LINDEN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Regular Meeting
7201W.
(810) 591-0410
April 15, 2009
7:00 p.m.
Members Elaine
Porter, Laura Starrs, Mike Murphy (arrived at 7:12 p.m.), Steve Murphy,
Present Rick Kursik (arrived
at 7:48 p.m.), Pam Snyder, Andrea Firth
Members Scott Maker, Katie
McCauley
Absent
Board President Porter stated Mr. Maker is still on
military assignment in
ADOPTION Moved
by S. Murphy, supported by Snyder to adopt the agenda as presented.
OF AGENDA All yea votes. Motion carried 4-0.
120-08
(P)
Ed
Koledo commended the Board of Education for improving their leadership skills
by taking
CBA
classes offered through the MASB. Mr.
Koledo stated
Level 1,
Steve Murphy and Mike Murphy, and two board members at Level 2, Elaine Porter
and
Laura Starrs.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Gary
Hall, resident, suggested the Board of Education amend their Board Policy on
Public
Comments
at Work Sessions to allow dialogue with the public by suspending the rule with
a
majority
consent of the Board.
CONSENT Moved by M. Murphy, supported by Snyder to adopt the Consent Agenda as presented.
AGENDA
121-08 1. Minutes of Board Finance Committee Meeting,
March 16, 2009.
(P) 2. Minutes of Regular Board of Education Meeting, March 18, 2009.
3. Minutes of Public Discussion Forum, March 21, 2009.
4. Minutes of Public Discussion Forum, March 23, 2009.
5. Minutes of Board Work Session, April 1, 2009.
6. Minutes of Executive Session, April 1, 2009.
7. Invoices for the Month of April, 2009 in the amount of $2,076,893.48.
8. Approval of Personnel Summary Sheet as submitted (Attachment A).
Roll
call vote taken.
All yea
votes. Motion carried 4-0.
OLD BUSINESS
Award
Bid for Moved by S. Murphy,
supported by Snyder to award the bid to Ecker Mechanical to replace Boiler
Replacement the heating
boiler, the domestic hot water boiler and other mechanical improvements at
at
Central Central
Elementary at a cost not to exceed $212,000.00.
Greg Vadasz, Director of Operations,
Elementary stated this includes Alternate
#1 and #2. Mr. Vadasz stated the
district will see lower
122-08
operating costs
of $2,000-$3,000 annual with the new system.
(P)
Mike
Murphy arrived at 7:12 p.m.
Roll
call vote taken.
All yea
votes. Motion carried 5-0.
Revision
of Pay Moved by Starrs, supported
by Snyder to approve the revisions for pay to participate fees per
to
Participate the
recommendation of the Superintendent.
The changes are students who receive free lunch Fees will incur no costs, reduced would
pay $75.00 at the High School and $30.00 at the Middle
School
with all other athletic fees would apply in either case; individuals will be
allowed to
work off
hours at the discretion of the Athletic Director; and there will be a family
cap at
$375.00. Mr. S. Murphy feels the district cannot
afford the reduction in revenues and that it is
not a
good idea.
Motion
to Table Moved by M. Murphy,
supported by Snyder to table approving the revisions of the Pay to Revision of
Pay Participate
fees for more information on the budget.
To
Participate Yea votes: Porter, Starrs, M. Murphy, Snyder
Fees Nay votes: S.
Murphy
123-08
Motion carried
4-1.
(P)
K-5
Realignment Moved by Starrs,
supported by Snyder to accept Plan 3 of the K-5 alignment which will make
124-08 Central
Elementary, Linden Elementary and Hyatt Elementary K-5 buildings beginning with
(P) the 2009-10
school year. Mr. Koledo read a detailed
statement on the positives for Plan 3.
Mr.
S.
Murphy voiced his concerns of going with Plan 3 and supports Plan 4. A lengthy discussion
by board
members took place on why they support Plan 3 or don’t support the plan. There
was
discussion on concerns with the split classrooms. Mr. Koledo stated no student would be
placed
in a split classroom if he/she was not the right type of student and parents
would be
notified
by late May, early June on students who would do well in split classrooms.
