Galesburg Reporter

Mercer County School District 404 Board of Education met Sept. 20.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

PUBLIC HEARING 

(FY24 Tentative Budget)

1. The Public Hearing was called to order at 6:30PM. Board members present upon roll call: Lower, Monson, Nelson, Wagner and Yates. A quorum was present.

2. Superintendent Petrie, Principals Cooper, Sedam, Robertson and Ibouhouten and Secretary Leanne McDermott were in attendance. Also in attendance: Lucas (live recording) and Stef Carey. 

3. Mr. Petrie discussed the tentative budget for FY24 noting deficit spending and fund surplus. Mr. Petrie summarized revenue and expenditures and asked if there were any questions.

4. Amendments will be made in June if necessary.

5. There were no public questions.

6. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Lower to adjourn the Public Hearing at 6:36PM. Roll Call: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion Carried.

AMENDED MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING  OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF MERCER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT #404, MERCER, HENDERSON, & ROCK ISLAND COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

RECORD OF MOTIONS & VOTES 

	No. 01	No. 02	No. 03	No. 04	No. 05	No. 06	No. 07	No. 8	No. 9
Balmer
Lower	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE	AYE	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE
Monson	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE	AYE	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE
Nelson	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE	AYE	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE
Smock
Wagner	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE	AYE	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE
Yates	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE	AYE	AYE	AYE	AYE	VOICE

The Board of Education of Mercer County School District #404, Mercer, Henderson, & Rock Island Counties, Illinois, convened at a regular meeting at the Mercer County Junior High School Music Room, 1002 SW 6th Street, Aledo, IL on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at 6:30 PM. 

Prior to Roll Call, Wagner opened with a brief prayer. Vice President Yates opened with the pledge of allegiance.

ATTENDANCE 

Board members present upon roll call: Lower, Monson, Nelson, Wagner and Yates. A quorum was present.

Absent: Balmer and Smock.

Administrators present: Superintendent Scott Petrie, Principal Robertson, Principal Sedam, Principal Ibouhouten, Principal Andrea Cooper

Also in Attendance: Lucas (live recording), Stef Carey and Recording Secretary Leanne McDermott Reporters: none

CONSENT AGENDA 

1. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Wagner, to approve the following items on the consent agenda.

∙ Meeting Minutes August 16, 2023

∙ Bill List

∙ Treasurer’s Report

∙ Financial Report

∙ BCBS Health Insurance Account Statement

Resignation of Junior High 7th Grade Volleyball Coach Merri Stineman

Roll: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

FY24 DISTRICT GOALS 

2. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Lower, to approve the FY24 District Goals as presented.

Roll: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

CLOSED SESSION 

3. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Wagner, to go into closed session after a short break at 7:20 p.m.

Roll Call: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

Personnel 

The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body or legal counsel for the public body, including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee of the public body or against legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) 

Review of Closed Session Minutes 

The discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed under the Open Meetings Act, whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes as mandated by Section 2.06. 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21) 

a. Closed Session Minutes from January 2023 – June 2023

OPEN SESSION 

4. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Lower, to come out of closed session at 8:25PM.

Voice: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

HIRE NBE TEACHER 

5. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Lower, to hire Erin O’Donnell as New Boston Elementary Kindergarten teacher.

Roll Call: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

HIRE MC COACHES 

6. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Wagner, to approve 2023-2024 coaches as follows:

a. Hire 7th grade boys basketball coach, Brenton Stropes

b. Re-hire 8th grade boys basketball coach, Connor Sharp

c. Re-hire 8th grade volleyball coach, Lori Feik

d. Re-hire wrestling head coach, Monte Smith

e. Re-hire wrestling assistant coach, Steve Speaker, Jr.

Roll Call: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

MATERNITY LEAVE 

7. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Lower, to approve Kristin Adams, Michaela Matlick, Brooke Heath and Kylee Busch maternity leave.

Roll Call: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

CLOSED SESSION MINUTE REVIEW

8. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Lower, to approve closed session minutes from January 2023-June 2023 remain closed.

Roll Call: 5 Ayes, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

ADJOURN 

9. There was a motion by Monson, seconded by Wagner, to adjourn the meeting at 8:35PM.

Voice: 5 Ayes by, 0 Nays. Motion carried.

OTHER REPORTS AND DISCUSSIONS: 

ADDITIONS/ DELETIONS 1. The Agenda was amended to include the late submission of coach re-hires. 

PUBLIC COMMENT 2. None

CORRESPONDENCE 3. Mr. Petrie noted the upcoming IASB Dinner Meeting Fall 2023. 

BOARD COMMENTS 4. None

COMMITTEE REPORTS 5. Yates gave a report from the Building and Grounds meeting.

6TH DAY ENROLLMENT 6. Mr. Petrie gave an explanation of the 6th Day Enrollment. Each grade configuration isn’t a valid comparison. He also explained what was projected at consolidation as noted in the graph included in the Board Packet.

FOIA REQUESTS 7. ISBE requests the number of licensed librarians reported.

SPECIAL EDUCATION 8. Mr. Petrie noted that ISBE reported an update on the Special Education COMPLIANCE Compliance.

REVIEW BULLYING 9. Mr. Petrie noted that ISBE requires the Bullying Policy be reviewed bi POLICY annually. This policy changed at the beginning of the year. It was reviewed within the last year.

ADMIN REPORTS 10. Principals gave reports of update in their respective buildings. There was discussion on the heating and cooling in the buildings.

https://www.mercerschools.org/_files/ugd/61ee79_3c1c0e77ef674cf88b32f0f5edca0083.pdf