[00:00:04]
>> GOOD EVENING. I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
[I. Call to Order]
IT'S JUNE 24TH, 2024, 6:02.I NOW CALL THIS REGULAR MEETING INTO SESSION.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
>> MR. MEYERS. MR. MICHAELSON.
>> APPROVAL AGENDA. BOARD MEMBERS,
[IV. Approval of Agenda]
THERE IS AN ERROR ON THE AGENDA UNDER THE FIRST READING OF BOARD POLICY 403.4.IT IS TITLED NEPOTISM WHEN BOARD POLICY 403.4 IS ACTUALLY TITLED EMPLOYEE REDUCTION IN FORCE.
THE CORRECT POLICY IS INCLUDED IN THE BOARD PACKET.
IS THERE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO CORRECTLY TITLE BOARD POLICY 403.4 TO EMPLOYEE REDUCTION IN FORCE?
>> WE HAVE A FIRST. WE HAVE A SECOND.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AMENDMENT TO THE AGENDA SAY AYE.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS AMENDED?
>> WE HAVE A FIRST. WE HAVE A SECOND.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE AGENDA AS AMENDED SAY AYE.
THE AMENDED AGENDA IS APPROVED.
WE'RE ON ITEM 5, CITIZEN INPUT.
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR INVITES INDIVIDUALS OR DELEGATIONS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK ON ANY ISSUE RELATED TO SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED ON TODAY'S MEETING AGENDA.
CITIZEN INPUT ON ACTION AND DISCUSSION ITEMS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT THE TIME AND DISCUSSION OF EACH AGENDA ITEM.
SEANIECE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ON TO ITEM 6, CONSENT ACTION ITEMS.
[VI. Consent Action Item(s)]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA ARE THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS. THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS ARE THE FOLLOWING.A, BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM JUNE 10, 2024, B, HUMAN RESOURCE REPORT, DR. JEN GOMEZ, C, FINANCE REPORT, PATTY BLANKENSHIP, D, ACCEPTANCE OF PROPERTY CASUALTY WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE RENEWAL, E, ACCEPTANCE OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION, ACCIDENT AND CATASTROPHIC COVERAGE, F, FISCAL YEAR '25 BREAK/FIX INSURANCE PROGRAM RENEWAL, G, BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES, H, SIOUX CITY TRANSIT BUS TICKETS, I, ABANTE MARKETING, ABSOLUTE SCREEN ART WEB STORE AGREEMENT, J, FISCAL YEAR '25 CONTRACT FOR PROPANE FILLING STATION AND ANNUAL PROPANE PURCHASE PRICE AGREEMENT.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS?
>> WE HAVE A FIRST AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
>> YES. ON THE HR REPORT, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ITEM AS IT RELATES TO THE ELL DIRECTOR SEPARATED FROM THE FULL REPORT.
>> DO I JUST ACCEPT THAT THEN OR DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A MOTION?
>> I MOVE TO REMOVE THE HIRING OF THE NEW ELL DIRECTOR'S POSITION, BE A SEPARATE ITEM THAN THE FULL HR REPORT.
>> WE HAVE A FIRST AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THAT WILL BECOME ITEM A1 ON THE ITEMS OF PRESENTATION,
[00:05:07]
DISCUSSION, AND OR ACTION.I'M GOING TO FILL THIS OUT HERE.
>> YOU WANT TO VOTE ON THAT AS A SEPARATE ITEM, CORRECT?
I KNOW IN THE PAST WHEN WE DID THAT, WE BROUGHT IT DOWN TO A DIFFERENT CONSENT DEAL.
>> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE DID. IT'S JUST GOING TO BECOME A1.
WE'LL HAVE AN A AFTER THAT, BUT A1.
>> BECAUSE IT'LL WORK EITHER WAY, MR. MOORE?
>> NOW I BELIEVE WE JUST GO RIGHT INTO VOTING NOW FOR THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS. I BELIEVE WE HAD A FIRST AND WE HAD A SECOND.
OF COURSE, THEN THE CONSENT ITEMS WAS AMENDED.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS? NO. SEANIECE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT ACTION ITEM AS AMENDED SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES.
THE CONSENT ACTION ITEMS ARE APPROVED.
[VII. Future Meetings]
WE HAVE BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETINGS AT 3:00 PM, JULY 8TH, 2024 HERE IN THE ESC BOARDROOM.BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, 12:00 PM, JULY 10TH, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM.
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:00 PM, JULY 15TH, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A NOTE THAT THAT IS THE ONLY BOARD MEETING IN JULY.
BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, 3:30 PM, ON JULY 16TH, 2024.
BOARD FINANCE AND FACILITY COMMITTEE MEETING, 3:00 PM, AUGUST 5TH, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM.
BOARD STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, 12:00 PM, AUGUST 7TH, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM.
REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, 6:00 PM, AUGUST 12TH, 2024, ESC BOARDROOM.
ITEM 8, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
[VIII.Superintendent’s Report - Dr. Rod Earleywine]
DR. ROD EARLEYWINE, YOU'RE UP.>> THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE THIS RATHER QUICK.
JUST THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS GOING OUT TO OUR FELLOWS AND FELLOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN IOWA AND SOUTH DAKOTA AND ALL OVER THE MIDWEST RIGHT NOW WITH THE DEVASTATING FLOODS THAT ARE GOING ON.
INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE THAT'S BEING AFFECTED AS WE SPEAK.
PLEASE HOLD THOSE PEOPLE IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
OUR FRIENDS AT DAKOTA VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE DEVASTATING FLOODS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES OF SPENCER, ROCK VALLEY, CORRECTIONVILLE, HAWARDEN.
FARMERS THAT ARE BEING DEVASTATED BY THE FLOODS IN IOWA GREAT LAKES REGION IN GENERAL.
IT'S ALL A MESS TO SAY THE LEAST.
PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO SUPPORT THOSE PEOPLE, AND IT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
I'LL END MY REPORT WITH THAT. THANK YOU.
ITEMS OF PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND OR ACTION.
[Additional Item]
OUR FIRST ITEM UP IS A1, THE ELL DUAL DIRECTOR'S POSITION.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM?
>> WE HAVE A FIRST. WE HAVE A SECOND.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
>> YES. THE ONLY THING THAT I WANT TO SAY IS I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, ANGELA BEMUS AND DR. EARLEYWINE, FOR GETTING BACK TO ME.
I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AS IT RELATED TO THE POSITION.
IT WAS OF INTEREST TO ME TO ASK THE QUESTION IF THIS PERSON SPOKE ANOTHER LANGUAGE BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THIS PERSON TO WORK WITH A CLIENTELE THAT IS DUAL LANGUAGE AND WORK WITH OUR ELL.
IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PERSON WAS INVOLVED IN THE TASK FORCE AND A PART OF THE TASK FORCE.
YOU ANSWERED THAT QUESTION IN ADDITION TO ENSURING THAT THIS PERSON WAS ALSO A PART OF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH INDIVIDUALS AND HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING THAT INFORMATION TO ME.
IT WAS NOT TO BE ADVANTAGEOUS.
IT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAD A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY AND TO ENSURE
[00:10:04]
THAT I UNDERSTOOD HOW WE WERE GOING TO BE MOVING ALONG ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU FOR THAT.>> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEANIECE, WAS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> NO. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THE MOTION MADE TO HIRE THE ELL DIRECTOR BY DIRECTOR GREENWELL AND SECONDED BY DIRECTOR MICHAELSON.
>> YES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ITEM A, THE SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION. I'M UP.
[IX.A. School Board Work Session with IASB Staff - President George]
ON JUNE 12TH, PRIOR TO OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE HELD A WORK SESSION ON ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.WE TRY TO DO IT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR JUST TO REFLECT, RECHARGE, AND RESET OURSELVES AS WELL.
WE HAD LOU ANN, AND I'M GOING TO NOT SAY HER LAST NAME RIGHT, GVIST.
THE V IS SILENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SHE LED US IN MORE OR LESS A QUESTION ANSWER SESSION, AND WE ALL GAVE INPUT, AND THEN SHE GAVE REFLECTION ON IT, WHICH I THINK IS AWESOME.
I LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME WE GO THROUGH THIS TRAINING.
WHETHER I'VE BEEN TOO MUCH IN THE WEEDS OR NOT ENOUGH OR LEARNING HOW TO ASK BETTER QUESTIONS, BETTER LEADERSHIP.
I THINK THEY ALL DO DOWN AT THE IASB. I THINK THEY ALL DO.
MY REFLECTION, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT IT, ONE OF THE THINGS WAS, THE QUESTION WAS, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT DO YOU WANT THE PUBLIC AND STAFF TO BE SAYING ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WHAT DO YOU ASPIRE TO BE? I GUESS, FOR ME, EVERYONE THOUGHT WE WERE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THAT WE STAYED FOCUSED ON STAFF AND STUDENTS AND FACILITIES.
THERE'S SOME OTHER ONES THAT I THOUGHT WERE AWESOME.
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE STILL HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE.
IF WE STOPPED WORKING TO IMPROVE, THEN WE'RE JUST SPINNING OUR WHEELS.
WE LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.
FOR ME, PERSONALLY, CONTINUE TO BE AND IMPROVE UPON MY LISTENING SKILLS.
I'M VERY COMPASSIONATE ABOUT SCHOOL, ABOUT TEACHING.
RETIRED TEACHER OF 30 PLUS YEARS.
I'M TRUE TO MYSELF. I'M TRUE TO MY FAMILY.
I'M TRUE TO MY BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
AS A BOARD, IF I CONTINUE TO WORK TO IMPROVE ON ALL THOSE AREAS, I THINK I'M GOING TO BE OKAY IN LIFE.
LATER IN LIFE, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY.
I'M GOING TO LET SOME OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY SAW, HOW THEY FELT ABOUT THIS.
I JUST THINK IT'S AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE.
I'VE GOT SOME MORE THINGS TO GO DOWN HERE.
IF WE LOOK AT WHAT WE ALL PUT DOWN HERE, AND IT'S PART OF THE PACKET, IF WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO DO, I'VE GOT THE A TEAM HERE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I REALLY DO. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THAT WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH IS FINE.
BUT AS LONG AS WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER, WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM, IT MAY NOT CHANGE OUR DECISION OR AFFECT OUR DECISION.
I THINK THAT'S THE POSITIVE THING.
THAT'S WHY I PUT DOWN TO BE GOOD AT LISTENING.
I JUST THINK AS A BOARD, WE HAVE TO LISTEN.
WE MAY NOT AGREE WITH WHAT WE HEAR.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE LEARNED THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE PASSION.
OTHER MEMBERS HAVE PASSION THAT'S ON THIS BOARD.
I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S INDIVIDUALS UP HERE THAT KNOW THEIR NUMBERS.
IT JUST BLOWS MY MIND A LITTLE BIT.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEART, COMPASSION, EVEN WHEN WE'RE ALL IN OUR LOWEST POINTS.
[00:15:02]
TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, I'M GLAD DR. EARLEYWINE MENTIONED ABOUT THE FLOODS.I KNOW OF ONE FRIEND OF MINE WHO TEACHES AT WEST HIGH WHO'S EVACUATING OUT OF HIS HOUSE TODAY.
I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW THAT AS WELL, KNOW PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.
FARMERS WHO ARE LOSING THEIR CROPS, FIELDS THAT ARE STILL UNDERWATER.
>> BEING COMPASSIONATE AND BEING ON THIS BOARD, WE'RE ALL AFFECTED BY DIFFERENT EVENTS AND WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT LIFE AREAS AND DIFFERENT STATIONS IN LIFE.
I RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THIS AT LEAST ONCE EVERY YEAR TO RESET AND REFOCUS.
SOMETIMES WE GET LOST OR WE GET STUCK IN THE MUD AND WHEN WE'RE TOO CLOSE TO SOME, WE SOMETIMES DON'T SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE.
LIKE I SAID, I THINK I'VE GOT THE A TEAM UP HERE BECAUSE THEY LET ME KNOW WHEN I DO GOOD THINGS AND THEY LET ME KNOW WHEN I DIP.
THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO OWN WHAT YOU DO.
THAT'S MY REFLECTION ON THE BOARD WORK SESSION THAT WE HAD.
AGAIN, I THINK THE IOWA ASSOCIATION SCHOOL BOARD IS TOP-NOTCH, AND I CALL THEM FOR ADVICE, WHETHER IT BE LEGAL ADVICE OR HOW TO HANDLE THINGS.
WHAT'S THE DIRECTION I SHOULD GO? JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY BOARD MEMBER, AND I THINK A FEW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE CONTACTED ISP ON OCCASION, JUST HOW'S THIS LOOK? HOW'S THIS WORK? THANK YOU FOR LET ME COME RAMBLE A LITTLE BIT HERE.
LET'S GO TO ITEM B, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
[IX.B. 2024-2025 Legislative Priorities - President George]
IT SHOULD BE A LIVELY DISCUSSION UP HERE, I WOULD THINK.FOR ME, I THINK THE EDUCATIONAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT, AS I CALL THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, IT'S HERE, BUT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY BY THE SAME RULES AND ACCOUNTABILITY, OVERSIGHT.
EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN OUR DISTRICT, I THINK EVERY SCHOOL RECEIVING MONEY, BUT THAT PUBLIC MONEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOULD BE TRACKING THEIR DOLLARS IN THEIR SENSE JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP FOR DISCUSSION AT SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES YOU GUYS HAVE.
ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO TURN IN? DIRECTOR MT.
[NOISE] I'VE READ THROUGH THE PROPOSED ITEMS FOR OUR PRIORITY ON THE LEGISLATIVE FRONT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO HERE IN THE FALL AND GOING INTO THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH THE IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY? I'M, WITH SOME HESITATION, PREPARED TO VOTE YES BECAUSE MUCH OF WHAT IS IN THE PROPOSAL I WOULD AGREE WITH.
WHAT I AM FEELING IS THAT WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT ARE MISSING.
ONE IS THAT THERE'S CERTAINLY AN EMBRACING OF IDEAS THAT THE LARGER METROPOLITAN CENTER SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE IN COMMON.
ONE OF THOSE IS THAT MOST OF THE LARGER DISTRICTS DID NOT BENEFIT A WHOLE LOT FROM THE TEACHER PAY INCREASE BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY AT THAT LEVEL, SO WHEN WE GOT A 2.5% FUNDING INCREASE, MANY OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE SMALLER GOT FUNCTIONALLY 5% INCREASE.
THAT'S NOT A VERY LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE IN COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS WITH THE, I CALL IT, PARENT CHOICE, THAT WE HAVE IN IOWA.
NEXT, I THINK PARENT CHOICE IS HERE AND IT'S GOING TO STAY.
HOW DOES ANYBODY SELL, IN THE POLITICAL SQUARE, THE IDEA THAT PARENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE THE CHOICE OF WHERE THEIR STUDENT GOES AND THE MONEY THAT THE STATE DECIDES TO ALLOCATE TO THE STUDENTS? WHAT'S MISSING IN THE DISCUSSION AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US HAVE AS A PRIORITY IS THAT WE NEED TO NOW GO BACK TO THE STATE AND PARTICULARLY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND OTHERS AND THE GOVERNORS STAFF PEOPLE THAT ARE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND SAY, WHEN YOU MAKE THAT CHANGE,
[00:20:01]
THE PARENT CHOICE CHANGE, THAT MEANS THAT IF YOUR STUDENT DECIDES TO GO TO A NON-PUBLIC SCHOOL, THE FUNDING FROM THE STATE GOES WITH THEM, THEN WE NEED TO TAKE A NEW LOOK AT HOW WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE STATE FUNDING WILL BE FOR THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE STATE MAKES MORE DEMANDS ON US.ONE OF THOSE DEMANDS IS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ALL THE STUDENTS WHO COME TO SCHOOL, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ABILITIES, WE NEED TO BE DOING OUR VERY BEST TO EDUCATE THEM.
