Public Forum
No one was present to speak at the public forum.
Discussion Items Des Moines Leadership Update
During the last few weeks, Ms. Sheila King has met twice with Des Moines Public Schools’ superintendent Nancy Sebring. Both meetings were held to discuss the partnership between Heartland and the district. Des Moines shared its five-year professional development plan and spoke of a need for guidance with response to intervention (RTI). The conversations were rich and the Agency will continue its commitment to providing support and assistance.
Ms. King spoke briefly about Dr. Jim Verlengia, Interim Director of District Services, who will begin transitioning to a role that is focused on leadership support for 2010-11. He will work closely with Ms. Sharon Kurns, Director of Professional Learning and Leadership.
Representatives from Heartland, the AEA system and the Des Moines Public Schools participated in a meeting with state Senator Matt McCoy on June 4. Senator McCoy was open to learning and understanding the challenges that face urban districts and the AEAs. Both organizations face budget issues and lack of flexibility in their use of available resources.
Board Policies 419 Disclosure of Wrongful Conduct and 805.5 Fixed Asset Inventory
Board Policy 805.5 Fixed Asset Inventory has been amended to align it with general government accounting standards. This will keep the Agency in compliance with accounting principals and guidelines.
A draft of Board Policy 419 Disclosure of Wrongful Conduct was reviewed. This policy was developed at the request of the Board and is one all organizations should have. It allows employees to disclose any conduct they feel is wrongful and provides a process to investigate any wrongdoing. Board members said the policy would offer reassurance to staff that information would be kept confidential and there would be no retaliation. A second reading of the policy will be held next month.
Facilities Update
Mr. Steve Zbylicki from FRK Architects and Engineers reviewed designs for the 6500 building remodel. The budget for the remodel is estimated at $1.5 million and includes mechanical renovation, parking lot repairs and new equipment and furnishings. The remodel will also include a large conference room that seats 100 but can also be divided into smaller sections. The library will be relocated to the front of the building for easier accessibility, and the print shop will be relocated to the rear. Carpet will be replaced in high need areas, there will be upgrades to the indoor air quality and a new set of restrooms will be installed. The Board will be asked to approve the final plans and specifications at the July 13 meeting so construction can begin around September 15 with completion in January 2011.
Board members asked if the costs of installing a geothermal heating and cooling system could be explored. Mr. Zbylicki indicated that it would be possible to complete a small study prior to the July 13 Board meeting at a cost of under $10,000. Board members discussed the impact the study would have on the timeline and work and money already invested. A recommendation for creating a board policy that includes a process for reviewing construction plans for green technology was also suggested for future use.
Adel and 6445 Lease Purchase Prepayments
Mr. Dave King discussed the prepayment of the 6445 lease purchase agreement and the payoff of the Adel lease purchase agreement. Paying off the Adel lease balance will save the Agency $686,000 and prepaying $555,000 on the 6445 lease debt will save the Agency $23,587 annually in interest expense.
Action Items
The Board unanimously approved the amended Board Policy 805.5 Fixed Asset Inventory.
The Board unanimously approved the payoff of the Adel lease purchase agreement and prepayment of the 6445 lease purchase agreement.
The Board unanimously approved the annual resolution of depositories for 2009-10 and also for 2010-11.
Board Comments
The Board approved having a preliminary exploration/study conducted to determine the costs of a geothermal system for the 6500 Johnston Regional Education Center. The study would include a cost comparison of the remodel with and without a geothermal system, the impact on the remodeling timeline and an estimate of payback or cost offset of installing a geothermal system. The study will be reviewed at the July 13 Board meeting.
No comments:
Post a Comment