The Greene County Community Schools board of education at its June 12 regular meeting held a public hearing on the instructional support levy. No one spoke and the board approved renewing the levy for five years.
Superintendent Brett Abbotts explained the instructional support levy is included in property taxes. The levy rate is set by the state and fluctuates year to year. For the coming year the rate will be 38 cents (per $1,000 of taxable valuation), a decrease of 4 cents this year. The rate has been as high as 55 cents in 2017 and as low as 22 cents in 2021.
Abbotts briefed the board on the status of new restrooms at Linduska Field, a project that was set to be completed during the 2023-24 school year by the construction trades class. The project wasn’t started, and it is now going to be part of a larger capital improvement project at the field that will include new entrance gates and ticket booths.
“Instead of having a bunch of mediocre stuff, we can have a nice, solid entrance as we’re coming into Linduska,” Abbotts said. “We’re going to push ‘pause’ on the bathrooms and make it part of a larger project from a capital improvement standpoint.”
Board member Michelle Fields reported the board facilities committee and Abbotts met with a representative of DLR Group, a global integrated design firm with an office in Des Moines, with the results of a survey completed by most staff members. She explained that DLR will help the board evaluate and rank projects that need to be addressed. Some will be immediate needs, and others, like windows and carpet, will be scheduled to be done on a recurring basis.
Fields said that as a board member, she has been taken by surprise with needs for big expenditures without much warning. DLR will provide information of expenses to expect not only on an annual basis, but every 10 years or more.
A representative from DLR will make a presentation at the July meeting.
Fields said the staff survey named classroom temperature and furniture most often. Coaches named updated practice facilities most often.
The board approved adding supplemental pay for two middle school student council advisors ($1,234 each) and for the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) advisor (one person, $3,085).
The board approved a bid from Tri-County Lumber of $26,018.79 for new carpet in some classrooms and hallways in the elementary school and in the middle school auditorium. The cost includes labor.
The board moved its next regular meeting from July 10 to July 17 to avoid conflicts with activities at the Greene County Fair. The meeting time and place will remain the same: 5:15 pm, district conference room at 101 Ram Dr in Jefferson.