I WANT TO TELL AND RATIFY TO OUR BOARD THAT MANY THINGS WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR ARE CERTAINLY HEADED IN THAT DIRECTION.
OUR PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY MATH AND ELEMENTARY READING THAT WE TESTED OUT THIS LAST YEAR AND WE'RE FULLY LAUNCHING THIS NEXT YEAR ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL IN TERMS OF WHAT THEIR EXPECTED IMPACT IS.
WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE PHONICS, WE'RE BRINGING THE LEARN THE MEANING OF WORDS, AND THAT YOU HAVE VOCABULARY.
WHEN YOU HAVE VOCABULARY, YOU CAN READ.
IN THE MATH SIDE, WE'RE COMBINING ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU LEARN AT AN EARLY AGE, INCLUDING MUSIC THAT HELPS GET A MINDSET THAT PROMOTES YOUR ABILITY TO TO LEARN MATH EASIER AND BETTER.
WHAT I THINK OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE OFFERING, PARTICULARLY THIS COMING YEAR, WILL BE THE VERY BEST ELEMENTARY EDUCATION YOU CAN FIND IN SIOUX CITY.
I FEEL LIKE WE DON'T HAVE A GENERAL COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE OF THAT, PARTLY BECAUSE WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING TO BEG THE LEGISLATURE TO FUND US IN A WAY THAT LETS US DO WHAT OUR EXTRAORDINARY TEACHERS ARE CAPABLE TO DO IT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ALSO FOCUS ON ASKING THE QUESTION AND INSISTING ON DEVELOPING A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES THE FUNDING THAT TRULY IS LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL STUDENTS IN IOWA, SINCE THE IDEA OF PARENT CHOICE IS TO HAVE PARENT CHOICE HAVE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AMONG THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ITEMS, AND I'LL SAY THAT I AGREE WITH AT LEAST 90% OF THEM, IT'S ONLY THOSE THAT ARE MISSING THAT I DISAGREE WITH.
AS LONG AS WE AS A BOARD ARE WILLING TO SAY, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER PRIORITIES THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC THAT WE WOULD ADD TO THAT DURING THE SUMMER SO THAT THEY BECOME PART OF THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION IN THE FALL, THEN I CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED TODAY.
>> I JUST WANT TO REMIND SOMETHING, DIRECTOR MT, THIS IS ONLY A DISCUSSION.
THIS IS THE START OF THAT PROCESS SO THAT WHEN WE ALL COLLECTIVELY PUT OUR IDEAS DOWN ON PAPER, WE'LL HAVE THEM SUBMITTED AND THEN WE'LL ALSO SEE WHAT THE OTHER UN SCHOOLS ARE ALSO SUGGESTING.
FUNDING IS SOMETHING THAT WILL DEFINITELY THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PUSH ON THAT DEAL BECAUSE WE WERE EXPECTING 3%, AND OUR LEGISLATORS VOTED TO ONLY GO 2.5 THIS LAST YEAR.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION FROM ANY OF THE OTHER MEMBERS?
>> WELL, AS IT RELATES TO THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, IT MAY BE HERE FOREVER, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO OTHER STATES THAT HAVE HAD VOUCHER SYSTEMS FOR LONGER THAN WE'VE HAD CERTAINLY AND PAY ATTENTION TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEBRASKA.
CERTAINLY, THE CITIZENS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING ATTENTION HAVE AS MUCH MORE POWER THAN THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES AS IT RELATES TO THE VOUCHER SYSTEM AND WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE DONE TO MODIFY IT, PLACE IT, OR ELIMINATE IT ALTOGETHER.
AGAIN, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO NEBRASKA AND ARIZONA.
>> I BELIEVE ARIZONA WAS THE FIRST STATE IN THE UNION THAT APPROVED THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, BUT WE'LL MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD.
TO DO THAT, TOO, IS ALSO AT THE ELECTION BOX.
[IX.C. High School Pools Determination - Angela Bemus]
HIGH SCHOOL POOL DETERMINATION.MISS BEAMERS, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS AT ALL?
>> NO, BUT JUST ASK TO PUT THE RECOMMENDATION FORWARD SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH GETTING THE BOARD'S DECISION ON THE RECOMMENDATION FROM NOVEMBER TO GET THAT DECISION MADE AND WHETHER WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION OR IF THE BOARD DOESN'T, THEN YOU GIVE US THE GUIDANCE AND HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
>> ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A MOTION?
>> YEAH, I BELIEVE SO. I HAD THAT ORDER, SORRY ABOUT THAT, GUYS.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE MAKING THE NECESSARY REPAIRS
[00:25:03]
TO WEST HIGH POOL AND PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE POOLS AT EAST HIGH AND NORTH HIGH.>> THERE'S A FIRST AND A SECOND.
>> YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A ADDITION TO THE MOTION AND IF YOU'LL PASS THOSE COPIES DOWN TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND TO SHOW YOU SOME COPIES AND PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
PRESIDENT GEORGE, THE RECOMMENDATION YOU HAD A FIRST AND A SECOND WAS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES MAKING THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO WEST HIGH SCHOOL POOL AND PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE POOLS AT EAST HIGH SCHOOL AND NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.
I PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, NOT CHANGING OF IT, BUT TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE.
I HEREBY MOVE TO INCLUDE, HOWEVER, THE BOARD MAY CONSIDER KEEPING OTHER POOL OR POOLS OPEN IF OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE RECEIVED TO FUND THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS AND THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING COST OF APPROXIMATELY $50,000 PER YEAR.
AGGREGATE FUNDS FOR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT, REPAIRS, AND CUMULATIVE ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS SHALL BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE AND RELATED CONTRACT TERMS FOR USE SHALL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE BOARD. I MAKE THAT MOTION.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE AMENDED CHANGES TO THE WORDING?
>> DIRECTOR GREENWELL, ARE YOU SAYING THE OTHER TWO POOLS [OVERLAPPING] POOL PLURAL OR THE TWO OR WHAT? CLARIFY PLEASE.
>> IF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, NOT FROM THE DISTRICT, BUT IF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE THIRD PARTIES, YOU CAN KEEP ONE OR MORE OR TWO OF THE POOLS.
>> WHAT I'M SAYING HERE IS IF FOLKS COME FORWARD WITH FUNDING, I THINK THE BOARD AND THE DISTRICT SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE TO KEEP ANOTHER POOL OPEN OR TWO POOLS OPEN.
SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO PAY FOR IT.
I DON'T SEE WHY CAN KEEP IT OPEN SO THAT'S WHAT I'M SUGGESTING HERE TO ALLOW, THAT IT'S NOT JUST A HARD HECK NO CLOSE NORTH AND CLOSE EAST.
IF PEOPLE CAN COME UP WITH THIRD PARTY FUNDING, LET'S KEEP OPTION OPEN.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO, TO GET THE FUNDING TO GET AN AGREEMENT, BUT TO KEEP THAT OPTION.
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO DO.
>> THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS I KNOW THAT WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A CONTRACT EARLY ON, AND IT WAS 10-YEAR, BUT WE WOULD LOOK AT DOING A NEW CONTRACT.
>> I THINK THERE WERE TERMS CONDITIONS IN THAT ORIGINAL CONTRACT THAT WERE NOT ACCEPTABLE IN VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD, MOST RECENTLY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS WERE ON US AND SOMETHING THAT SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS HAD SEVERE DISCOMFORT WITH.
I THINK PROPOSAL WAS PUT FORWARD TODAY, BUT CERTAINLY, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS RECEIVED THAT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK SOME CHANGES BEEN MADE TO IT, BUT IN PRINCIPLE, IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT FOLKS MIGHT BE PUTTING UP FUNDING TO ACHIEVE, AND THAT HAS KEEP ANOTHER POOL OPEN.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFICATION.
>> THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF MY AMENDMENT.
>> DON'T CLOSE THE DOOR IF FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE.
>> I GUESS THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, DIRECTOR GREENWELL, IS THE ANNUAL OPERATING $50,000.
WELL, I SAW THE PRESENTATION ON WHAT THAT ACCOUNTED FOR, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S FACTUAL AND 100% CORRECT.
I WANT US TO SHARPEN THAT PENCIL, BUT EVEN IF WE CAME UP WITH A DIFFERENT NUMBER OR STAY AT 50,000, YOUR MOTION SAYS THAT THOSE COSTS HAVE TO BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE.
HOW MANY YEARS WOULD YOU REQUIRE THE PUBLIC TO FUND THAT $50,000?
>> WELL, THE PUBLIC WOULD BE REQUIRED TO FUND ANY OF THAT $50,000 EXCEPT FOR THE WEST POOL.
WE WOULD NOT FUND THE 50,000 FOR ANY OTHER POOL OR POOLS.
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN HERE, THIS PUBLIC, NOT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS, BUT YOU'RE SAYING CUMULATIVE COST [OVERLAPPING]
>> I THINK IT WOULD COINCIDE WITH THE CONTRACT TERMS FOR USE OF THE POOL.
IF THEY PICK TWO YEARS, IT SHOULD COINCIDE WITH TWO YEARS.
IF THEY PICK FIVE YEARS, IT SHOULD BE FIVE YEARS WORK.
IF THEY SHOULD PICK SEVEN YEARS, IT SHOULD BE SEVEN YEARS WORK.
ALL OF THAT OPERATING EXPENSE UPFRONT CASH TO THE DISTRICT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO SOLICIT A FUTURE CONTRIBUTION OR A PLEDGE SHIP,
[00:30:04]
SO TO SPEAK, MONEY UPFRONT.I THINK A PROPOSAL THAT WAS SENT TO THE BOARD TODAY DOES THAT.
>> THE WAY I'M READING THIS AMENDMENT IS THAT IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE WOULD BE A MULTI YEAR ARRANGEMENT.
>> THAT WOULD BE YES. THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN PROPOSED.
>> WHY WOULD WE NOT PROCEED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS?
>> BECAUSE TYPICALLY IF THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THE CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, THAT'S MORE THAN A ONE-YEAR INVESTMENT ON THEIR PART.
I THINK WE HAD OBJECTIONS TO THE 10-YEAR TERM THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US BEFORE AND THERE WAS NO COVERING OF OPERATING COST.
BOTH OF THOSE TERMS WERE PRETTY MUCH UNACCEPTABLE TO US.
TEN YEARS, THERE WAS ALSO SOME EXCLUSIVITY PROVISIONS THAT WERE PROBABLY UNACCEPTABLE, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION.
YES, IT WOULD BE A MULTI YEAR SUGGESTION THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY INDICATED FIVE YEARS.
THAT CERTAINLY SEEMS MORE REASONABLE THAN 10 YEARS.
IF WE ONLY DID A ONE-YEAR PUTTING IN THAT CAPITAL BY A THIRD PARTY, I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THAT'S COMPROMISING TO SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY AGREEABLE, AT LEAST IN THIS BOARD MEMBERS OPINION, IS PROBABLY AGREEABLE IN PRINCIPLE.
>> WELL, MY CONCERN IS THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT THE PATH WE'RE ON IS THE PATH THAT THIS COMMUNITY SHOULD BE ON, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR POINT, AND IT'S WELL TAKEN.
THAT IF A VERY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUNDS, WHICH IS WHAT'S NECESSARY NOW TO FIX WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN EITHER OR BOTH OF THE TWO POOLS TO BE CLOSED NORTH AND EAST, THAT ANYONE DOING THAT WOULD WANT TO HAVE SOME ASSURANCE OF USE FOR A WHILE LONGER THAN A YEAR.
MAYBE THAT'S THE QUESTION, IS TO WHAT EXTENT AND HOW AND WHAT'S THE BIGGER PICTURE AND WHAT'S THE BROADER PLAN, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE SWIMMERS AND THEIR SPECIFIC GROUP FOR SIOUX CITY AND SURROUNDING AREA.
>> WELL, I'LL GIVE YOU MY OPINION.
>> BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS, THAT I WILL VOTE YES FOR BEING FLEXIBLE.
>> I THINK WE WERE PRETTY CLEAR TO THE GROUPS THAT CAME FORWARD THAT A 10-YEAR TERM AND JUST PAYING FOR THE CAPITAL WASN'T GOING TO BE SUFFICIENT.
I THINK THE GROUP HAS GONE BACK AND TOOK THAT TO HEART AND LOOKED AT FUNDING THE OPERATING COST AS WE ASKED THEM TO, AND THEY'RE COMING FORWARD WITH THAT.
WITH RESPECT TO IS THIS THE RIGHT PLAN, I DON'T KNOW, BUT ZERO MONEY TO THE DISTRICT, I CAN TELL YOU, IN MY OPINION, IS NOT THE RIGHT PLAN.
I WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDING THIS IF THERE WASN'T SUFFICIENT AND ADEQUATE FUNDING THAT'S BEING PRESENTED.
I THINK THIS DOES GIVE US AN OPTION.
IT DOESN'T GIVE US AN OPTION FOR BOTH POOLS.
IT GIVES US AN OPTION FOR ONE ADDITIONAL POOL, THE ONE THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD.
>> WELL, NOT TO CREATE COUNTERPOINT AT THIS STAGE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION TO HEAR, BUT I SEE VALUE IN BEING FLEXIBLE.
I WILL ALSO SAY THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, WE HAVE RELIED ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO DO THE LEGWORK ON THIS AND THAT COMMITTEE IS BETTER INFORMED TODAY AS TO WHAT IS PROPOSED.
VOTING FOR FLEXIBILITY OPENS THE DOOR SO THAT THAT CAN BE EXPLORED FURTHER IS THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT THIS AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION.
IF WE'RE UNABLE TO EXECUTE A DEAL FOR A THIRD PARTY TO BRING FORWARD FUNDS, I THINK THE ORIGINAL MOTION TO CLOSE THE POOLS IS STILL THERE.
I THINK WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT.
I THINK IT'S A REASONABLE AGREEMENT.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, IF WHEELS CAME OFF THE WAGON, I DON'T THINK THE DISTRICT SHOULD FUND THE ADDITIONAL POOLS.
I THINK WE SHOULD FUND ONE POOL BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY.
TO THE EXTENT THAT FOLKS ARE STEPPING UP, PROVIDING PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS AND DONATIONS, I THINK SAYS SOMETHING, AND WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST HEAR THEM OUT AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THEM OUT.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE MY TWO CENTS TO THIS DEAL.
I THINK THIS IS A SHORT-TERM DEAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY, THE COLLEGES, INDIVIDUALS,
[00:35:04]
THE CLUBS, START REALLY THINKING ABOUT COMING TOGETHER TO BUILD A COMPETITIVE AQUATIC CENTER.THESE POOLS, REGARDLESS HOW GOOD YOU THINK THEY ARE OR THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE 52 PLUS YEARS OLD.
THAT STILL STICKS IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.
LIKE I SAID, I'M ALL ABOUT FLEXIBILITY.
YOU'LL KNOW MY VOTE WHEN WE VOTE, BUT I STILL THINK THIS IS STILL JUST A SHORT-TERM.
I THINK THE GROUPS NEED TO START LOOKING LONG-TERM.
I THINK YOU GOT A WATER PARK GOING ON 75, AND I'M THINKING, WOW, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT PLACE FOR A COMPETITIVE AQUATIC CENTER SINCE THEY GOT THE BERM BUILT THERE. THAT'S ME.
