The Exeter-Milligan school board met on Wednesday,
August 12th in the Milligan gymnasium. After Exeter-Milligan
school board president Adam Erdkamp welcomed the three guests to the meeting,
board member Kendra Jansky read the treasurer’s report.
The board approved the consensus agenda.
Erdkamp explained that a new item, a public comment period,
was added to the agenda for each meeting.
He noted that the board had received a letter from Friend
Public Schools that reviewed all the current activites the two districts are
combined on including FFA, football, and a science teacher. Erdkamp added
that the schools have aligned their calendars, they have been doing drivers ed
together for 15 years along with community activities like trap shooting and elementary
football.
The next agenda item was a review of the summer
projects. Sheffield reported that the plumbers were close to finishing
the bathrooms. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a large project or a small
project. They know when we start and they push to get it done.”
The board discussed the feasibility study with Fillmore
Central. Erdkamp noted that the he felt they should “make some priorities
for what should be in the initial study.”
Although he noted that the team at Wayne State that
completed the feasibility study with Friend are available the board would be
“Ok to use the group Fillmore Central preferred as long as they can structure
it so it’s a usable document for us.”
Sheffield spoke to the company (First National Capitol
Markets) and they are willing to do some extras comparisons that the
Exeter-Milligan board might be interested in.
Board member Kendra Oldenoeft added, “I think if we went
back to Wayne State and wanted to compare something I am sure they would be
willing to do that as well.”
The board decided to move forward with the study with
Fillmore Central.
New business included a discussion on 2020-21 budget,
approval of a transfer of funds to the depreciation fund which was included in
the consensus section.
Sheffield explained that the transfer to replace the iPads
and Laptops next year. After financing through Apple the first time
purchasing technology, Sheffield learned to put the unspent technology funds
into the depreciation to finance the repurchase.
The 2020-21 budget will be posted on the school website when
it is ready. Sheffield reported that tax asking has gone down by $200,000 in
the general fund the last few years. In the building fund the asking is
down $675,000.
The board approved Tara Milton as a local substitute (Eric Milton
abstained).
Next regular meeting will be September 9th in Exeter and
will also be the budget hearing. Paul noted that next year the budget hearing
will have to be a separate night from a regular board meeting due to a change
in the law.
