By MIKE McCOY
Statesman Staff Writer
BLOOMFIELD, Mo. - Superintendent Toni Hill informed the Bloomfield School Board of a pre-construction conference to be held this week to establish a time line and review procedures for construction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) safe room on the Bloomfield school campus. The board also discussed the Bloomfield R-14 Foundation for Education Board, and asked Hill to begin contacting Foundation board members to get the foundation active again.
The board worked quickly through several items on the agenda which included approval of the Stoddard County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan, a conflict of interest and financial disclosure policy pertaining to board members and the Professional Development Handbook.
In executive session, the board accepted the resignation of High School business teacher Michelle Schism, who is leaving to take a position as counselor at the Richland School District. They hired Lindsey Horton to fill that position as well as serve as FBLA and Pep Club sponsor. Marie Marquis was hired as assistant volleyball coach.
Hill said a meeting between representatives of Sides Construction Company of Cape Girardeau, Mo., architects and school personnel will be held this week. Sides Construction was awarded the contract for construction of the safe room at a cost of $1,615,949.75. She said the first work to be done is to remove fences and a concrete slab used as a basketball court at the site. The safe room is to be erected on the southwest corner of Highway J and School Street. Hill was asked if safety barriers were to be erected around the construction site. Hill said the company wanted to remove the fences and concrete so they could erect these safety barriers, and that would be a priority.
Hill said, in response to a question, that she did not believe School Street would be blocked during the construction. She said student drop-off and pick-up zones would be changed. She said W. Seneca and Center Streets will be used for staging, and elementary students would have a pick-up/drop-off zone on Court Street.
Board Member David Cooper asked if it would be much like it was a few years ago, and Hill said it would. She said a better time line for the construction would be available after the pre-construction conference.
An item that drew discussion was the Bloomfield R-14 Foundation. Hill said she received a letter from Attorney Jim Tweedy saying that some members of the board of the foundation have moved from the district or are no longer active. The board is made up of two school board members, one teacher, the superintendent, three residents of the school district and one investment advisor who serves as the ex officio director.
Hill said the foundation was established to accept donations and endowments from individuals through estate planning. She said she was aware of one person who had provided funds to the foundation in this manner, and Board Member Don Lafferty cited another contribution made to the foundation. Hill asked whether the board wanted to continue or close the foundation.
"I think it is a good idea," said Cooper. "We need to revitalize it."
Hill agreed.
"I'll contact the foundation board members," she stated.
"I agree with Dave (Cooper)," said Lafferty. "It is a good thing."
Hill went on to say that if a quorum of the board is still available, they can appoint members to fill the vacancies. If not, she said the school board would have to fill the vacancies.
The board voted 6-0 to approve the Professional Development Handbook. Hill said the only change was to raise the per-day travel expense for school personnel from $30 per day to $40. She said she felt that was fair and recommended approving the handbook. Board members present were David Battles, Cooper, John Newell, Trevor Pulley, Bill Robison and Don Lafferty. Ryan Mayo was not present.
The board voted unanimously to approve the County Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan. The plan was developed by the Bootheel Regional Planning and Economic Commission and must be approved by the county, municipalities and school districts in the county.
The board approved adopting a conflict of interest and financial disclosure policy that was developed by the Missouri School Board Association. The six page document outlines procedures for board member decisions or actions.
"The Bloomfield R-14 School District Board of Education shall adhere to the laws regarding conflict of interest and take steps to avoid situations or actions in the their capacity as board members that conflict with the mission of the district," the first paragraph reads. Details on these activities are given in the document.
Hill said the district has received its MAP scores for the past year. She said the scores were received much earlier this year. They usually come in October. She said the district met the criteria in 13 of 14 areas. She did address the board about the graduation rate at Bloomfield this past year. The rate was 76.7 percent. She said that was below the state average. She said the rate last year was also lower than she expected.
"That is not acceptable," Hill stated. "We can't allow that to be acceptable."
"We've never seen this statistic," Cooper said. "We want to see the bad as well as the good."
In the executive session, the board decided not to sell the property on Seneca Street.
Tax Hearing
There were no comments from the public during the tax rate hearing held prior to the regular meeting of the board. No changes were proposed to the current tax rate of $2.9955. Of that amount, $2.75 goes to the general revenue account and $.2455 goes to debt service.