>> ONE OTHER ITEM THAT I FEEL COMPELLED TO TALK ABOUT IS THIS ISSUE, A LITTLE STORY I'LL TELL THAT FRAMES IT.
I WAS RIDING AROUND WITH A COUPLE OF MY BROTHERS.
I HAD MY ONE BROTHER TELL ME THAT YOU OUGHT TO DO THIS, YOU OUGHT TO DO THIS, YOU OUGHT TO DO THIS, YOU OUGHT TO DO THAT.
I LOOKED AT HIM AND I SAID, IT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SPEND MY MONEY.
I'LL JUST SAY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE WHO ARE NOT SIOUX CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTICIPANTS, IT'S EASY TO SPEND OUR MONEY.
MORE THAN HALF THE SWIM TEAM DOESN'T GO TO SIOUX CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK YET.
WE GET $0 FROM THE STATE BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS DON'T ATTEND OUR SCHOOL.
WE GET ZERO TAX DOLLARS BECAUSE YOUR TAX DOLLARS DON'T COME TO US IN THE FORM OF THE STUDENT FEES.
SIOUX CITY TAXPAYERS ARE CARRYING THE BURDEN FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T ATTEND SIOUX CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THAT IS A FACT. NOW, WE APPRECIATE THAT A GROUP HAS COME FORWARD.
WE'LL PROVIDE THE FLEXIBILITY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE CAN'T SUBSIDIZE NON-SIOUX CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.
WE WOULDN'T ASK THAT WE PUT A BUILDING ON HINTON'S BUILDING OR PAVE THEIR PARKING LOT OR RUN ROUTES FOR THEM.
WHY SHOULD THEY ASK US TO REPAIR AND KEEP OUR POOLS UP TO DATE? THAT'S JUST IT. BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> YES. I JUST WANT TO SAY, DIRECTOR GREENWELL, I APPRECIATE YOU AT LEAST COMING FORWARD WITH THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE I WAS PREPARED TO AMEND THE RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO ALSO APPRECIATE THE FLEXIBILITY AND THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY BE A SHORT-TERM AGREEMENT.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH HOWEVER THIS GOES, THEN I WOULD JUST URGE THAT WE LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS TO PLAN FOR LONG-TERM SWIMMING OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THIS WILL PROBABLY BE A SHORT-TERM OPPORTUNITY FOR US.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU, DIRECTOR GREENWELL, HAVE OFFERED SOME FLEXIBILITY TO WORK WITH THE ORGANIZATION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE THE EFFORTS TO BUILD AND GROW THIS PROGRAM.
>> DIRECTORS, ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE'RE VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT, THEN WE'LL HAVE A MOTION.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY BEFORE WE MAKE A FINAL VOTE.
>> WE ARE NOW GOING TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. NO.
>> WE CAN HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY AMENDED IT.
IT'S THAT TIME FOR THE CITIZENS TO COME UP AND SPEAK.
I BELIEVE THEY HAVE REGISTERED. HOW MANY DO WE HAVE?
>> SEVEN. LET'S GO WITH THREE MINUTES ON THOSE.
>> PRESIDENT GEORGE. I MIGHT ASK FOR AN EXTENSION OF MORE THAN THREE MINUTES FOR THE PRESENTER OF A PROPOSAL.
IT'S LIKELY GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
>> WELL, THEN WE'LL OFFER TO EVERYONE FIVE MINUTES.
FIVE MINUTES WOULD BE ENOUGH, I WOULD ASSUME. CLOSE?
>> I JUST THINK WE NEED ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE PRESENTER.
>> WE HAVE TO OFFER THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO EVERYONE.
WE'LL GO TO FIVE MINUTES. WHEN YOU COME UP, YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS,
[00:40:01]
FULL NAME AND ADDRESS.>> CHAIRMAN GEORGE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR SUPERINTENDENT FOR NOTING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE SUFFERING TODAY.
ROD, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS OF THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THROUGH SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME, AND WE JOIN YOU IN THAT. THANK YOU.
>> CHRIS, CAN I JUST INTERRUPT YOU? CAN YOU TAP AND SEE IF YOUR MIC IS ACTUALLY ON?
>> WE NEED TO GIVE A NAME AND ADDRESS.
>> WE'LL GET THERE. I'M NOT SURE IT WAS ON BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A LOUD VOICE.
>> DO YOU NEED MY GLASSES? I GOT SOME NEW ONES.
THERE YOU GO. CHRIS, NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
>> CHRIS MCGOWAN. IS THAT ANY BETTER?
>> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN GEORGE. PROBABLY GOT TO TURN THAT ONE OFF.
CHRIS MCGOWAN, 33533 SOUTH RIDGE ROAD, SIOUX CITY, IOWA.
BEGAN MY REMARKS BY THANKING JAN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT EARLEYWINE FOR HIS SENSITIVITY TO THOSE WHO ARE BATTLING SUCH SIGNIFICANT ISSUES THROUGHOUT OUR TRI-STATE AREA WITH THE FLOODING.
THOSE FOLKS REMAIN IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS AS WELL.
I WANT TO BEGIN BY CORRECTING THE RECORD.
A MOMENT AGO, ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID THAT OVER 50% OF THE SWIM TEAM DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEY PAY NO TAXES.
THAT IS A FALLACY, AND IT IS INCORRECT.
>> I DID NOT SAY THAT, MR. MCGOWAN.
>> IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. CHECK THE RECORD.
>> I KNOW WHAT HE SAID. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS AND MANY FAMILIES LIVING IN SIOUX CITY, BUT CHOOSE A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL OPTION, A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL CHOICE, WHO PAY IN THE EXACT SAME AMOUNTS AND DON'T RECEIVE THOSE BENEFITS.
THERE ARE ALSO BUSINESSES AND LAND OWNERS WHO ALSO PAY TAXES THAT CONTRIBUTE.
WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THAT, NOT DISCOURAGE IT OR CHALLENGE PEOPLE AND SAY THEY DON'T DO ENOUGH.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AGO, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS, AND ALL OF OUR LOCAL MEDIA BOASTING, AND I QUOTE, "THE DISTRICT IS IN THE BEST FINANCIAL CONDITION IN ITS HISTORY.
WE ARE NOW ONE OF THE STRONGEST OF OUR SIZE IN THE STATE." THAT WAS DATED FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, 2023 AT 5:08 PM.
LESS THAN TWO WEEKS LATER, KTIV NEWS REPORTS THAT WE HAVE TO CUT $7 MILLION.
THAT'S 10 DAYS, BUT IT'S EVEN A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY FELL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 17TH AND KTIV'S REPORT ON NOVEMBER 27TH THAT SAID $7 MILLION WORTH OF CUTS ARE COMING TO THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I HAVE VERY SERIOUS CONCERNS AS A TAXPAYER AND A RESIDENT AND A PARENT ABOUT HOW WE WENT FROM THE FINEST, THE BEST FINANCIAL CONDITION IN OUR HISTORY, TO HAVING A $7 MILLION SHORTFALL IN THREE BUSINESS DAYS.
WHAT WERE THE MEETINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT CONCLUDED AS KTIV REPORTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO IMMEDIATELY CLOSE TWO OF THE DISTRICT'S POOLS, END ITS LEASE OF SPACE IN THE HO-CHUNK CENTER, AND DISBAND SOME OF THE IJAG JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THE DISTRICT? MY CONCERNS ARE NOT ONLY WITH WHAT IS TRANSPIRING HERE, BUT HOW THIS TRANSPIRED. THREE DAYS.
STRONGEST FINANCIAL POSITION IN OUR HISTORY TO CUTTING $7 MILLION.
WERE THERE A LOT OF MEETINGS? DID THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEET? WERE THEY MEETING OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY? I DOUBT IT.
I THINK OUR TAXPAYERS DESERVE EXPLANATIONS.
I SUPPORT FISCAL DISCIPLINE AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
[00:45:01]
I DON'T SUPPORT THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU.>> I HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT.
>> IS THIS DIRECTED TO ME? BECAUSE I'D BE HAPPY TO STAND AND ANSWER.
>> ARE YOU ASKING A CLARIFYING QUESTION?
>> CHRIS, HE'S ASKING A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
>> DID ESSER FUNDS BUILD THE POOL?
>> WOULD YOU PLEASE LET ME FINISH? ARE YOU AWARE THAT WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT ESSER FUNDS THAT WERE ENDING THIS YEAR, AND THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE RENEWING? A LOT OF THOSE POSITIONS WERE FUNDED WITH ESSER FUNDS. WERE YOU AWARE OF THAT?
>> OF COURSE. THE SWIMMING POOLS WERE FUNDED, DAN, BY ESSER FUNDS? NO, THEY WEREN'T, DAN.
>> CHRIS, WE CAN ARGUE A LOT. I'M NOT GOING TO.
>> WE CERTAINLY CAN. I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> UNCALLED FOR. I SUPPOSE I COULD CLEAR THE ROOM.
>> CHRIS HOAK, 4455 FAR HILLS ROAD, SIOUX CITY, IOWA 51104.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE POOLS.
I'VE EMAILED ALL OF YOU ON I BELIEVE TWO OCCASIONS.
MOST RECENTLY, I SET FORTH OR I EMAILED A PROPOSAL FROM THE SIOUXLAND SHARKS SWIM TEAM IN AN EFFORT TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION AND SAVE AT LEAST ONE OF THE POOLS.
>> OUR LETTER OF INTENT THAT I EMAILED EARLIER TODAY, OUTLINES OUR INTENT TO FUND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS THE OPERATING EXPENSES FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS.
I ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT A LETTER FROM THE BANK, THAT WAS AN IRREVOCABLE LETTER OF CREDIT.
SAYS, WE DO HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE.
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER KEEPING ONE OF THE POOLS OPEN, YOUR CHOICE, EAST HIGH OR NORTH HIGH.
CURRENTLY, NORTH HIGH IS OPERATIONAL.
I DO HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING WHETHER ALL OF THE MONEY NEEDS TO BE SET FORTH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AGREEMENT.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT $50,000 IS THE ACTUAL EXPENSE.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE LOOK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I ALSO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT ALL OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE UP FRONT, SEEING US HOW AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE POOLS IS OPERATIONAL.
AS A PARENT TO TWO STUDENTS, I'VE GOT ONE SWIMMER.
I'M A SWIM COACH ON THE CLUB TEAM.
POOL HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL TO US.
HOPEFULLY THIS AGREEMENT THAT YOU HAVE IS JUST A JUMPING OFF POINT.
IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE FINAL AND ABSOLUTE.
I WANT TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.
I WANT YOU GUYS TO COME TO THE TABLE.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY COMING TO THE TABLE.
WE'VE GOT A LARGE COMMUNITY THAT IS WILLING TO STEP UP AND WE DO HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN IF WE NEED TO.
WE'VE GOT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS READY TO GO. QUESTIONS?
>> CHRIS, IN YOUR PROPOSAL, OR THE LETTER OF CREDIT THAT IT HAD TO BE FINALIZED BY JUNE 30, WE DON'T HAVE A BOARD MEETING UNTIL MID JULY, SO IF THAT'S FLEXIBLE.
WE COULDN'T APPROVE ANYTHING BETWEEN.
>> UNDERSTOOD. CENTRAL BANK, THEY'RE WORKING WITH US AND WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
I GUESS TO ME, THE BIGGEST THING IS TO CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION.
BUT WHILE WE CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION, WE NEED TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THOSE POOLS OR TWO POOLS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS ROOM.
[00:50:02]
I GUESS IN LENGTH OF TIME IS CERTAINLY AN ISSUE.I WISH, LIKE YOU GUYS, THAT THIS WASN'T A SCHOOL BOARD ISSUE THAT MAYBE WE HAD HAD AN AQUATICS FACILITY, BUT WE DO NOT.
EVEN IF WE START TALKING ABOUT THAT AND WORKING WITH THE CITY, THE SCHOOLS, THE COLLEGES, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.
WE NEED TIME. WHETHER OR NOT FIVE YEARS IS LONG ENOUGH, I DON'T KNOW.
MY OPINION, IT GIVES US TIME TO TALK AND WORK THINGS OUT.
JUST IT GOES A LOT BETTER WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH SOMEONE AND IT'S NOT AN ADVERSARIAL ROLE, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW YOU DID SEND THIS LETTER OF INTENT AND EVERYTHING, AND REGARDLESS WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO, IF WE DO DECIDE GO ON TO KEEP TWO OPEN OR THREE OR WHATEVER, EVERYTHING HAVE TO GO THROUGH LEGAL TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR STUFF IS CORRECT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL.
>> OBVIOUSLY, IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OR THEREABOUTS, WE NEED TO BE CERTAIN THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE FOR THE POOLS.
WE GOT TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS.
WHERE THAT MONEY, WHETHER WE GIVE IT TO THE FOUNDATION OR WHETHER WE GIVE IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD OR HOWEVER THAT IS, NEEDS TO BE HANDLED, WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE SERIOUS AND WE HAVE THE FUNDS.
IF IT'S A FINANCIAL ISSUE, HERE WE GO.
>> I'LL ECHO PRESIDENT GEORGIA'S COMMENTS.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH CHRIS.
YOU'VE BEEN REALLY REASONABLE, PRACTICAL AND PRAGMATIC IN APPROACH.
NEVER THREATENED LEGAL ACTION AGAINST US.
I APPRECIATE CHRIS YOUR ABILITY TO WORK WITH US. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> WELL, I WANTED TO ALSO THANK YOU CHRIS FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR PRESENTATION AND COMING THROUGH AT THE FIFTH HOUR.
TIM, WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE POOLS RIGHT NOW AS IT RELATES TO THE FUNCTIONALITY AND THE USAGE? SHOULD WE DECIDE TO GO THAT WAY AND ALLOW THE SWIMMERS TO HAVE OF ONE OF THE OTHER POOLS?
>> MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY.
YOU'RE ASKING THE FUNCTIONALITY?
>> I CAN TELL YOU CURRENTLY WEST HIGH AND NORTH HIGH ARE OPERATIONAL.
>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT NORTH, IT IS STILL FUNCTIONAL WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THAT POOL.
>> OTHER THAN WHAT I PRESENTED IN EARLIER SESSION WITH SOME OF THE PIPE LEAK.
THERE IS SOME ISSUES, I'D HAVE TO GET MY PRESENTATION BACK OUT, BUT WITH SOME OF THE VALVING AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT ARE READY TO BE REPAIRED.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT TODAY, BUT WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD.
THAT ONE IS OPERATIONAL. AS OF TODAY IT'S FULLY FUNCTIONAL.
THE ONLY ONE THAT IS NOT IS EAST.
>> WE DID HAVE YOU GUYS, SOMEBODY HAD A THIRD-PARTY ECHO OUT OF JOHNSON, IOWA COME IN AND LOOK AT THE POOLS.
THEY SET FORTH, WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE.
I HAVE THOSE IF YOU NEED THOSE.
>> THOSE WERE ALL MADE AVAILABLE TO THE BOARD EARLIER IN OUR WORK SESSION.
>> I'M OLD, AND I NEED TO REFRESH MY MIND. THANK YOU.
>> OLD. SHE'S NOT RETIRED PEOPLE, JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT.
>> THEN THIS IS [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU.
>> ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. HOKE? CHRIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[00:55:04]
>> ANTONIO BURIONE, 3815 PIERCE STREET, SIOUX CITY, IOWA.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M CURRENTLY GOING TO BE A JUNIOR AT NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS TO THE WEST HIGH SCHOOL POOL, BUT ALSO KEEP THE POOLS AT NORTH HIGH AND EAST HIGH OPEN.
