Timing of HVAC work helps costs dip for fiscal '09

CHANNAHON - The Channahon District 17 grade school board held a public hearing on its fiscal 2009 budget Monday evening, then later approved the budget for the year beginning July 2008 and ending June 2009. The overall budget had a 1.4 percent decrease in expenditures from last year, with an expected amount of $16.036 million. Total revenues are expected to be $17.721 million. The Education Fund expenditures could increase by 3.9 percent this year, with teachers' salaries and benefits rising. The district also plans on spending about $36,000 on new language arts textbooks from the ed fund; food expenses could rise 20 percent; and MAP testing could cost $32,000. The O & M Fund is expected to increase by 17.2 percent, with design and engineering costs for Three Rivers School's HVAC project running around $250,000; utilities could increase by $55,000, the Three Rivers track resurfacing project last summer ran $50,000; and sealcoating at Galloway school cost another $12,000. The debt service fund for the bond to build Chan-nahon Junior High will increase 12 percent this year; transportation fund will increase 2.7 percent due to fuel and higher maintenance costs; and the IMRF/SS fund is expected to increase 4.4 percent this year. But even with the mentioned increases in expenditures, the overall spending is less this year than last due to major HVAC work done on Galloway School last year. The HVAC upgrades plan-ned for Three Rivers School next summer will be mostly in next year's budget. The school board Monday also met most of the new teachers hired for this school year. New teachers and some SOWIC special education cooperative personnel hired were Jennifer Keeney (a new position for junior high math); Amy Delgado (a new position for junior high language arts); and Dan Baker (junior high P.E.). Also, Deanna Bell (part-time gifted teacher); Dan Nyalka (P.E. sub); Sue Jackson (Galloway social worker); Katherine Throw (third grade teacher); Tiffany Nelson (SOWIC program administrator); Colleen Arnold (SOWIC staff); and Katie Uphoff (part-time kindergarten teacher). Most of the new teachers were replacements for those who had gone, except for two junior high positions, which were created for a larger-than-normal junior high class. The board also approved the salaries of the newest teachers and some staff members. Katie Uphoff's salary is $16,592; Deanna Bell's is $19,550; and Dan Nyalka's is $85 per day, or $167.85 per day after 15 days. Margaret Cimaroli will earn $8.25/hr as a substitute library aide; Chris Thomas and Angela Buetel will make $32/run as substitute bus drivers; Cassie Cipriani will earn $32,345 as a Three Rivers social worker; Christine Kropke will earn $8.25/hr as a sub-aide; and Tami Placher will make $9/hour as cashier/dishwasher/server at Pioneer Path. Julie Zolecki will transfer from Pioneer Path cafeteria to Three Rivers cafeteria, and Bill Stonitsch, a junior high P.E. teacher, received family medical leave. Business manager Mike Schroeder also discussed some physical needs for the schools with the board members. Additional work probably needs to be done on the parking lot of N.B. Galloway School, near the bus barn, he said. The water drainage there is too slow. The district has already spent around $1,000 this year to try to clear the drainage pipes, but the flow is still pretty slow, Schroeder said. The board asked him to watch it for another month, then, if it is still slow, the district will have to hire someone to work on it. Schroeder said they might have to dig under the asphalt and connect it to another nearby dry well. An easier solution was found for a problem with the ceiling of the Pioneer Path gym. The paint has been peeling from the ceiling since it was painted a few years ago. The original contractor said that, over Christmas break, he would re-paint the ceiling at cost with something that would “stick” better. The district will not pay to fix some bleachers at the junior high that have cracked. The company will send replacement parts at no cost. The board Monday also: - Approved renewing its agreement with PMA Financial Network at the same cost as last year - $7,000. - Approved letting administrators lock in an electricity rate when the rates go down. The district currently has a contract with MidAmerican Energy to supply electricity at a rate of .0582 per KwH through May 2009, but Schroeder said he heard the rates may be good this fall. If so, he can lock them in to begin after the current contract expires. - Learned the next board meeting is 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22,at Pioneer Path School.