USD 257 board members spent about 2½ hours in a series of executive sessions Tuesday night. No action was taken after any. BOARD members, acting as Bowlus Fine Arts Center trustees, approved increases in fees for use of the center’s facilities. IN OTHER business, board members:
The sessions had to do with client-attorney privilege, including Greta Adams, vocal music instructor, other non-elected personnel, contract negotiations and preliminary discussions having to do with acquisition of real property.
Prior to the closed sessions, Colleen Riebel, food service director, ran through what lies ahead for her department.
The summer program begins Monday and will continue through July 26, with breakfast and lunch open to the public. Anyone 18 and younger may eat for free. The summer program dates to “before I arrived in 2006,” Riebel said in response to a question about its duration.
Both meals will be served at the high school cafeteria throughout the summer, breakfast from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Breakfast also will be served at Lincoln School from 8 to 8:30 a.m. and Jefferson School 9:30 to 10 a.m.
Riebel reported that last year on average 121 breakfasts were served each day and 175 people ate lunch in June. July numbers, when summer academic hours decreased, were 105 for breakfast and 123 for lunch.
Cost for adults is $2 at breakfast, $3.50 at lunch.
Board member Buck Quincy asked if the summer program, which involves 10 employees and Riebel, was required.
No, but recommended by the Kansas State Department of Education, said Brian Pekarek, superintendent of schools.
Riebel also reported the program received a grant from KSDE for $1,625, with proceeds paying for Riebel and 10 employees to take food service classes in Chanute.
New fees will be $800 for a performance in the auditorium for for-profit groups, $600 for nonprofits; increases of $100 each from last year. Additional performances the same day will be $700 and $500.
Stand-alone rental of the Creitz Recital Hall will be $225 when used by for-profit groups, $60 for nonprofits.
Charges are waived for events sponsored by Iola or Allen County. Iola pays an annual fee equal to what a 1 mill property tax levy raises, or $31,900 this year. The county has been asked to contribute the equivalent of a third of a mill, or $32,000, which commissioners will decide when they prepare their 2014 budget in the next month. The county has contributed $2,500 in the past.
— Accepted the resignation of Joe Sample, assistant high school principal, and the retirement of Linda Troxel, Jefferson Elementary library paraprofessional.
— Approved summer classroom and SAFE BASE assignments and made Eileen Wille assistant SAFE BASE director.
— Spent $14,400 in vocational fund money for 25 computers for the high school design lab. GovConnection’s bid was the lower of two.
— Completed purchase of a van from Twin Motors for $23,300, after an adjustment of $1,107 for a rear compartment air conditioner.
— Were told by Larry Hart, Lincoln principal, that 128 students scored at 100 or above — the benchmark for excellence — in the Accelerated Reader program, and that students read 47,620 books.
BOE meeting steeped in secrecy