I STARTED SWIMMING FOR A CLUB TEAM WHEN I WAS EIGHT-YEARS-OLD, AND THIS IS THE AGE WHERE MOST KIDS DECIDE THAT THEY WANT TO SWIM FOR A TEAM.
CLUB SWIMMING IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS GROW THE HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAMS, JUST LIKE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL.
ALLOWING YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAMS TO PRACTICE AT THE HIGH SCHOOLS PRACTICE FIELDS, STRENGTHENS THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND ALLOWING YOUTH BASKETBALL TEAMS TO PRACTICE IN THE GYMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, HELPS STRENGTHEN THE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMS. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE THE SAME FOR THE SPORT OF SWIMMING.
LETTING YOUTH SWIMMERS PRACTICE AT ALL THREE HIGH SCHOOLS FOR CLUB SWIM, WILL ONE, MAKE A STRONGER CLUB SWIM PROGRAM, AND TWO, WILL ALSO GROW THE GIRLS AND BOYS HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAMS. PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS YOU GUYS VOTE TONIGHT.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS TO THE WEST POOL, BUT ALSO KEEP THE NORTH AND EAST POOL OPEN. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? SHANICE.
>> ELLIE, YOU KNOW THE ROUTINE?
>> I DO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
THIS IS WHAT OUR SYSTEM IN AMERICA IS ABOUT.
>> I NEED YOUR NAME AND YOUR ADDRESS?
IT'S P.O BOX 276 IN LAWTON, IOWA.
I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC CONCERNS AS TO WHY I'VE NOT LISTED MY STREET ADDRESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REQUIRED OR NOT.
I ALSO APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU WHEN I AM NOT A MEMBER OF THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOR DO I HAVE STUDENTS IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT.
MY STUDENTS ATTEND, MY CHILDREN ATTEND LAWTON-BRONSON.
I SENT AN EMAIL LETTER TO EACH OF YOU EARLIER TODAY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF IT.
I TRIED TO ADDRESS POINTS THERE, SO I DON'T HAVE TO REPEAT THEM HERE TONIGHT.
I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE SETTING AN AMAZING EXAMPLE ACROSS THE STATE THAT I KNOW THAT YOU DON'T SEE THE IMPACT OF.
MY DAUGHTERS HAVE SWAM AT THE STATE, SO MEET EVERY SINGLE YEAR, THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SWIM.
PEOPLE SAY, WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I'M LIKE, SIOUX CITY, AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, YEAH.
BUT OF COURSE, I'M LONG WINDED.
WHERE DO YOUR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL? LAWTON-BRONSON, BUT THEY SWIM FOR SIOUX CITY METRO.
IT'S A CONSOLIDATED TEAM OF AT LEAST SEVEN TEAMS. PEOPLE ARE BLOWN AWAY. THEY SAY, WAIT A MINUTE.
WHOA, YOU HAVE A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS SEVEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO COME TOGETHER FROM SEVEN DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SWIM TOGETHER? THE ANSWER IS YES.
THAT JUST SETS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE.
TO MR. GREENWELL'S POINTS, VERY WELL COMMITTED.
FRANKLY, I WAS VERY PLEASED TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS EARLIER BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW TO VOTE.
I FRANKLY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT, BY ALL MEANS TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT SINCE I DON'T HAVE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
BUT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT'S ABOUT THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE HERE WHO CARE ABOUT THE POOLS AND SWIMMING.
WE'RE WILLING TO DO THE WORK TO TRY TO MEET YOU, TO TRY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
THE THINGS THAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO ME WERE WHEN DR. ERWIN SPOKE FIRST THIS EVENING.
HE DIDN'T SAY, THIS IS ONLY ABOUT THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HE SAID, WE ARE THINKING ABOUT OUR SISTER DISTRICTS ACROSS THIS AREA AND ACROSS THE STATE AFFECTED BY FLOODING BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS ABOUT.PRESIDENT GEORGE, YOU SHARED THOSE SENTIMENTS WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING AN OPEN MIND.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH US, AND YOU MIGHT VOTE NO.
BUT IF YOU VOTE NO, I WANT IT TO BE BECAUSE YOU HAD ALL OF THE INFORMATION.
YOU CONSIDERED ALL ASPECTS OF IT AND YOU REALLY SAW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THERE JUST IS NO WAY TO FIX IT OTHER THAN CLOSING POOLS.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
THE PEOPLE SEATED BEHIND ME ARE NOT JUST TEAMMATES, AND THEY'RE NOT MY DAUGHTER'S TEAMMATES.
IT IS A SWIM FAMILY OF PEOPLE I WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN, BUT FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE SIOUX CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDES TO ALLOW THEM TO COME TOGETHER IN THESE DIFFERENT FACETS TO SWIM TOGETHER ON CLUB AND IN HIGH SCHOOL AND SUCH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I JUST HOPE YOU REALLY, REALLY THINK HARD ABOUT IT, AND JUST GIVE US A CHANCE TO TRY TO HELP COME TO THE TABLE TO FIND SOLUTIONS SO THAT YOU DON'T CLOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
[01:00:01]
THESE CHILDREN IN THE SIOUX CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND BEYOND.SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU. ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? SHANICE.
>> STEVE ANTHONY. COME ON DOWN.
>> HI. MY NAME IS STEVE ANTHONY, AND I LIVE AT 4628 HARRISON STREET HERE IN SIOUX CITY, IOWA.
FIRST OF ALL, THEN THANK YOU GUYS.
I'VE EMAILED A COUPLE OF TIMES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST EVEN THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT, YES, I'VE GOT THIS.
YES, I'M CONSIDERING LOOKING INTO WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE HERE TOO.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING ALL OF THE EMAIL SERIOUSLY.
I KNOW YOU GOT WAY MORE THAN JUST FROM ME.
I THINK THAT SOME OF MY FRIENDS HERE HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF SAYING THE SAME THING AS WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
THE FIRST IS THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE, LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, THE DOLLARS ON THE SENSE, HAVE EVERY LAST THING DOWN JUST SO THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE SURE TO DO A GOOD JOB OF DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE THIS WORK HERE SO THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
ALSO, I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE WORKING AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THAT IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE HAVE SWIMMERS FROM OUTSIDE OF THE SIOUX CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALSO THAT THEN THERE'S OTHER SOURCES THAT WILL FUND THE SIOUX CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MAYBE MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE WORTH YOUR TIME HERE THAT THOSE STUDENTS GET TO BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM AS WELL.
ALSO, THE SPARTANS HAVE ACHIEVED A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS.
BUT REALLY WHERE IT STARTS IS FOR THOSE YOUNGER KIDS.
BY HAVING THOSE POOLS OPEN, THEN WE'RE ACTUALLY ENABLING THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO GENERATE SOME MONEY HERE TOO.
THEY GET TO BE SWIM INSTRUCTORS.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REVENUE FOR THEM HERE TOO.
BY KEEPING THOSE POOLS OPEN, THEN YOU GUYS ARE NOT JUST DOING A GREAT JOB HERE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB FOR YOUR PEOPLE HERE TOO, HELPING OUT THE YOUTH, THE PEOPLE THAT YOU MAYBE WANT TO GET TO STAY IN THIS COMMUNITY AND MAYBE SOMEDAY BUILD A FAMILY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT HERE TO YOU.
I FOUND THIS NUMBER HERE THAT 22,000 SPECTATORS ARE WATCHING THE OLYMPIC TRIALS.
THIS PROGRAM IS ARGUABLY THE CITY'S FINEST HERE, THE SWIMMING PROGRAM, AND I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING.
I'M NOT EVEN A SWIMMER MYSELF HERE TOO, BUT I'VE SEEN WHAT THESE GUYS CAN DO AROUND ME.
I'M JUST BLOWN AWAY WITH THE TALENT AND THE WORK, THE DEDICATION THAT THEY ALL PUT FORTH THERE.
>> I KNOW THAT 189 KIDS ARE TAKING SWIM LESSONS, EVEN THAT'S IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF THE FUTURE.
THAT IT'S NOT JUST WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAM.
IT'S THE CLUB SWIM, IT'S THE SWIM LESSONS, ALL OF THAT IS GENERATING REVENUE.
ALL OF THAT IS HELPING TO KEEP PEOPLE HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, HELPING TO MOVE PEOPLE INTO THIS COMMUNITY AND WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS.
ALSO, WITH KEEPING THESE POOLS OPEN HERE TOO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS AND I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS HERE TOO LONG BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE IN MY EMAIL, SO I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.
BUT IF WE WERE TO CLOSE THE POOLS, THEN MY FEAR IS THAT THAT ACTUALLY MIGHT OPEN THE DOOR TO A BIGGER EXPENDITURE THAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE KEEP THE POOLS OPEN, AND IF IT'S GOING TO BE CONVERTED INTO A WORKABLE SPACE HERE FOR THE POPULATION, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, THEN I FEAR THAT THAT MIGHT ALSO BE EXPENSIVE.
I'M A BOTTOM DOLLARS GUY MYSELF HERE, TOO.
I WANT TO SAVE MONEY. I WANT TO HELP THIS SCHOOL DISTRICTS SUCCEED FINANCIALLY.
I THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS THEN TWO YEARS FROM NOW, MAKING THIS DECISION TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS GOING HERE IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE US PROUD. THANK YOU.
>> ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? MS. LEE.
>> I DON'T HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION, BUT I DO HAVE A COMMENT.
I DID POSE THE QUESTION TO I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO I SPOKE TO, BUT I DID POSE THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE CLOSING OR JUST HAVING ACCESS TO ONE POOL.
IT WAS NICE TO REAFFIRM TO HEAR YOU SAY WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE WERE ONLY DOWN TO ONE POOL BECAUSE I HEARD THAT SAME CONVERSATION PRIOR.
THANK YOU FOR REAFFIRMING THAT.
>> I KNOW MR. ANTHONY KNOWS HIS NUMBERS AS HE'S A MATH TEACHER, TOO.
>> HI. MY NAME IS JULIA LICHT, AND I LIVE AT 6800 KOKOPELLI OUT OF MORNINGSIDE.
I ALSO WILL BE STARTING MY 30TH YEAR WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT THIS FALL.
[01:05:03]
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SWIMMING SINCE MY CHILDREN WERE BABIES.YOUR CHILDREN WERE AN AMAZING ROLE MODELS, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT SWIMMING.
IT DOES BUILD A FAMILY AND A COMMUNITY.
WHEN HIS CHILDREN WERE SWIMMING, MY CHILD SITTING HERE WAS FOUR.
THOSE OLDER KIDS TAKE THE LITTLE KIDS UNDER THEIR WINGS AND THEY GET THEM UP ON THE BLOCKS AND THEY PUSH THEM IN, AND THEY MAKE THE EXPERIENCE WORTHWHILE.
MY OLDEST SON, WHO'S TEACHING SWIMMING RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S WHY HE'S NOT HERE, GOT UP AT A SWIM MEET ONE TIME AND THEY MISCALCULATED WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.
I HAD A 10-YEAR-OLD WITH 17 YEAR OLDS.
HE'S LOOKING AND THE BOYS ON EITHER SIDE OF HIM SAY, YOU'VE GOT THIS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THIS.
IT SHOULD NEVER BE ABOUT MONEY WHEN IT COMES TO SWIMMING.
I'M GLAD THAT CHRIS CAN DO THE NUMBERS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT MY THING.
BUT A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS AS WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT THAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT THEY DON'T BRING MONEY IN.
MY QUESTION IS WHY? WHY HAVEN'T WE LOOKED AT ALL THE DISTRICTS THAT BRING STUDENTS HERE AND SAY, YOU HAVE FIVE STUDENTS FROM YOUR SCHOOL.
WE KNOW YOU CAN'T PUT TOGETHER A FULL TEAM THAT WAY.
WHY DON'T YOU DO THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER THING? I KNOW THAT THE AD FROM WEST, MR. GREEN, SAID THAT YOU WERE ALL WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER SOME DIVISION WITH ORANGE CITY AND SIOUX CENTER, AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS JUST TALKING STUFF OR IF THAT'S THE TRUTH.
BUT A LOT OF THE STUDENTS THAT DO COME TO SWIM HERE COME FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES, AND I KNOW THEY'RE SOLID SWIMMING COMMUNITIES.
I WOULD THINK GOING TO THOSE DISTRICTS AND SAYING, HEY, WE NEED SOME MONEY TO HELP UP KEEP OUR POOLS.
THE OTHER THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT I KNOW AT EAST HIGH, THERE'S AN ELEVATOR TO TAKE PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS DOWN TO THE POOL.
I KNOW THERE'S A LIFT THAT YOU CAN PUT SOMEBODY FROM A WHEELCHAIR INTO THE LIFT AND PUT THEM IN THE WATER BECAUSE I'VE ALSO BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT OUR SPECIAL ED KIDS USED TO SWIM EVERY WEEK.
THEY WOULD BRING THEM IN AND SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, I THINK, WOULD COME IN BECAUSE THEY WERE LIFEGUARDS.
WE WERE USING THE POOLS FOR SPECIAL ED KIDS TOO, WHICH I KNOW AS A FORMER SPECIAL ED TEACHER THAT THERE'S MONEY THERE.
THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY TO MAKE ALL OF OUR POOLS USEFUL.
ANOTHER THING THAT I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IS ALSO, FROM BEING HERE 30 YEARS, I WORKED WITH BEHAVIOR DISORDER KIDS AND KIDS WITH ADHD.
HE GETS UP ON A REGULAR DAY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND SWIMS FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE SCHOOL, GOES TO SCHOOL ALL DAY, COMES HOME, EATS DINNER, AND GOES BACK AND SWIMS FOR ANOTHER THREE HOURS OR TWO.
WHEN HE'S NOT DOING IT, WE KNOW.
I'M THINKING OF ALL THE STUDENTS WE HAVE WHO WE COULD BRING IN BEFORE SCHOOL.
LET'S GET YOU SWIMMING FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
BEHAVIORS COULD GO DOWN AT THE SCHOOL.
WE WOULDN'T BE WRITING REFERRALS.
WE'D HAVE KIDS GROWING A SKILL THAT LASTS A LIFETIME.
>> EIGHTY THREE YEARS OLD AND SHE STILL SWIMS EVERY MORNING DOWN AT THE RACKET CLUB OR WHATEVER THE PLACE IS CALLED.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT AND HAVE NOT UTILIZED OUR POOLS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT I THINK IS A SHAME.
IT'S UP TO SOME OF US TO SAY, COME ON, LET'S PULL THIS TOGETHER AND FIND FUNDS NOT ONLY FROM US ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT OTHER WAYS TO UTILIZE THOSE POOLS, SO OUR ACTUAL STUDENTS ARE USING THEM.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD TO TAKE SWIMMING.
WHEN I MOVED BACK HERE AND I STARTED TEACHING, I WAS LIKE, WHY AREN'T THEY TAKING SWIMMING? AT THAT POINT, ALL THREE HIGH SCHOOLS HAD THEIR OWN TEAM BECAUSE KIDS WHO COULDN'T AFFORD, AND LET ME TELL YOU, SWIMMING IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
KIDS WHO SWIM, THESE BOYS SITTING UP HERE AND THE GIRLS SITTING THERE WHO SWIM ON THE HIGH END TEAMS, THEY'RE PAYING 3-$500 FOR A TECH SUIT THAT THEY WEAR FOUR TIMES.
NOT EVERY PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY CAN AFFORD THAT.
BUT IF WE PROVIDED LESSONS FOR OUR KIDS WHO ARE IN SCHOOL, WHEN THEY WOULDN'T DROWN WHEN THEY WENT TO ANOTHER POOL.
