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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/26/1996CITY COUNCIL & SCHOOL BOARD JOINT WORK SESSION August 26, 1996 School Administration Building 5:00 p.m. Members present: Mayor Rooff, Krizek, Getty, Jordan, Mollenhoff, Murphy, Collier, Anders, School Board President Pam Miller, Smith, Wells, Christensen, Teare, Juon, Swartzendruber. School Superintendent Arlis Swartzendruber explained the changes enacted by the school district in the past year. The board established a line item budget, new finance policies were set in place and the number of administrators was reduced by twenty percent. They have formed public/private partnerships to handle the district's transportation, food service, building maintenance management, student driving program and student health services. A Quality of Education Task Force was established to look at the restructuring of facility usage. An equity audit is being undertaken and spearheaded by W. Ray Richardson with a final report to be completed by January 1997. Student achievement benchmarks have been set for grades 2, 5 and 8, with the rest to be completed this year. Three year labor contracts were negotiated this year. Board president Pam Miller reviewed the goals and objectives set by the board for the next year. The goals are in order of priority and administration and school principals participated in establishing the objectives needed to accomplish each goal. Miller indicated that the goals and objectives are being distributed throughout the district to help keep citizens aware of the direction the school district is pursuing for the future. Swartzendruber explained the history behind the Physical Plant & Equipment Levy set forth by the Iowa Code. The levy provides that the school board may enact a thirty-three cent levy without voter approval but an additional sixty-seven cent levy can be received after voter approval of fifty percent plus one of the votes. The PPEL is currently approved in sixty of the seventy-two school districts in the state. Waterloo has not had the levy in over twenty years. The money is to be used specifically for repairs to physical buildings but may not be used for maintenance of buildings. The sixty-seven cent levy is estimated to produce an additional $947,000 to meet the most serious remodeling or major maintenance needs of the district. Mayor Rooff asked what projects were funded with the thirty-three cent levy. Operations Manager Jack Fitzgerald reported that last year's levy was used to replace the boiler at Hoover, replace ten sets of doors in the district for handicap accessibility, remove underground gas tanks, make major plumbing and roof repairs, or repair gym floors. Funding was also provided for a system survey to be completed which would give, in priority order, a list of things needed to be done to bring the buildings up to code. Mayor Rooff asked if the board had considered passing the levy for less than the allowed ten year period. Swartzendruber explained that it wouldn't pay to go back to the voters more often than every ten years for the PPEL. Councilperson Getty asked if the PPEL will be used to fund new building construction. Swartzendruber stated that he has been working with their attorneys to adopt a resolution that would dedicate PPEL revenue to repairs to existing buildings. However the law does allow districts to borrow against future revenues to build new buildings but the Waterloo district needs are so great that it won't be used for that purpose. Mayor Rooff asked if there are any plans for bond referendums for new buildings at this time. Swartzendruber answered that sometime in the future the district may need to come forward for a bond Council and School Board August 26, 1996 Page 2 referendum. The future needs are being studied by the Facilities Task Force and they will be making recommendations on new building needs. Jim Christensen asked the city council to formally state their support of the PPEL with a resolution of support. Councilperson Krizek suggested the school board take their story as expressed today to the people in the same manner that the city council holds table talks with citizens. Miller reported that Dr. Swartzendruber and many board members have attended and held meetings in various schools to get input and support for the PPEL. Councilperson Jordan asked if the levy would be used to strictly fund building maintenance staff completing repair projects or if the projects would be contracted? Jack Fitzgerald stated that the magnitude of the project would dictate the manner it •was completed but that most would probably be done on a contract basis with construction to be done in the summer. Mayor Rooff asked if the resolution directing the use of funds would include the thirty-three cent levy the board adopts. Swartzendruber stated that no it wouldn't encompass that levy as some latitude is needed to direct its use for equipment repairs or purchases and emergency needs. Rooff then asked if the oversight committee would look at the appropriateness of use for both levies. Swartzendruber agreed that it would and stated that the books will be audited and open to the public. Fitzgerald reviewed the progress made in compliance with the Fire Marshall's recommendations for bringing the buildings up to current life safety standards. There are three areas where further improvement is needed. Stairways need to be enclosed with fire doors, alarm systems and maintenance on existing systems need to be improved. The exits and occupancy levels are all in compliance with the life safety code. Fire Chief Magsamen reported that the School district has been very cooperative in trying to meet the life safety standards with old, out dated buildings. The only item still outstanding is a five year plan for compliance. Pam Miller asked Operations Manager Jack Fitzgerald to update the board and council on joint projects. Fitzgerald stated that both entities are continuing to work together in the purchase of employee benefit programs, repair of parking lots and playgrounds, and the sharing of mowing duties. The school district assisted with the delivery of garbage cans and city staff helped the school district this winter with snow removal. The county, city and school district are consolidating postage services. Other areas of cooperation are access to Young Arena, printing services, transportation and garbage collection. Ray Richardson reported on the Quality of Education Task Force which is an umbrella oversight committee looking at academics and facility usage. The quality of education is being looked at through a site management review. The intent is to solicit parents and neighborhood support and involvement in school operations. The facility usage study will report to the board recommendations for school closing or new building needs. Councilperson Mollenhoff asked if the district will be dealing with the already abandoned buildings of the district. Richardson reported that the committee will be making recommendations for building dispositions if schools are recommended to be closed. School board members Robert Smith and Jim Christensen explained the goals established by the board subcommittee for athletic activities. There is a need to improve participation in athletics, maintain academic standards, improve sportsmanship and coaching Council and School Board August 26, 1996 Page 3 techniques. Board members met with district coaches to get input on what it will take to have more success in athletic programs. One of the recommendations is to better coordinate training for intermediate athletes in coaching techniques used at the high school level. Getty reported that before this meeting he had been opposed to the levy but based on the information received he would support it at this time. He did express the need to get this same message out to the public. Each councilperson expressed their support of the PPEL to repair the school district buildings after the adoption of a resolution of intent and establishment of an oversight committee. With no further discussion, the meeting was completed. City Clerk Susan Fangman