CAT Tracks for June 16, 2011
REGULAR BOE MEETING...MINUTES

The Cairo Board of Education held its regular meeting on Thursday, June 16, 2011, at 6:00 p.m. Prior to that meeting, the BOE conducted a public hearing on the amended budget for 2010-2011. Below are the "minutes"...


I. Call to Order - Even though a quorum was present earlier, the Public Hearing was not called to order until 5:57 p.m. (when Superintendent Swopes arrived. He was present earlier, but was apparently detained on other business.) All members of the BOE were present with the exception of Danny Brown.

II. Review Amended 2010-2011 Budget - Justin Miller took the stage and explained a "Budget Summary" handout (see below), focusing on the 3rd of the three pages. (For clarification, it is the third page below, NOT the one labled "Page 3". It's the easy to read page!) Mr. Miller had good news and good news...namely, more money coming in than expected and decreasing expenses.




CAT Tracks Editor's Note:

If you are not a "numbers person", do as Mr Miller advised. Focus on the 3rd page...specifically the final five lines. Compare the "Starting Fund Balance" from July 1, 2010 and compare it to the "Actual Ending Balance" expected on June 30, 2011.

You will note that of the nine columns listed, seven increased. Only two decreased...by a total of $4,956.64. However, this "loss" was overly compensated by the seven funds which increased...by a total of $708,510.17.

Mr. Miller explained that the $250,000 in "Fund 60" was an Energy Grant that the District just received...which sweetened an already plush final accounting for the 2010-2011 school year.

Even if you discounted that "new" column, the District's "net fund balances" increased this past year by a total of $453,553.53.

So...

The next time you hear District officials crying gloom and doom, WOLF!, and the sky is falling, return to this page.

This is what they do NOT want you to know! It's why CATs keep going to BOE meetings where they are clearly not wanted. It may well explain why there is so much whispering and mumbling going on during "public sessions". It certainly explains the food and the golf and the traveling to far off places...

Mr. Miller (not to be confused with teen idol Justin Bieber) concluded his remarks by serenading the BOE and the audience with his rendition of Frank Sinatra's..."It was a very good year".

Okay, okay, Mr. Miller did not actually sing, but he did indeed say (admit) the obvious... that Cairo School District Number One "upon final review" had concluded what was a very good (financial) year.


Before Mr. Miller could even be seated, catcalls were heard from members of the audience:

  • WELL! Forget asking for a 10% raise, let's make it 15%!
  • WOW! It's good that they turned down our "supposal" last week...they would have made out like bandits.
  • DAMN! The District could build their own golf course with that kind of money. ALL employees could play for free, instead of paying the Superintendent to go elsewhere.

Okay, okay...I cannot tell a lie...twas I making those catty comments.

Let us return to the "minutes"...

III. Receive Testimony - There was none.

Adjourn To Regular Meeting - Motion made, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 6:02 p.m.

Cairo School District No. One
"MAKING A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE!"
2403 Dr. M. L. King Jr. Avenue
Cairo, Illinois 62914
Telephone 1-618-734-4102
Fax 1-618-734-4047

CAIRO BOARD OF EDUCATION
CAIRO SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER ONE
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011
6:00 P.M.

AGENDA

I. Call to Order - 6:03 p.m.

II. Roll Call - All Board Members present except Mr. Brown (who arrived at 6:05 p.m.)

III. Examples of Excellence - None. (Something was up. Apparently something was planned, but was vetoed by the Superintendent.)

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

V. Approval of Previous Minutes - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

  1. Regular Minutes of May 19, 2011
  2. Closed Minutes of May 19, 2011
  3. Joint Work/Study Session Minutes of June 4, 2011
  4. Closed Minutes of June 4, 2011

VI. Approval of Agendas - Superintendent Swopes noted some additions to the agendas (which will appear below.) Motion made, seconded, and passed to approve the agendas as amended.

  1. Regular Meeting
  2. Closed Meeting

VII. Approval of Treasurer's Report - Superintendent Swopes read the highlights. Motion made, seconded, and passed.

VIII. Approval of Payment of Bills/Payroll - Without comment or question, a motion was made, seconded, and passed.

IX. Informational

  1. Thank You Card - Martha Ryan

  2. Thank You Card - Alcenia Byrd

  3. Thank You Card - Angela Coleman

  4. Hastings Charitable Foundation - Donation of $1597 toward the cost of Cheerleading Camp. (BOE did not vote to accept...an apparent oversight.)

  5. Dates for Negotiations with CAESP - Need to talk about at some time. (BOE did not announce any dates after their closed session. That notification could be made directly to the CAESP.)

  6. Purchase of another heavy duty lawnmower for the District. (The current 3-year-old one died today...apparently because it was being used with three of four bolts holding the engine in place missing. Gives new meaning to something that has been rumored for years...something about "a screw loose". Yes...MEOW!)

  7. Checks Deposited - District Account

    $185,188.09 - State Aid - April - 1st Payment
    96,653.00 - Title I Low Income
    2,618.75 - Lease-CCEC - Shawnee College
    10,101.40 - Federal Lunch
    5,283.92 - Federal Breakfast
    185,188.09 - State Aid - April - 2nd Payment
    43,253.50 - Special Education Personnel
    718.00 - Early Childhood Block Grant
    644.50 - State Lunch/Breakfast

X. Closed Session - The BOE voted to enter closed session at 6:13 p.m. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles...the BOE voted to exit closed session at 7:18 p.m.

XI. Requiring Action/Decisions By Board of Education

  1. Superintendent Swopes recommended that the BOE approve the Amended Budget for 2010-2011. Motion made, seconded, and passed.

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

      a. Approve Request For Maternity (FMLA) Leave - Rachel Harrell - Motion made, seconded, and passed.

  3. Approve Inter-Fund Loan Requests - I won't swear to these figures, but what I heard was $6,000 from IMRF to Education, $120,000 from Tort to Education, and $132,000 from Transportation to Education. Regardless of the amounts, a motion was made, seconded, and passed to make the inter-fund loan transfers.

  4. Superintendent Swopes recommended that the BOE accept the letter of resignation for retirement purposes from Helen Green, effective June 30, 2011. Motion made, seconded, and passed.

  5. Superintendent Swopes recommended that the BOE approve the maintenance request to purchase a new riding mower for the District. Motion made, seconded, and passed.

XII. Other - None.

XIII. Old Business - None

XIV. Adjourn...Motion made, seconded, and passed to adjourn at 7:21 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, PERFORMANCE OR DISMISSAL OF INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES WHICH MAY BE OF A TEMPORARY CONFIDENTIAL NATURE, STUDENT DISCIPLINE, PLACEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, DISCUSSION OF LITIGATION PROBABLE, IMMINENT, FILED OR PENDING AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OR RELATED ISSUES.