THEY MIGHT USE OUR POOLS THAT WE PAY OUR TAXES FOR MORE, AND WE COULD GO BACK TO HAVING TEAMS AT EACH SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE'D BE KIDS WHO ARE LIKE, I CAN SWIM.
IN MY CLASSROOM WITH 8TH GRADERS, I HAVE BOYS ALL THE TIME SAYING, YOU COUCH, WHEN I DO.
I COACH THE SWIM HIGH SCHOOL TEAM. I'LL FINISH.
THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS JAYDEN, STAND UP.
[01:10:04]
THIS IS JAYDEN, WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO THIS FALL WITH HIMSELF, AND HE CAME OUT FOR SWIM TEAM.WE FOUND OUT HE HAS A MUSCULAR DISEASE THAT CAUSES HIM TO NEED BRACES AND SOMETIMES HE HAS TO RIDE UP THE ELEVATOR, BUT HE WENT OUT FOR SWIMMING, AND IT MADE HIM STRONGER.
HE WENT TO STATE THIS SPRING AND MADE TWO STATE RECORDS, CAME HOME WITH TWO FIRST PLACE MEDALS AND IS KICKING TO GO AGAIN FOR THIS YEAR.
I'M GOING TO SAY ONE MORE THING, THEN I'LL LEAVE.
BUT THESE KIDS ARE BUILDING LIFETIME FRIENDSHIPS FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE.
THESE KIDS SWIM IN NEBRASKA, THEY SWIM IN MISSOURI, THEY SWIM IN IOWA, THEY SWIM ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND EVERYWHERE WE GO, THEY MEET PEOPLE AND THEY REPRESENT US.
EVERYBODY WEST OR EAST OF HERE IN IOWA THINKS WE HAVE AN AMAZING SWIM PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHAT THEY KNOW SIOUX CITY FOR.
>> ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS? SEANIECE?
>> CHAD [INAUDIBLE] CHAD, YOU KNOW THE ROUTINE.
>> CHAD [INAUDIBLE] I HAVE A SIOUX CITY ADDRESS.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT OVER THE MICROPHONE.
IT'S ON THE PAPER IF YOU GUYS NEED IT.
I'M AN ASSISTANT COACH WITH THE LOCAL SWIM CLUB.
THREE YEARS INTO IT, NEVER SWAM BEFORE IN MY LIFE, NEVER BEEN AROUND SWIMMING.
THREE YEARS, I'VE COME TO THE REALIZATION THIS SPORT DOES WAY MORE FOR WAY MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER TEAM SPORT THAT I'VE EVER BEEN AROUND MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I WANT TO GET THESE KIDS INVOLVED HERE FOR A MOMENT.
EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE SWIM TEAM CURRENTLY, IF YOU'RE STANDING, RAISE YOUR HAND.
IF YOU'RE SITTING, PLEASE STAND UP FOR A SECOND.
IF YOU LOOK BEHIND ME, WE HAVE OVER 30 KIDS IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW.
THIS ISN'T EVEN 25% OF THE SWIM TEAM.
A LOT OF THESE KIDS HERE SWIM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL.
IT TAKES A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, SIX YEARS, SEVEN YEARS, EIGHT YEARS OLD.
YOU GUYS CAN SIT DOWN FOR A SECOND.
TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU BECOME A STATE CHAMPION IN HIGH SCHOOL.
YES, THE BOARD HAS A DECISION TO SAVE MONEY.
WE HAVE PRESENTED SOME WAYS TO TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION OR MAYBE HELP ALLEVIATE IT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU GUYS HAVE POOLS IN YOUR BACKYARDS.
TAKES WHAT MONTH AND A HALF, TWO MONTHS TO PUT IN A POOL IN THE BACKYARD.
IF WE STARTED TODAY, BY THE TIME WE GOT ENGINEERS AND ALL THEM PEOPLE INVOLVED, FOUND THE GROUND, DUG THE HOLE, GOT THE POOL IN, GOT IT UP, FUNCTIONAL IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, WHETHER IT'S JUST FOR THE SWIM TEAM OR WHATEVER.
AT LEAST ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR THESE KIDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, EVEN COMING UP, 6,7,8 YEARS OLD.
WE NEED A WAY AND TIME TO FIGURE OUT ANOTHER OPTION.
IF FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, THIS ISN'T SUSTAINABLE, THIS DOESN'T WORK, WE'VE GIVEN TIME.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH, FIGURED OUT DIFFERENT WAYS, DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.
YOU SAY NO TODAY TO TOMORROW, WE GOT A THREE YEAR PROCESS WHERE NONE OF THESE KIDS GET TO DO ANYTHING UNTIL THEY GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY SWIM FOR SIX WEEKS, THREE MONTHS.
IT NEEDS TO BE YOUR ROUND THING, AND IT JUST TAKES TIME.
MAYBE JUST PUTTING THIS ON THE BACKBURNER FOR A SECOND, OPENING UP SOME DISCUSSIONS, AND THINK ABOUT IT'S NOT THE PARENTS.
IT'S NOT YOU GUYS AS INDIVIDUALS, THE SCHOOL BOARD.
IT'S EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY THESE KIDS.
IT'S ABOUT THE KIDS COMING UP.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO ABOUT YOUR GUYS DECISION, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE TIME.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING A FEW EXTRA MINUTES.
YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND JUST GIVE IT A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT IT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS?
>>> THAT IS ALL. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
IT'S BEEN FIRST AND IT'S BEEN SECOND, AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU WE ARE VOTING ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED.
>> YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST.
>> VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. THE RECOMMENDATION IS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVE THE MAKING NECESSARY REPAIRS TO
[01:15:03]
THE WEST HIGH SCHOOL POOL AND PERMANENTLY CLOSE THE POOL AT EAST AND NORTH.>> BUT I MADE THE MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND ON THE AMENDMENT.
>> THE SECOND ON THE AMENDMENT.
HOWEVER, THE BOARD MAY CONSIDER KEEPING OTHER POOLS OPEN IF OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE RECEIVED TO FUND THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT, REPLACEMENT AND REPAIRS, AND THE ESTIMATED ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS OF 50,000 PER YEAR, AGGREGATED FUNDS FOR EQUIPMENT, REPLACEMENT, REPAIRS, AND CUMULATIVE ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS SHALL BE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE AND RELATED CONTRACT TERMS FOR YOU SHALL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE BOARD.
>> PRESIDENT GEORGE, YOU'LL BE VOTING JUST ON THE AMENDED LANGUAGE [OVERLAPPING]
>> LET'S VOTE ON THE AMENDED LANGUAGE, AND LET'S DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
>> MR. MEYERS? MR. MICHAELSON?
>> NOW, LET'S VOTE ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED.
>> ARE WE GOING TO HAVE DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE WHOLE MOTION?
>> YOU HAVE A MOTION BEFORE YOU NOW THAT'S BEEN AMENDED AND IT'S A NEW CREATURE.
>> LET'S OPEN IT UP TO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
TO ALL THAT SENT EMAILS AND LETTERS AND THE LIKE, THANK YOU FOR SENDING ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.
WE APPRECIATE THAT A GREAT DEAL.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND MY PERSPECTIVE AS IT RELATES TO THIS, BECAUSE WHEN I CAME TODAY, I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL MOTION AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THAT.
WHAT I WAS AWARE OF IS THAT THERE APPEARED TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VERY SUBSTANTIAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN NOTED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, ALL OF MY CHILDREN WERE IN THE SWIM TEAM.
THEY WERE IN THE SHARKS, AND MY DAUGHTER TAUGHT WITH THE SIOUXLAND AQUATICS, WHICH IS NOW THE SHARK TAILS OR THE WAVE ONE OF THE TWO, AND ALL OF THAT.
I REMEMBER WHEN ERIC CAME, AFTER I THINK IT WAS THE SECOND YEAR THEY WERE SWIMMING AND BEGAN SWIMMING WITH HIM, AND HE ENERGIZED THE WHOLE GROUP, AND RIGHT AWAY, MADE THEM MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE.
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS AND A REAL ASSET TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND ESPECIALLY TO ALL OF YOU.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THE VALUE OF SWIMMING IN SIOUX CITY IN USA SWIMMING CLUBS.
IT IS THE PIPELINE TO THE OLYMPICS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE THAT GOOD.
WE HAD SOME PRETTY FABULOUS SWIMMERS BACK WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE SWIMMING, AND I GOT INVOLVED.
I TOOK THE TEST AND LEARNED TO BE A STROKE AND TURN JUDGE, AND SO THAT GETS YOU RIGHT NEXT TO THE POOL AND CRITICAL AND LIKE, AND WE DID THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I GOT TO TELL YOU THAT WHAT YOU HAVE GOING NEEDS TO CONTINUE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WHAT YOU HAVE GOING NEEDS TO CONTINUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT EACH OF YOU SAID IN ALL OF YOUR EMAILS, AND THAT IS THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THIS TO HAPPEN.
>> NOW, BACK WHEN I WAS INVOLVED IN A STROKE AND TURN JUDGE AND SO FORTH, OF COURSE, THEN YOU GO TO THE MEETS.
WHEN YOU GO TO MEETS, YOU GO TO A MEET IN NORFOLK.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO IT.
WOW, NORFOLK HAS THIS AND SIOUX CITY IS DEALING WITH POOLS THAT WERE ALREADY PRETTY AGED THEN.
THEN YOU GO TO VERMILION AND ONCE AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT THIS FABULOUS AQUATIC CENTER.
LET ME TELL YOU, THEN YOU GO UP TO SIOUX CENTER, AND YOU KNOW BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THERE, YOU'LL BE BLOWN AWAY WITH WHAT THEY DID IN THAT COMMUNITY.
DORT COLLEGE AND THE CITY OF SIOUX CENTER GOT TOGETHER AND BUILT AN AQUATIC CENTER THAT ALSO SUPPORTED THEIR HOCKEY TEAM.
YOU GOT PEOPLE PLAYING HOCKEY ON THE ONE SIDE, YOU GOT THE PLACE FOR THE SPECTATORS AND VISITORS IN THE MIDDLE AND FOR SERVING LUNCHES WHEN YOU NEED TO AND THE LIKE AND A GREAT, TREMENDOUS SWIMMING POOL, AND THEN YOU COME BACK.
I REMEMBER THINKING BECAUSE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 2011, 2012 WHEN MY KIDS WERE OFF DOING OTHER THINGS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN I ENDED UP NOT HAVING THE SAME TIME TO BE INVOLVED WITH THE SHARKS IN THE SWIMMING PROGRAM, I THOUGHT, THE PROBLEM IN SIOUX CITY IS THAT THESE POOLS ARE ALREADY PRETTY AGED.
[01:20:02]
WE WERE DRIVING A POOL VEHICLE THAT HAD 90,000 MILES ON IT, AND THAT WAS 15 YEARS AGO AND MY FEAR WAS THAT THIS DAY WOULD COME.NOW WE HAVE A POOL SYSTEM THAT HAS 250,000 MILES ON IT, EQUIVALENT TO TALKING IN CAR LANGUAGE.
MY CONCERN IS THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT YOU ARE ABLE TO GET, IF YOU'RE A CAR DEALER, YOU'D SAY, GET THAT NEW CAR OR GET THAT MUCH MORE CURRENT USED CAR.
DON'T INVEST ALL THAT MONEY IN A POOL SYSTEM THAT IS AGING AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEXT AGING PROBLEM IS.
THAT'S HOW I CAME TO THIS SAYING, WHAT WE NEEDED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS A WHOLE COMMUNITY ENDEAVOR TO GET THAT AQUATIC CENTER THAT MATCHES WHAT THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES AROUND US ALREADY HAVE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.
I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PRIVATELY WITH FOLKS IN THE CITY AND ELSEWHERE AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO LOOK AT THAT AS A VISION GOING FORWARD, THAT AS LONG AS YOU SAY WE'VE GOT A CRUTCH AND THE CRUTCH IS THE POOL AT NORTH OR THE POOL AT EAST, AND THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH.
IT NEEDS TO NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH.
YOUR PROGRAM IS NOT GOING TO LIVE ANOTHER 15, 25 YEARS IF WE'RE DEALING WITH THESE POOLS BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS GOING TO COME UP AND AS WE DEAL WITH SCHOOL FUNDING, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO, OH MY GOODNESS, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH AVAILABLE FUNDS TO THE SCHOOL? IN MY HEART AND SOUL, WHAT I THINK THE BEST THING FOR THE SWIMMING COMMUNITY IN SIOUX CITY TO DO IS TO GET THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY ENERGIZED BEHIND AN AQUATIC CENTER.
PRESIDENT GEORGE ALREADY MENTIONED, WE'RE DOING ALL KINDS OF PROJECTS ON PARKS AND REC AND WE DO THINGS OUT AT CONE PARK. WE DO THIS, WE DO THAT.
WE'VE GOT A NEW AQUATIC CENTER UP ON HIGHWAY 75.
IF THAT CAN'T BE MADE A PART OF IT, CAN WE BE ITS NEIGHBOR BECAUSE THE PIPING AND EVERYTHING ELSE WILL BE THERE AND SO FORTH IN THE PARKING LOT WILL BE THERE AND THE LIKE.
BUT CAN WE GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE'RE AT LEAST SIMILAR TO NORFOLK, VERMILION, SIOUX CENTER FOR THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE SWIMMING IN SIOUX CITY NEEDS PERMANENCY.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE LIVING YEAR TO YEAR, DAY TO DAY AND THE LIKE.
WHY DID I LOVE IT AS A PARENT? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BLOW OUT YOUR KNEE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SEPARATED SHOULDER, YOU'RE GOING TO WORK HARD AND YOUR MUSCLES ARE GOING TO DEVELOP.
IT'S A PERFECT SPORT FOR KIDS TO LEARN.
YOU CAN PLAY A LOT OF OTHER SPORTS IF YOU'VE BUILT UP YOUR MUSCLES DOING SWIMMING.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT PART OF THE EQUATION.
THE PART OF THE EQUATION IS, WHAT CAN WE DO GOING FORWARD THAT MAKES THE BEST FINANCIAL SENSE? NOW, I'M ALSO APPRECIATING VERY MUCH MR. GREENWELL'S AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION BECAUSE I'M NOT BLIND TO THE REALITY THAT SOME TIME IS NEEDED.
ONCE THE DECISION ABOUT A VISION IS MADE, AND YOUR ASSISTANT COACH SAID IT WELL, YOU PROBABLY NEED A COUPLE OF YEARS TO MAKE IT TURN INTO A REALITY.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS A WHOLE COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST SAY, CAN WE GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND MAKE THEM KEEP THEIR POOLS UP? WE NEED TO SAY, CAN OUR COMMUNITY COME FORWARD AND MAKE A FACILITY THAT IS THAT YOU ALL DESERVE.
DRIVING THAT 250,000 MILE POOL SYSTEM, DOES NOT HAVE A FUTURE.
BUT DOING THE WORK NOW, I WAS AFRAID THIS DAY WOULD COME AND IT'S HERE.
WHAT DO WE DO GOING FORWARD FROM HERE? WE NEED TO MAKE THIS AN ISSUE AND YOU'VE GOT AN OLYMPIC YEAR TO DO IT.
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING TRIALS NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING OLYMPICS FOR THE SUMMER.
NOW'S THE TIME TO MAKE THE ASK, GO TO THE CITY.
FRANKLY, I THINK THE COUNTY OUGHT TO GET INVOLVED BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE HERE.
I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING.
