The Salem Grade School Board Thursday night approved the resurfacing of the Hawthorn School roof and called a special meeting next Tuesday to consider a new employee health insurance plan.
The board accepted a $214,819 bid from Irwin and Sons for installation of a silacone roof that will have a 20 year labor and material warranty. Superintendent Dr. Leslie Foppe says a $50,000 matching state maintenance grant and the one cent sales tax collected for schools will pay for the project. She reports the work is needed as the roof currently leaks every time it rains. Omni Energy Partners had their contract amended to oversee the summer project.
The board has called a special meeting for next Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 to discuss approving an employee health insurance plan from Prairie Health Insurance Cooperative. Foppe says the plan could save the district around a half-million dollars. She wants to take care of the issue that threatens to drain their reserves in future years if nothing is done.
“I know it’s hard and not everybody is going to love it,” Foppe said. “I respect that, and I understand that, but I also want us to give everything we can for our kids. We need to be able to afford our teachers, we need to be able to afford our paraprofessionals, and if we keep going the way we are, something is going to be cut. With schools, it’s salary, and I don’t want to see that happen.”
The district is currently using Egyptian Trust for their health insurance that would cost an estimated $1.6-million in the coming year. The trust has seen numerous increases and extra payments to keep the fund afloat.
Foppe is pleased with where the district budget stands, with both revenues and expenses at about 80-percent. She was given permission to amend the budget prior to the end of the school’s fiscal year June 30th.
In other action:
- The board approved renewal of the voluntary student accident medical insurance
- Appointed Kerri Richards to once again be the board’s representative on the Kaskaskia Special Education District board.
- Accepted the resignation of boys cross country coach Thomas Goff.