Roll
call vote taken.
Yea
votes: Porter, Starrs, Kursik, Snyder
Nay
votes: S. Murphy, M. Murphy
Motion
carried 4-2.
The vote
was taken after Public Comments on this topic.
The
Board Finance Committee thanked the individuals who served on the Budget
Advisory
Committee
and also thanked them for their hard work in making a difficult recommendation
to the
Finance Committee.
Mrs.
Porter read statements from Scott Maker and Rick Kursik who support Plan 3.
Rick
Kursik arrived at 7:48 p.m.
Mr. S.
Murphy asked Mrs. Porter to reflect the accuracy that Plan 4 would save
$195,000.00, not
that it
would save nothing.
Public
Comments:
Kim
Shadduck, parent, read a statement stating her disagreement with the decision
the Board
has to
make and why Argentine Elementary should stay as it is. She asked the Board to
support Plan 4.
Jamie Hegenauer, parent, stated split classrooms are
supported by teachers. She agreed
Argentine
is a wonderful building and the teachers do a great job, but said enough with
the
scare
tactics. Kindergarten will be fine in
the buildings and is thrilled with Plan 3.
Sally
Satkowiak, parent, thanked the Board and the Budget Advisory Committee. Mrs.
Satkowiak
stated that no matter what plan the board decides on,
embrace
it as that is what makes
students
need to feel the positive from teachers and parents.
Gary
Hall, resident, stated if people did not know what was going on, they must live
under a
rock.
Becky
Draper, parent, reiterated Mr. Hall’s comments as Mr. Koledo and the Board did
a
wonderful
job getting the word out. Mrs. Draper
said she felt Mr. S. Murphy was disrespectful
to the
Budget Advisory Committee and the Board Finance Committee. She also stated that if
we are
going to compare
similar
to
NEW
BUSINESS
Approval of Moved
by M. Murphy, supported by Starrs to adopt the resolution supporting the
approval of 2009-10 GISD the
proposed 2009-10 GISD budgets as submitted (Attachment B).
Budget All
yea votes. Motion carried 6-0.
Resolution
125-08
(P)
BOARD REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS OR
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Steve Murphy stated he and Mrs. Porter attended the
DCC meeting and that it was a good meeting with a lot of good information. Mrs. Thomas is doing a good job.
Mike Murphy apologized for being late. He was attending a Food Bank meeting. He shared information about Spirit
Drives-food drives in schools. Channel
12 would come into the buildings in the morning to air the act of
kindness.
Rick Kursik hoped the Board had a chance to read the
article in The Flint Journal
regarding travel expenses by Boards of Educations and administrative
staff. While he was in
Pam Snyder echoed Mr. Kursik’s comments on the process
used to make the K-5 decision. She
stated it was easier to vote with the process used and all the work put into it
by the committee.
Laura Starrs agreed with Mr. Kursik and stated how
proud she is to part of Linden Schools.
Mrs. Starrs knows the schools will welcome the kindergarten teachers to
their buildings. This is a positive,
pro-active move, not reactive.
Elaine Porter apologized for not making it to the
Jamboree at Argentine, but she and Mrs. Starrs did go to Argentine Elementary
on April 3 and agrees it is a warm, fuzzy environment.
Mrs. Porter reminded Board members of the Board
Workshop on April 22, 7:00 p.m. and that she needs board members’
self-evaluations.
Gary Hall congratulated Mr. Koledo for all the work he
put into this K-5 realignment process.
Mr. Koledo thanked Mr. Hall but he thanked everyone in
the room. The feedback from parents,
community members, staff and board members was very much appreciated and helped
the process.
STUDENT BOARD REPORTS
Andrea Firth stated that all AP students will be
bubbling information for the pre-testing
process on
Friday.
None.
ADJOURNMENT
Board
President Porter adjourned the meeting at 8:34 p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
___________________________
Steve
M. Murphy, Board Secretary