THE STORY ABOUT HOW WE COME TOGETHER AS A BROADER COMMUNITY FOR SWIMMING IS AN EXAMPLE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'M GOING TO VOTE YES BECAUSE WE HAVE THE AMENDMENT, BUT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A VERY HARD VOTE FOR ME, OTHERWISE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T LOVE SWIMMING.
YOU HAVE ONE OF THE BEST THINGS GOING, AND WE ALL NEED TO KEEP IT.
>> I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PUT ON THE TIMER. DIRECTOR GEORGE.
THANK YOU AND THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING TONIGHT.
[01:25:02]
DID ATTEND A SWIMMING MEET THIS YEAR, AND I SAW THE EXCITEMENT, THE CAMARADERIE WITH THE STUDENTS, THE EXCITEMENT. IT'S AWESOME.I SPENT THE LAST FEW DAYS WATCHING THE OLYMPICS AND SWIMMING ALONG WITH TRACK AND FIELD.
HOW ARE THESE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WAKE, HOW ARE THEY BUILDING WHAT THEY BUILD? HOW IS JOHNSON BUILDING WHAT THEY BUILD? HOW ARE ALL THESE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DOING ALL THESE THINGS AND WE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE THE FUNDING? DON'T WE HAVE THE SAME FUNDING THEY DO? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS, WE DO NOT.
THE FUNDING, REALLY IN SCHOOL DISTRICT, IT COMES IN BUCKETS.
WE HAVE GENERAL FUND WE USED TO PAY SALARIES, BENEFITS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, ALL THOSE THINGS.
THOSE FUNDS ARE GENERATED ON PER PUPIL BASIS, $7,623 ROUGHLY PER STUDENT THAT COME TO OUR DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET THAT FUNDING.
THAT COME IN, ROUGHLY $11-12 MILLION A YEAR.
WELL, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE DOLLARS? WE'RE BUILDING NEW BUILDINGS WITH THOSE DOLLARS AND PAYING OFF BONDS WITH THE $0.01 SALES TAX BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GET A BOND ISSUE PASSED TO BUILD NEW BUILDINGS.
THOSE OTHER DISTRICTS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY HAVE THREE SOURCES OF FUNDING.
THEY HAVE THE $0.01 SALES TAX, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.
THEY PASS $4.05 BOND LEVIES TO BUILD NEW BUILDINGS, THEY DON'T USE OUR $0.01 SALES TAX FOR THAT, AND THEN THEY HAVE A VOTED PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE BOARD CAN PASS $0.33 PER 1,000 FOR PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY.
THOSE DISTRICTS I MENTIONED, ALSO VOTE IN $1.34 PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY.
THEY'RE USING THEIR BOND MONEY TO BUILD NEW BUILDINGS, AND THEN THEY'RE USING THEIR PHYSICAL PLANT AND EQUIPMENT LEVY, AND THEIR $0.01 SALES TAX TO DO ALL THOSE EXTRA THINGS, ALL THOSE EXTRAVAGANT THINGS YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO TO THOSE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE AND THE BEST SHAPE WE'VE EVER BEEN IN, WE HAVE A LARGE SAVINGS ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW IN OUR GENERAL FUND, $75 MILLION.
WE ARE PROJECTED THIS YEAR TO START EATING INTO THAT, USING PART OF THAT SAVINGS ACCOUNT TO FUND OUR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, YOU NAME IT.
IT'S MOSTLY SALARY AND BENEFITS.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO USE FOUR TO $45 MILLION OF THAT 75 MILLION RESERVE NEXT YEAR.
IF WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT, AND PROBABLY IF WE DON'T MAKE SOME CHANGES, MAKE SOME CUTS, WHICH WE HAVE PROJECTED TO DO, THAT 4-5 MILLION WILL TURN IN 5-8 MILLION THE NEXT YEAR, AND THEN 10-12 MILLION THE NEXT YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT SAVINGS ACCOUNT WILL BE EATEN UP RATHER QUICKLY UNLESS WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
SCHOOL FINANCING, I COULD SPEND HOURS TALKING ABOUT IT.
IT'S COMPLEX, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT BUCKETS, WE HAVE THE GENERAL FUND, AND THEN WE HAVE THE PHYSICAL PLAN EQUIPMENT LEVY, WE HAVE THE $0.01 SALES TAX, AND WE HAVE NO BONDS HERE IN SIOUX CITY.
WE'RE BUILDING BUILDINGS, WE'RE TRYING TO FIX PARKING LOTS, THE ROOFS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT, AS YOU KNOW, AS HOMEOWNERS COST A LOT OF MONEY, JUST THE UPKEEP, WE USE ALL OF THAT MONEY TO DO THOSE THINGS.
IS IT A BUDGET ISSUE? IT IS BECAUSE WHEN I GO AROUND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I SEE ALL THE NEEDS, EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT OUR KIDS REALLY DESERVE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO DO IT, THAT BOTHERS ME BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER, AND WE SHOULD DO BETTER FOR OUR KIDS.
SWIMMING IS IMPORTANT. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM.
ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE IMPORTANT.
IF A KID'S INVOLVED IN IT, AND THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT, AND IT KEEPS THEM FROM DOING OTHER THINGS THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING, THEN THAT'S POSITIVE, AND WE ALL WIN.
I'LL LEAVE IT WITH THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GEORGE.
I CAME TONIGHT WITH THE INTENT THAT I WAS GOING TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROPOSAL, WHICH IS ALREADY DONE FOR US, SO I DON'T NEED TO DO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE ANSWER IS TWO POOLS OR THREE POOLS, BUT I KNOW IT'S NOT ONE POOL.
HAVING THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND HELPING FUND
[01:30:01]
ONE OF THOSE OTHER TWO POOLS OR BOTH OF THOSE OTHER TWO POOLS, I THINK IS SUPER COOL.I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A COMMUNITY AQUATIC CENTER, BUT YOU CAN'T WALK FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS WITHOUT THAT CAR WITH 250,000 MILES ON IT, SO I THINK SHORT TERM, WHATEVER SHORT TERM IS, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND CONTINUE THAT PROCESS OF HOW MANY POOLS IS IT AND WHO'S FUNDING IT AND ALL OF THAT STUFF.
COST PER STUDENT COMES UP A LOT, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ALWAYS USE COST PER STUDENT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OTHER ATHLETICS LIKE FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL AND ALL OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.
TO PUT THIS POOL PERSPECTIVE IN A, IT COSTS US THIS MUCH MONEY PER STUDENT THAT ACTUALLY SWIMS, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR.
I DON'T THINK IT'S EQUITABLE TO ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I WANT EVERYBODY TO HOLD US TO TASK, MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APPLES AND APPLES AND THAT WHEN WE SAY IT'S DOLLARS, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT DOLLARS IN A LOT OF THESE SCENARIOS, WE TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT IS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR EACH ONE OF THE DOLLARS THAT WE SPEND, NOT JUST THE DOLLARS ON THIS EXTRA POOL OR THESE TWO EXTRA POOLS.
PRESIDENT GEORGE, WITH THAT, I NEED CLARITY ON THE MOTION.
IF WE VOTE NO, THEN WE KEEP ALL THREE POOLS OPEN.
IF WE VOTE YES, THEN WE GUARANTEE THAT WE KEEP THE WEST POOL OPEN, AND WE GIVE THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO FUND ONE OR TWO OF THE OTHER POOLS.
>> A NO VOTE WOULD BE ALL THREE POOLS STAY OPEN.
>> NO. EAST IS CURRENTLY CLOSED.
THE BOARD HAS NOT SANCTIONED THE ADMINISTRATION TO FUND THE REPAIRS AND THE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR THAT.
IF NORTH BREAKS DOWN, THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO FUND BOTH REPAIRS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY DONE.
>> TWO POOLS WILL STAY OPEN IF WE VOTE NO?
>> IF NORTH BREAKS DOWN, THEN IT WOULD BE CLOSED.
>> IT WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE FUNDING.
>> BUT IF YOU VOTE NO, YOU'RE VOTING NO TO START THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR WEST TO KEEP IT UP TO DATE AND CURRENT.
THAT'S IN THE MOTION TO START THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FOR WEST.
>> IT WOULD ALSO TAKE OUT THE LANGUAGE OF FLEXIBILITY.
>> IF YOU VOTE NO, YOU'RE VOTING NO ON STARTING THE PROCESS TO IMPROVE WEST.
IF YOU VOTE NO, YOU'RE NOT GIVEN THE PUBIC AN OPTION TO FUND ADDITIONAL POOLS.
>> NO TONIGHT, WE WOULDN'T GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPTION, BUT THE PUBLIC COULD COME BACK WITH ANOTHER PROPOSAL.
THEY GAVE US A PROPOSAL SIX MONTHS AGO THAT WE IGNORED, AND IT CAME TO THIS POINT.
>> DID WE SIGN THE LEASE? SEVEN MONTHS AGO, WE GOT THE RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE THE POOLS.
>> THAT WAS ON THE RESTRUCTURING PLAN.
>> ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS AGO TO THE DAY.
>> WE DID NOT IGNORE ANYTHING.
>> I FIND THAT OFFENSIVE, DIRECTOR MILLER.
IF WE VOTE NO, IT'S NOT THAT WE CAN'T EVER HAVE THE COMMUNITY FUND ANYTHING.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. IF WE VOTE NO, THERE'LL BE NO IMPROVEMENTS TO WEST.
THERE'LL BE NO IMPROVEMENTS TO NORTH.
SHOULD ONE OF THEM OR BOTH OF THEM BREAK DOWN, WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND ANY MONEY TO KEEP THEM OPEN.
>> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY AND MAYBE JIM OR DR. EARLEYWINE, YOU CAN ANSWER THIS.
STUDENTS WHO DO NOT ATTEND THE SIOUX CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THOSE SCHOOLS PAY, IS IT $100 PER STUDENT OR JUST $100?
>> YOU CAN SAY THE TOTAL COST AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL SEASON DIVIDED ACROSS THE BOARD OF THE STUDENTS PER SCHOOL WE DIVIDED SO THAT THERE WAS 10 KIDS AND A COST OF $1,000 WOULD BE DIVIDED.
WE WOULD SEND THE NEIGHBORING SCHOOL, A BILL FOR THAT, WHATEVER IT WOULD BE.
THE RAW NUMBER OF 100 WOULD NOT BE CORRECT BUT IF WE MADE MONEY THAT YEAR, THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY COST, BUT IF WE LOST $20,000, WE WOULD DIVIDE IT BY HOW MANY STUDENT ATHLETES AND THEN SEND THAT SCHOOL BILL FOR THAT PORTION OF IT.
>> WE DON'T GET ENOUGH IN RETURN TO COVER THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION, MAINTENANCE, CORRECT?
>> NO MAINTENANCE. TRANSPORTATION IS BUILT INTO THAT COST.
ENTRY FEES, TRANSPORTATION, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT NO MAINTENANCE OR DAILY MAINTENANCE OR FIXES OF THE POOL, NO.
[01:35:03]
NONE OF THAT COST IS IN THERE.>> DIRECTORS ANY MORE COMMENT? ANY MORE DISCUSSION? DIRECTOR EHMCKE, ARE YOU READY?
>> I WAS READY TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE TIME HERE.
>> I THINK I HAVE SAID EVERYTHING, I CAN SAY TO THE GROUP. [NOISE]
>> WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A FIRST AND WE HAVE A SECOND REGARDING THE MOTION AS AMENDED.
>> MR. MEYERS. MR. MICHAELSON.
WE'RE ON ITEM D UNLESS DIRECTORS NEED A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK.
[IX.D. Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for 2024-2025 - Tim Paul, Rich Luze, and Patty Blankenship]
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.[*A portion of this item is without audio.*]
[01:45:21]
>> THEY NORMALLY HAVE BECAUSE OF SR FUNDING AND
[01:45:24]
SOME SUPPLY CHAIN GRANTS THAT WERE COMING THROUGH.THEY'RE KIND OF WAVING THAT LIMIT RIGHT NOW, BUT OVER TIME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BRING THAT FUND BALANCE DOWN.
WE DO HAVE SOME ROOM TO DECREASE THE FUND BALANCE.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE ARE BUDGETING FOR FY25.
OUR BUDGET DOES SHOW A DEFICIT OF ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT NOW.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO EVALUATE THE CEP SITES EVERY YEAR.
EVERY YEAR, LIKE IN APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE, WE SHOULD START THIS ANALYSIS, AND WE WOULD LOOK AT THIS AGAIN TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE COULD MAINTAIN THE CEP SITES AT THOSE DESIGNATED SITES.
ALSO, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS A ESTIMATOR CALCULATOR TEMPLATE THAT THEY PROVIDE.
IT'S ON THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S WEBSITE WHERE I CAN RUN DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
THAT'S HOW I CAME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS HERE.
I USED THEIR TEMPLATE THAT KIND OF SHOWS YOU IF THAT LOCATION CONVERTED TO CEP, WHAT WOULD THE REVENUE SHORTFALL.
THERE WAS A TEMPLATE THAT I USED TO DO THIS.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SELECT SCENARIO 5 AS THE CEP SITES FOR THE '24-'25 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? MR. GREENWELL.
>> WE'RE GOING TO ROLL THESE TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR SURVEY 3,344 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS WERE ABOUT $265,000 FOR THE YEAR.
THAT MEANS KIDS THAT MAY HAVE GONE HUNGRY EARLIER WERE ABOUT TO GET TO EAT.
THE ENTIRE BUILDINGS ARE FREE.
DEMOGRAPHICS ARE TOUGH IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
THE NORTH MIDDLE, RIVERSIDE, LEEDS, WEST HIGH, THOSE ARE THE TOUGHEST DEMOGRAPHICS IN THE DISTRICT.
YOU'RE FEEDING A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT IF THEY HAD TO PAY FOR, THEY MIGHT NOT EAT.
I THINK FOR $265,000 ADDITIONAL, WE'RE FEEDING 3,344 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS.
THAT TO ME IS A PRETTY GOOD VALUE FOR THE DISTRICT.
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE RESERVES FOR.
THIS IS THE TYPE OF THINGS WE HAVE RESERVES FOR.
>> CLARIFYING [NOISE] AS A PARENT, I KNOW HOW OFTEN YOU CAN GET A MIDDLE SCHOOLER AND A HIGH SCHOOLER TO EAT SCHOOL LUNCH.
WHY WOULDN'T WE PICK THE ONE THAT ADDS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND DEALS WITH THE REALITY THAT THERE'S A REASON WHY YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH A LA CARTE AT HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE LIKE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT PREPARING ALL THAT FRUIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL IS GOING TO GET EATEN THE WAY WE THINK.
WHY WOULD WE NOT PICK THE $78,000 CHOICE?
>> I COULD I JUST MAKE A COMMENT? IF THEY DON'T GET A MEAL, THEY CAN'T BUY A LA CARTE.
THEY HAVE TO GET A MEAL TO GET THE A LA CARTE.
THAT'S PART OF THE ISSUE AS WELL.
>> ALSO, DIRECTOR EHMCKE, THERE IS OUR BIGGEST DEBT.
LUNCH DEBT IS WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT OUR DEBT RATIO, OUR STUDENT LUNCH DEBT, AND WEST HIGH IS ONE OF THE LEADING SCHOOLS.
OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST DEBT FOR LUNCH NOT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
>> WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS PEOPLE ARE EATING BUT NOT PAYING, BUT THE POINT IS PEOPLE ARE EATING.
>> YES, THEY ARE. IN ORDER TO BUY THE A LA CARTE, THEY DO HAVE TO BUY THE MEAL AS DECOR.
