NORTH FAYETTE VALLEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Minutes, Worksession Meeting of the North Fayette Valley Community School District Board of Education, Monday, January 13, 2021, in the West Union Elementary Cafeteria, 400 N Pine St, West Union, IA 52175
NFV Board of Education: Julie Ahrens, Stacy Cummings, Emily Koch, Eileen
Schlawin, & Marc Rue. Carolyn Roys & LaCreasha McNeese were absent. Student Members: Nathan Crooker, Kailee Ginger, Baylee Shrubb, & Madison Clausen were absent.
Others: Superintendent: Joe Griffith; Business Manager: Sue
Thoms; Principals: Travis Elliott & Lori Westhoff; Staff: Jay Swenka; Media: Megan Molseed.
President Cummings called the Worksession of the NFV Board of Education to order at 4:30 p.m and led the board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance..
Supt Griffith led the group on a tour of the West Union Elementary facility. Areas noted for improvement included exterior walls & windows, interior HVAC systems, classroom hallway walls, flooring, tunnels, boiler room & piping, as well as lighting. The facility is structurally sound and has a new roof.
The Board convened in the cafeteria after the tour. Supt Griffith reviewed the areas that need immediate improvement per AJ Associates who completed the recent facilities analysis. These improvements include updating the HVAC system, improving ventilation, a variety of firecode issues, and installation of efficiencies such as LED fixtures.
Financial options were discussed to finance the updates. Plan 1 included borrowing against SAVE revenues up to $5 million to upgrade the WUE facility. This would leave us with very little funding for other maintenance or updates elsewhere in the district for 8 years. Plan 2 included borrowing against SAVE revenues up to $2.5 million to do the first year updates. The Board would then ask for the 1.00 PPEL from the district in September to increase revenue to allow for continued updates and code issues at WUE as well as elsewhere in the district. This will also allow for funding to pay for the solar arrays as soon as possible.
Supt Griffith is recommending that the Board move towards Plan 2 of the funding options with the following considerations. 1. With the full 1.00 PPEL, the Board can control the amount asked for each year in order to balance the projects and control the tax rate. 2. Rebate options are available for LED lighting, HVAC, geothermal, etc. With increased efficiency in place, there will be a cost savings in the General fund. 3. CARES funding from the recent Federal COVID package can be used to increase air exchange in the facilities. 4. By upgrading to electric HVAC equipment, thanks to our solar panels, the district can realize additional cost savings. 5. The district needs to proceed quickly if we are going to address the critical HVAC work this summer.
Discussion focused on potential savings in energy consumption and insurance costs, tax rates, additional repair projects, and procedures for taking the 1.00 PPEL to a vote.
No action was taken at this time.
The Board adjourned the meeting at 5:37 pm. Ahrens/Rue Motion Carried 5-0
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Stacy Cummings, President Sue Thoms, Business Manager