve Contract - Para-Professionals - (Teacher Aides) - Tabled.

3. Approve Contract - Custodians - Tabled.

4. Approve Retirement Agreement - Doris Case - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

5. Approve Renewal of Membership in Illinois High School Assoc. - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

6. Place on Reading - Board Policy Manual Updates - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

7. Approve District Handbook - Tabled.

8. Approve Resolution For Expenditures Less Than $50,000 - Tabled.

9. Approve Property/Casualty Renewal Quotation - Tabled.

10. Approve Appointment of Mary Coleman as School Treasurer - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

11. Approve Text Book Adoption - Soc. Studies - Grades 4-6 - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

12. Approve Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) For National Board Certified Teacher - Motion made, seconded, and passed. Award

13. Approval of Admin./Director Salaries - Skipped without comment.

14. Approval of Employee Separation Agreement - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

15. Approve Mevert Architects to move forward with construction grant application of $2.8 million - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

16. Approve Mevert Architects to move forward with the "Green Hall" renovation (Original Plan) - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

XII. Motion made, seconded, and passed to hold a Special BOE Meeting on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at 5 p.m. to consider agenda items tabled this evening...and personnel matters.

XIII. Old Business