>> WELL, MY ONLY CONCERN IS I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXTRA FOOD FOR KIDS THAT FREQUENTLY COME HOME AND SAY, I DON'T WANT TO EAT SCHOOL LUNCH.
>> HE'LL KNOW HOW MUCH FOOD TO MAKE.
>> HE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT. THEY JUST HAVE TO MAKE MORE FOOD THAN KIDS ARE TAKING MEALS.
>> THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN WE ADDED WEST MIDDLE, A NUMBER OF MEALS SERVED IN WEST MIDDLE INCREASED BY 250 MEALS PER DAY JUST OVERNIGHT.
THAT ANTICIPATION A REAL A FEEL IS GOING TO COME WITH THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS THE ADDITIONAL ONES OF THOSE.
[01:50:02]
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT EVERY YEAR.
WE COULD SEE THAT NORTH MIDDLE RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE SCENARIO THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
NEXT YEAR, IT COULD BE NORTH HIGH SCHOOL.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IS DONE ANNUALLY AND WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE, IS THIS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR?
>> WELL, WE DIDN'T DO THIS ANALYSIS LAST YEAR.
>> OH, YOU DIDN'T. THIS IS SOMETHING NEW.
THANK YOU. I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
>> IF WE WANTED TO ADD EAST MIDDLE, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT ADD TO YOUR SCENARIO 5?
>> EAST MIDDLE, SEE, THEIR DIRECT CERTIFICATION NUMBER IS ONLY 48%.
IT'S GOING TO ADD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT BECAUSE THESE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
TO ADD A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THEIR ENROLLMENT IS SMALL.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO ADD A WHOLE EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHAT'S THE ENROLLMENT AT EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL APPROXIMATELY 1,300.
YOU'RE GOING TO GO WITH 50% OF THOSE MEALS IS ALL YOU'RE GOING TO BE.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE SERVING ALL THE MEALS AND YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GET REIMBURSED FOR 50% OF THEM.
>> BECAUSE THEY WERE [INAUDIBLE].
>> YOU'RE ADDING SO MANY MORE MEALS THAT WHEN YOU ADDED AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, IT WENT 38-55 AND THEN 55 TO 76.
THEN AS SOON AS YOU ADDED A MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT WENT TO 180.
THAT'S WHAT 90,000 INCREASE SO I GUESS IF I WAS TO ESTIMATE, I'D SAY IT WOULD CHANGE THAT SCENARIO 5-400,000.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT DIRECT CERTIFIED PERCENTAGE, THERE'S NONE OF THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE UNDER 50% THAT WE EITHER HAVE YELLOW OR ORANGE.
>> I WAS JUST COMPARING WEST HIGH AS BEING ORANGE AND IT'S.
>> DIFFERENT, BUT IT'S STILL UNDER THE 50%.
I WAS JUST LOOKING AT EQUITABLE, CAN WE MAKE EAST MIDDLE EQUITABLE TO THE OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS?
>> WELL, THE BEST SPOT IS 62.5%.
>> OR AFTER COVID 54 BECAME HEAD OF THE TARGET THAT HELPED THE MOST STUDENTS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE WENT WITH THE LAST OVER YEARS.
>> IS THERE A MOTION TO SELECT SCENARIO 5 AS A CEP SITE FOUR A 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> AT FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS? CHANESE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED SAY NAY? AYES HAVE IT 6-0.
WE ARE ON E CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING REPORT. AMY DENNY?
[IX.E. Conditions for Learning Survey - Amy Denney]
>> I'M BRINGING THIS REPORT TO YOU EARLIER THAN USUAL.
OFTENTIMES WE DON'T HAVE THIS DATA BACK, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED THE DATA BACK AND SO I WANT TO IT IN A TIMELY MANNER.
THIS IS THE CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING REPORT THAT REFLECTS OUR RECENT SURVEY WITH OUR STUDENTS THAT WAS CONDUCTED DURING THE TIME OF APRIL IN SCHOOLS.
I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INCLUDED THIS SURVEY IN THEIR APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A COMPONENT OF ESA AND THEY'RE USING IT AS A MEASURE OF INDICATOR WITHIN THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.
THE SURVEY MEASURES THREE DOMAINS, WHICH ARE SAFETY, ENGAGEMENT, AND ENVIRONMENT.
[01:55:01]
WITHIN THE SURVEY, WITHIN SAFETY, ENGAGEMENT, AND ENVIRONMENT, THERE ARE FIVE CONSTRUCTS AND SAFETY LOOKS AT PHYSICAL SAFETY AND EMOTIONAL SAFETY.ENGAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENT ARE LOOKING AT BOTH STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, STUDENT TO STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, AND EXPECTATIONS AND BOUNDARIES.
IT IS COLLECTED ONLINE, IT'S ANONYMOUS SO WE ARE ABLE TO DIG DOWN TO THE STUDENT LEVEL, WE HAVE NO IDEA, WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY INDIVIDUAL STUDENT RESULTS.
WHILE THE STUDENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE THE SURVEY, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MEASURES US ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE.
OUR GOAL IS 100%, ALTHOUGH PARENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO ALLOW THEIR STUDENT TO NOT PARTICIPATE AND AT ANY TIME STUDENTS DECLINE TO PARTICIPATE OR WITHDRAW FROM PARTICIPATION DURING THE SURVEY.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A TRICKY SUBJECT.
IT'S THE SURVEY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF E SAYS, WE DO NOT NEED CONSENT FOR THAT.
BUT IT IS TO HELP GIVE US TO GUIDE US ON OUR NTSS IMPLEMENTATION FOR SOCIAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR HEALTH.
THERE ARE TWO VERSIONS, THE FIRST VERSION IS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE 3-5 AND IT INCLUDES 28 QUESTIONS.
THE SECOND VERSION IS FOR GRADE 6-12, AND IT CONSISTS OF 41 SURVEY ITEMS. THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE SURVEYS, ONE IS AVAILABLE TO OUR STAFF AND ANOTHER IS AVAILABLE TO OUR FAMILIES.
THIS YEAR, OUR DISTRICT ADMINISTER A STAFF SURVEY AT THE SAME TIME THAT I BELIEVE WE'LL BE SHARING THAT DATA WITH YOU.
FROM K12 INSIGHT AND SO WE ELECTED TO NOT ASK OUR STAFF THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT WERE BEING ASKED OF THEM ON THE DISTRICT SURVEY.
OUR FAMILIES WERE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY AND I'LL SHARE THOSE NUMBERS.
MAKE THIS AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES AHEAD OF TIME.
THIS ISN'T SECRET INFORMATION SO THE FAMILIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT'S BEING ASKED IF THEIR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-5 AND 6-12.
STUDENTS GRADES 3-5 DO HAVE A PROCTOR READING EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE.
THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO GIVE INFLECTION ON HOW TO ANSWER, RESPOND BUT WE DO OFFER A PROCTOR.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO OFFER A PROCTOR AND WE CAN INTERPRET THE QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE OR PROVIDE AN ACCOMMODATIONS.
IT IS JUST A ONE SOURCE SNAPSHOT SO WE TAKE LOTS OF CONSIDERATION INTO HOW TO MEASURE THOSE COMPONENTS OF ENGAGEMENT AND SAFETY AND THIS IS JUST ONE DATA POINT FOR US.
IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE WILL COME TO YOU, IT WILL BE RELEASED PROBABLY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.
AS SOON AS OUR NEW BOARD TOOK EFFECT, THAT'S WHEN I WAS ABLE TO PRESENT HER SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING THAT INFORMATION IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.
IT COULD LOOK DIFFERENT, AND IT COULD ALSO LOOK THE SAME.
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS REVIEWING THE STATE OF IOWA'S APPLICATION FOR A NEW WAY TO MEASURE OUR SCHOOLS.
IT COULD BE THESE APPROVED MEASURES OR IT COULD BE SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT.
I HAVE NOT SEEN THE APPLICATION OR FACTOR ONLINE AND SO WE'RE JUST WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT INFORMATION, BUT IT IS INCLUDED IN HOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE RATED.
AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT MAKES UP 18% OF A SCHOOL SCORE AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S 8%.
JUST TO SHARE THIS DATA WITH YOU, CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING FOR GRADES 3-5.
I SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU, OUR HIGHEST AREA OF PERCENT FAVORABLE WAS STUDENT TO STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS SO 87% OF OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FELT THAT THEY HAD POSITIVE STUDENT TO STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS,80% OF THEM FELT POSITIVE ADULT STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, 75% FELT POSITIVE ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS, 56% ABOUT PHYSICAL SAFETY AND 20% ABOUT EMOTIONAL SAFETY.
YOU WANT TO CAUTION THIS DATA BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS ARE ASKED AND THEY CAN CHOOSE ONE OF THREE CHOICES WHEN YOU'RE ANSWERING.
IF YOU ANSWER SOMETIMES, SUCH AS, GO BACK TO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS HERE, OR THE LITTLE KIDS.
I TOLD SOMEONE I WAS GOING TO HURT THEM.
[02:00:02]
IF YOU WERE MAD AT YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER AND YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING TO HURT THEM, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER SOMETIMES.IF YOU ANSWERED SOMETIMES AND THAT WOULD TRIGGER A NEGATIVE RESPONSE FOR THAT INDICATOR.
THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE, AND THAT'S HOW THE STUDENTS INTERPRET IT.
REMEMBER, WE PROCTOR IT, BUT WE DON'T GET TO TELL THE STUDENTS HOW TO INTERPRET HOW THEY FEEL.
I DO JUST WANT TO OFFER THAT AND NOW THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE DATA ACROSS THE STATE.
I COMPARED OUR DATA TO ALL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THAT THEY MEASURE, AND WE JUST FELL ONE PERCENTAGE BELOW.
OUR GRADES 3-5 STUDENT RESPONSES YOU CAN SEE OVER TIME HOW OUR RESPONSES HAVE FAVORED.
SIX THROUGH 12 CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING, OUR STUDENTS 46% FELT FAVORABLE ABOUT PHYSICAL SAFETY, 34% ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND EXPECTATIONS 34% FOR STUDENT TO STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, 33% FOR ADULT TO STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, AND 27% FOR EMOTIONAL SAFETY.
AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE COMPARE TO OTHER DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.
THEN AGAIN, JUST TO PROVIDE CONTEXT THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT WE'VE ADMINISTERED THIS SURVEY.
OUR NUMBER OF STUDENT RESPONSES.
I WANTED TO MAKE THIS AWARE OR BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION SO YOU CAN SEE OVER TIME, HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED.
THEN OUR FAMILY RESPONSES, THERE WAS NOT A SURVEY ADMINISTERED FOR ELEMENTARY FAMILIES IN 2021.
THEY STARTED THAT IN 2022 AND YOU CAN SEE THE DECLINE IN PARTICIPATION THAT WE'VE HAD FOR BY OUR FAMILIES.
THE DATA THAT WE GOT WAS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY VALUABLE.
JUST A REMINDER THAT WE KNOW THAT A DECREASE IN DISRUPTION, SUSPENSION EXPULSION ACHIEVEMENT GAP, DROPOUTS, BLEEN HARASSMENT IMPROVES OUR ATTENDANCE, OUR GRADUATION RATE, TEACHER SATISFACTION AND STUDENT MOTIVATION.
ULTIMATELY STUDENT'S CONDITIONS.
I JUST ASK THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING DATA.
THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ASKED 28 FOR THE 3-5 GRADES AND 41 THROUGH 6-12.
IS THERE ANY CONCERN FOR SURVEY FATIGUE QUESTIONS? IS THIS DONE IN ALL ONE SHOT OR?
THE STATE OF IOWA PURCHASES THIS SURVEY FROM AN OUTSIDE PROVIDER, AND THEY HAVE TIMED IT TO 20 MINUTES.
WHETHER OR NOT A DOCTOR IS READING IT OR WHETHER STUDENTS ARE INDEPENDENT TAKING IT, IT'S 20 MINUTES ABOUT.
WE DO ALLOW STUDENTS TO COME BACK TO IT THOUGH.
>> QUESTIONS THAT DON'T GET ANSWERED, ARE THEY AUTOMATICALLY REFLECTED AS A NEGATIVE ANSWER?
>> WE CAN KEEP TRACK OF THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED, BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE SKIPPED QUESTIONS.
>> STUDENTS INITIALLY TREAT THE SURVEY CAN ALSO OPT OUT IF THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT ARE CAUSING THEM ANY DISTRESS OR MAKING THEM FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE.
DURING THE SURVEY, THE PROCTORS ARE ACTUALLY TAUGHT TO MONITOR THAT AND TO GO ASK A STUDENT IF THEY'D LIKE TO CEASE THE SURVEY.
WE DO HAVE THAT IN EVERY BUILDING.
>> THE ANSWER IS WE DON'T KNOW IF A NON ANSWER IS REFLECTIVE AS A NEGATIVE ANSWER.
>> IT WOULD BE IN THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILE JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE MONITORING THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT DO COMPLETE THE SURVEY.
>> DO ALL STUDENTS DO THIS? SPECIAL EDUCATION ON UP.
THEY ALSO CAN OPT OUT, AND WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENTS IN EVERY BUILDING WHERE THEY DO RETURN THE FORM AND OPT OUT, AND THEY'RE ENGAGED IN ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY DURING THAT TIME.
>> ARE THE QUESTIONS RANDOMIZED OR ARE THEY THE SAME PROGRAM?
>> YOU CAN GO ONLINE RIGHT NOW.
THE QUESTIONS THAT MISS DENNY SHOWED YOU, YOU CAN GO AND PRINT THOSE, AND WE SHARE THOSE WITH ALL FAMILIES ACTUALLY BEFORE THEY TAKE THE SURVEY, WE'RE REQUIRED TO BY LAW.
WE SEND THOSE OUT IN ADVANCE SO FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE.
>> DIRECTORS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION.
[02:05:03]
THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE CONDITION FOR LEARNING REPORT.THANK YOU. IMF, TALKING POINTS, LESLIE, YOU'RE UP.
[IX.F. TalkingPoints - Leslie Heying]
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TALKINGPOINTS.
IT'S A NEW DISTRICT WIDE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
OUR GOAL FOR TALKINGPOINTS IS TO ENGAGE FAMILIES AND ULTIMATELY STUDENT SUCCESS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A DISTRICT WIDE TWO WAY COMMUNICATION PLATFORM.
THERE'S MANY BENEFITS TO IMPLEMENTING A COMMUNICATION PLATFORM LIKE TALKINGPOINTS.
THE BIGGEST BENEFIT IS REALLY ENGAGING FAMILIES AND YOU'LL SEE SOME FAMILY INPUT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM COMMITTEES HERE WITHIN THE DISTRICT IN JUST A MOMENT.
BACK IN JANUARY OF 2024, WE ACTUALLY SURVEYED ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, COACHES AND ADVISORS TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF HOW THEY WERE COMMUNICATING AND ENGAGING WITH FAMILIES.
OF THE 223 RESPONDENTS, 49% WERE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL AND 51% WERE AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE SAID THAT THEY COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILIES A FEW TIMES A WEEK OR AT LEAST WEEKLY.
COMMUNICATION WAS GENERALLY FOCUSED ON STUDENT PROGRESS, GENERAL CLASSROOM OR SCHOOL UPDATES, AND ACTIVITY INFORMATION FOLLOWED BY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS.
RESPONDENTS IN OUR SURVEY ALONE USED ABOUT NINE SEPARATE COMMUNICATION TOOLS ALONE.
