“I thank you and apologize at the same time. It’s a generous offer,” YME Board Chair Elmo Volstad said.
“I feel bad about doing it,” echoed board member Steve Zumhofe.
The uncommon offer to reduce salary costs from the superintendent, administrators and other 12 month employees prompted the responses from the board.
The board accepted an offer from Superintendent Al Stoeckman to freeze his salary at the 2009 - 2010 level.
The board accepted an offer from the Administrative team of High School Principal Karen Norell, BRE Principal Stacy Hinz, and Tim Knapper to take five days of unpaid leave in 2009-2010 - that amounts to a 1.9 percent decrease per administrator.
In addition to the cuts in pay that the administrative team took at the meeting, Stoeckman informed the board that he will be presenting an offer from all the remaining 12 month employees to take the five day unpaid leave as well.
The impetus behind the offer was the difficult economic times facing the school, community and nation. The term difficult economic times peppered the discussions throughout the meeting.
Personnel items
The board approved contracts for five individuals.
Adam Paasch will be the full time elementary art instructor at YME for 2009-2010. The Fagen Foundation has funded a two year teaching position in an area that would benefit all students.
Beth Jahn will be returning as the full time elementary music instructor. Jahn was placed on ULA earlier this year until a licensure issue was resolved.
High school ag instructor Jim Swenson was terminated as a full time instructor earlier this year and has been rehired on a 5/6 contract. “We always knew we had enough students enrolled in ag of a 5/6 position,” explained Stoeckman. “The education association prefers that the full time contract is terminated and a new part-time contract issued.”
High school counselor Val Skjefte was hired back as the part-time counselor after her position was terminated for budgetary reasons. “When the governor unalotted the money to schools he did not take out grant money we were awarded. We’ll be able to use the grant money to cover the costs of the counselor’s position,” Stoeckman told the board.
Jana Berends was hired as the health service coordinator for the school to replace Sonja Peterson.
Action items
The board voted not to increase activity fees for 2009-2010.
The board approved the HS Student Handbook and the BRE Handbook for 2009-2010.
The board approved low bidders for the milk and bread contracts for 2009-2010. Pan O Gold was awarded the bread contract and Land O Lakes was awarded the milk contract.
The board approved the second Monday of the each month as the designated day for school board meetings. If an additional meeting is needed in a month the meeting will be scheduled for the fourth Monday of the month. Meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m. during the months of November, December, January, February, and March. All other months the board will meet at 7:00 p.m.
Several other action items involving annual contracts were approved at this, the first meeting of the 2009-2010 shool year.
Discussion items
The board decided to continue to purchase school vehicles rather than entering into a lease plan with Bennett and Bennett Transportation.
Board members expressed confidence that a house, built by the carpentry class, would sell next summer even in these difficult economic times. The concensus was to go ahead and purchase the materials for the construction.
Karen Norell shared that the high school daily schedule will change this year. The high school daily schedule and the BRE schedule will be the same. The school day will begin at 8:15 a.m and end at 3:00 p.m.
Granite Falls, Minn. —