AS A PARENT MYSELF, OF KIDS IN THE DISTRICT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY CELL PHONE HAS A NUMBER OF APPS FROM EVERY SINGLE TEACHER THAT MY KIDS HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE YEARS BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS USED A SEPARATE COMMUNICATION VEHICLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS LIKE MYSELF.
WE ALSO RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT COMMITTEE SAID THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE TEACHERS MORE ENGAGED WITH PARENTS, ESPECIALLY AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
PARENTS ON THAT COMMITTEE FELT LIKE WHEN THEIR STUDENTS GOT TO BE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL, THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT FEEDBACK ON A DAILY OR FREQUENT BASIS WITH THEIR TEACHERS, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE THEY WERE VERY ENGAGED WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THEIR STUDENTS CLASSROOM AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT THEY REALLY WANTED MORE OF.
THE NEED FOR ONE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM, ONE IT INCREASES FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.
IT ELIMINATES THE USE OF THOSE MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION APPS AND METHODS.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE CLASSDOJO THAT'S BEING USED, WE HAVE CSA, WE HAVE REMIND, WE HAVE FACEBOOK, WE HAVE, AGAIN, A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT OUR STAFF IS COMMUNICATING TEXT MESSAGE SOMETIMES FROM A PERSONAL CELL PHONE.
A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE COMMUNICATING WITH FAMILIES.
IF WE HAD ONE COMMUNICATION PLATFORM LIKE TALKINGPOINTS, IT WOULD ENABLE TWO WAY MULTILINGUAL DIALOGUE.
IT WOULD REDUCE MISCOMMUNICATION THROUGH ENHANCED ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, AND IT WOULD PROVIDE IMPORTANT DISTRICT OVERSIGHT AS WELL.
UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OUR STAFF, IT'S REALLY KIND OF THE WILD WEST WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATION THERE'S NO DISTRICT OVERSIGHT AND SO IF THERE ARE ISSUES, IT'S OFTENTIMES DIFFICULT FOR BOTH STAFF AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT AND FAMILIES BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S JUST NOT THAT OVERSIGHT.
THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS. AGAIN, SOME OF THESE WERE BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED THROUGH THE SURVEY AND THROUGH THE SIA COMMITTEE.
WE REACHED OUT TO TALKINGPOINTS, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THIS EVENING FOR THE DISTRICT TO PURCHASE.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT APIGEE ROOMS. APIGEE IS OUR CURRENT WEBSITE PROVIDER WE LOOKED AT POWERSCHOOLS SCHOOLMESSENGER.
WE USE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT POWERSCHOOL PRODUCTS RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT PARENTSQUARE.
ULTIMATELY, WE DECIDED THAT TALKINGPOINTS WOULD BE THE BEST TWO WAY COMMUNICATION PLATFORM FOR THE DISTRICT FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
ONE, IT OFFERS TWO WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STAFF AND FAMILIES, WHICH IS SENT THROUGH TEXT.
THERE'S NO NEED, PARENTS CAN, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY NO REQUIREMENT THAT THEY DOWNLOAD AN APP.
IT WOULD INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH TEXT.
IT WOULD TRANSLATE IN MORE THAN 150 LANGUAGES, AND THIS IS ONE THING THAT WE CURRENTLY DON'T HAVE SO CZECH IS ONE OF OUR MOST CHALLENGING LANGUAGES.
IT'S ONE OF OUR FASTEST GROWING LANGUAGES IN OUR DISTRICT.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE NO GOOD WAY OF TRANSLATING INFORMATION IN CZECHS FOR OUR FAMILIES.
I THINK WORLDWIDE THERE'S ABOUT 40,000 INDIVIDUALS THAT SPEAK CZECHS.
WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A LARGE POPULATION HERE IN SIOUX CITY, AND IT'S JUST A REALLY DIFFICULT LANGUAGE.
GOOGLE TRANSLATE DOESN'T OFFER CZECHS.
[02:10:01]
BUT TALKINGPOINTS DOES SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.COMMUNICATION COULD BE RECEIVED IN TEXT MESSAGE IN THE PREFERRED LANGUAGE.
HOW IT WOULD WORK IS A TEACHER WOULD SEND A TEXT IN ENGLISH TO A FAMILY THAT FAMILY MAY TEXT BACK IN SPANISH.
ACTUALLY, WHEN THEY RECEIVED IT, THEY RECEIVE IT IN THEIR PREFERRED LANGUAGE LIKE SPANISH.
THEY TEXT BACK IN SPANISH AND THE TEACHER WOULD RECEIVE IT IN ENGLISH SO IT REALLY REDUCES ANY OF THOSE LANGUAGE BARRIERS.
TALKINGPOINTS WOULD ALSO ENABLE OUR STAFF TO TRANSLATE PDFS UP TO SIX PAGES.
IT WOULD SYNC WITH INFINITE CAMPUS SO TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR CLASS LIST LOADED INTO THEIR PROFILE AND TALKINGPOINTS AS THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THE WORK ON THEIR OWN TO GET THOSE LISTS CREATED.
WE WOULD BE ABLE TO RUN ANALYTICS AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAVE ENHANCED SAFEGUARDS, SO THAT THERE ARE ISSUES, THE DISTRICT COULD ACTUALLY GO INTO THE TALKINGPOINTS PLATFORM AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT COMMUNICATION HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND SENT BETWEEN STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND STAFF MEMBERS.
WE CURRENTLY ACTUALLY HAVE TALKINGPOINTS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE HAVE ABOUT 100 TEACHERS WHO ARE USING A FREE VERSION OF THE TALKINGPOINTS PLATFORM.
OVER THIS PAST YEAR, THEY SENT 17,000 TWO WAY MESSAGES IN THAT FREE VERSION.
NOW, YOU MIGHT ASK, WHY ARE WE COMING TO YOU ASKING FOR $46,000 WHEN THERE'S A FREE VERSION? THAT FREE VERSION DOESN'T OFFER ALL OF THE DIFFERENT BENEFITS THAT THE PAID VERSION WOULD AND AGAIN, IT WOULDN'T PROVIDE ANY DISTRICT OVERSIGHT AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE FEEL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
WE DID PRESENT THIS TO SHARED CABINET, WHICH IS THE SCA MEMBERS, AND WE RECEIVED VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
IN FACT, I RECEIVED FEEDBACK AFTERWARDS FROM A NUMBER OF TEACHERS ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND THEY WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS IN THE DISTRICT.
IF THE BOARD DID APPROVE THIS THIS EVENING THIS IS OUR TIMELINE.
IN JULY, WE WOULD START THAT DATA INTEGRATION WORK WITH THE IT DEPARTMENT AND THEN IN AUGUST, WE WOULD ROLL OUT A COMMUNICATION PLAN, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE TRAINING FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS AND THEN ALSO COMMUNICATION TO OUR FAMILIES SO THAT FAMILIES KNOW HOW TO USE THIS.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR TEACHERS REACH OUT TO FAMILIES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WHEN THEY REACH OUT, THEY WOULD SEND A TEXT TO FAMILY MEMBERS.
THE TEXT WOULD NOT COME FROM THAT TEACHER'S PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER EVERY STAFF MEMBER WOULD BE ASSIGNED A PERSONAL NUMBER THROUGH TALKINGPOINTS SO AGAIN, THERE'S NO PERSONAL PHONE NUMBERS EXCHANGE AGAIN, THAT SAFEGUARD.
SO RECOMMENDATION THIS EVENING IS THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES THE PURCHASE OF TALKINGPOINTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,650.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION?
>> LESLIE, IN THE ROLLOUT OF THIS, PARENTS GET TO USE IT FOR FREE AND EVERY FAMILY MEMBER, SO IF THERE'S 10 PEOPLE, THEY ALL GET IT FOR FREE?
>> AND THEN IN ORIENTATION OR MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT, HAVE COMMUNICATION AVAILABLE IN THE CORRECT LANGUAGES SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS TOOL IS ABOUT AND HOW TO USE IT?
>> AND SO RIGHT NOW, WE ACTUALLY TRANSLATE OUR SIX PRIMARY LANGUAGES IN THE DISTRICT IN EVERYTHING.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE COULD USE LIKE TALKINGPOINTS TO COMMUNICATE IN THOSE OTHER LANGUAGES SO WE WOULD DEFINITELY USE THAT FOR BACK TO SCHOOL.
>> I THINK IT'S A COOL TOOL. DIRECTOR MICHAELSON.
>> IF YOU DO THE TOP SIX LANGUAGES, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE KIDS FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY?
>> KNOW WHAT DR MICHAELSON. I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE ANALYTICS FOR YOU.
>> ABOVE 90% EASILY, WOULDN'T IT?
>> I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE ABOUT 60 LANGUAGES RIGHT NOW DISTRICT WIDE SO WE'RE DIVERSE, OBVIOUSLY BUT WE LOOK AT THAT ANNUALLY.
>> MIGHT YOU SENSE THIS WORKS REALLY GOOD.
IT HELPS KIDS FROM MISREMEMBERING WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE DAY, ESPECIALLY WHERE DISCIPLINE IS CONCERNED [LAUGHTER]
ANY OTHER DIRECTOR LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE TALKINGPOINTS IN THE AMOUNT OF $46,650?
>> AT FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND.
SHANE, IS THERE ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
MOTION PASSES 6-0 WE'RE ARE TO ITEM G,
[IX.G. North High Elevator Renovations - Tim Paul]
NORTH HIGH ELEVATOR RENOVATION, TIM PAUL.TIM, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS?
>> I JUST UPDATE THE BOARD JUNE 7TH WAS A PUBLIC OPENING FOR THE BIDS FOR THE ELEVATOR REPLACEMENT.
[02:15:04]
WE RECEIVED TWO BIDS, NELSON CONSTRUCTION.SIOUX CITY AND [INAUDIBLE] CONSTRUCTION OF FALLS.
THOSE BIDS CAME IN REAL CLOSE TO OUR ESTIMATE OF $432,950 WITH NELSON 436,173.
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE ON THIS IS 12 31.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL BE A LITTLE IT'LL BE UPDATED SOONER THAN THAT, BUT IT'S DEPENDENT ON EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY.
SCHUMACHER ELEVATOR WAS THE THIRD ELEVATOR FOR BOTH OF THOSE VENDORS, AND THEY'VE ALLUDED TO THE [INAUDIBLE]
>> BOARD. IS THERE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM NELSON COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NORTH HIGH ELEVATOR RENOVATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $436,173?
>> FIRST, AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? JANICE SAYS THERE CITIZEN INPUT.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY, MOTION PASSES 6-0.
ON ITEM H, WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL BOILER REPLACEMENT PURCHASE.
[IX.H. West Middle School Boiler Replacement Purchase - Tim Paul]
MR. PAUL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS AGAIN, YOU MAY?>> SO WE TOOK THE DESIGN THE BOARD APPROVED A FEW MONTHS AGO AND SUBMITTED THAT OUT FOR BID.
VERNE SIMMONDS OUT OF OMAHA SUPPLY GROUP OUT OF SOUTH SIOUX CITY HAS SUPPLIERS THAT WERE ABLE TO MEET THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE WERE TWO BOILERS SUBMITTED ONE IS A LOCHINVAR BOILER, AND THE OTHER IS A VIESSMANN BOILER.
THE VIESSMANN BOILER ACTUALLY CAME IN AT $4,000 LOWER THAN THE LOCHINVAR BOILER JUST TO CLARIFY THE REASON THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE LOCHINVAR BOILER IS WE CURRENTLY HAVE SOME OF THOSE IN THE DISTRICT THEY PERFORM REALLY WELL.
WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE VIESSMANN [INAUDIBLE] TACKLES IN THE DISTRICT CURRENTLY BUT WE DO HAVE THE LOCHINVAR, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE STAFF THAT HAVE WORKED ON THOSE AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH THOSE.
BOTH OF THESE BOILERS, NO MATTER WHICH ONE YOU WOULD APPROVE, WILL BE INSTALLED BY O&M STAFF.
WE HAVE LICENSED PROFESSIONALS ON OUR TEAM THAT WILL BE ABLE TO INSTALL THOSE AND SAVE US GOING TO A BOILER.
>> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF THREE BOILERS FROM VERNE SIMMONDS OF OMAHA IN THE AMOUNT OF $96,552 FOR THE WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL? SO MOVED.
>> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHE NEEDS ANY CITIZEN INPUT.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSE SAY NAY, MOTION PASSES 6-0.
[IX.I. Contracts for Board Approval - Jim Vanderloo & Jarod Mozer]
MR. VAN, MR. MOORE.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACTS TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING AND ACTIVITIES? SO MOVE.
>> IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY CITIZEN INPUT, SHANIZ?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ITEM J, ADDITIONAL FISCAL YEAR 25 SOFTWARE LICENSES, CHAD FINGO.
[IX.J. Additional FY25 Software Licenses - Chad Fengel]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PAYMENT OF THE ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE LICENSING FOR ATTACHED PRODUCTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 FOR A TOTAL OF $65,676.50?IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANIZ ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ITEM K, EXTREME SWITCH REPLACEMENT PHASE 1, CHAD,
[IX.K. Extreme Switch Replacement - Phase 1 - Chad Fengel]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF NETWORK SWITCHES FROM HIGH POINT NETWORK FOR A TOTAL OF $725,272.02, OF WHICH, $580,217.62 TO BE COVERED BY E RATE, $145,054.40 TO BE COVERED BY OUR GENERAL FUND.IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL?
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANIZ ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ITEM L EXTREME SWITCH SUPPORT CONTRACT, CHAD FINGO.
[IX.L. Extreme Switch Support Contract - Chad Fengel]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE EXTREME WORK SUPPORT RENEWAL THROUGH HIGH POINT NETWORKS FOR A TOTAL OF COST OF $35,635.85 WITH E RATE PAYING $28,508.68 AND THE GENERAL FUND PAYING $7,127.17?[02:20:04]
IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL?>> AT FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANIZ ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
FIRST, THE ITEM SECOND AND FINAL READING OF BOARD POLICIES.
[IX.M. Second & Final Reading of Board Policies - Dr. Rod Earleywine]
WE HAVE 204.13, CONSENT AGENDA 662, INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION, 506.4 STUDENT LIBRARY CURRICULUM RECORDS.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ABOVE POLICIES FOR SECOND AND FINAL READING?
>> AT FIRST, WE HAVE A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANIZ ANY CITIZEN INPUT?
>> I JUST WANTED TO POINT ON THE AGENDA ITS BASICALLY NOT IN THE MOTION ANYMORE.
SUMMON THE DIRECTOR WHO WANTS TO [INAUDIBLE] AGENDA IT AUTOMATICALLY REGULAR AGENDA THERE IS NO MORE MOTION TO THAT.
>> IS MY UNDERSTANDING, MR. MOORE, IS THAT THE CORRECT UNDERSTATE?
>> MAKE A MOTION SUGGEST AND REQUEST TO RULE OFF THIS AGENDA INTO A REGULAR ITEM.
>> INTO AN ACTION ITEM, CORRECT. SO WE'VE HAD A FIRST.
WE HAVE A SECOND. WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION.
AND FIRST READING OF BOARD POLICY WE HAVE 307 ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PLAN,
[IX.N. First Reading of Board Policies - Dr. Rod Earleywine]
403.4 EMPLOYEE REDUCTION IN FORCE, AND 432 EARLY RETIREMENT BENEFITS.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE BOARD POLICIES FOR FIRST READING?
>> FIRST AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SHANIZ ANY CITIZEN INPUT.
>> ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED, SAY NAY.
MOTION PASSES 6-0. AT THAT TIME OF THE NIGHT, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT?
>> ALL THOSE OPPOSE SAY NAY, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.