[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6565669,"mediaKeyId","3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f","parentId",3215126,"title","Votes at a glance: Southeast Polk board approves labor agreement, farm leases, middle-school completion and routine consent items","audioSeconds",71,"startMs",394000,"endMs",465000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f&start=394&end=465","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f/thumbnail_394000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6565669/Iowa/Votes-at-a-glance-Southeast-Polk-board-approves-labor-agreement-farm-leases-middle-school-completion-and-routine-consent-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565669-0f6679f0bfbc70670cabd3882d50d343/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401943&Signature=Ir~nAqO7UDNt6o4dCjvU9pqz9zGOlkKJUuj9sFoakx3fZQdsgDIoI3es1vGGkMOvFrgmi-oJbfknWmEmwa7ieL~SeFsyhEIF-9KEniCJvQqVgtxpEjXWTiO0wh9Vj-cgMIqGKTN6sC303XghM3pW-nDAtr9U9kJnn01ryhOkwtZIkd~~ztHGmiPIVx99AwQvXab4eX8Kogt-m6apLdXcUJIBE9xL6cKkky2YxfBuVHL7QEd~ufZyv3m0iGsgFDu9CRkSVQOM~z9jzWHHKRJC0rvHVj8gNJfzKeaq46CBldAn3~R0xJSefStkpogx7cVFFunoRMAcHqmX-DU~et1~JA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Southeast Polk Comm School District ","date","2025-05-07T16:07:28Z","article","The Southeast Polk Community School District Board of Education recorded and approved multiple items during its May 1 business meeting. The following formal actions and vote outcomes were recorded in the meeting transcript.

- Motion: Adopt the meeting agenda. Outcome: Approved (unanimous roll call). Motion and second recorded at the start of the meeting.

- Motion: Approve the consent agenda (routine contracts, minutes, payments as listed in the packet). Outcome: Approved (unanimous roll call).

- Motion: Approve the tentative labor agreement (APSME/AFSCME staff). Mover: Laurie (as named in discussion). Second: Rick (as named in discussion). Outcome: Approved. During discussion district staff said the agreement provides a 3% across-the-board increase for AFSCME staff with an overall package increase of 2.77%.

- Motion: Approve the Gibson Farm (as described in packet). Outcome: Approved (motion seconded; roll-call approval recorded).

- Motion: Approve the Patterson family farm lease. Outcome: Approved (motion seconded; roll-call approval recorded).

- Motion: Approve the Red Farm lease agreement for 2025 with M and D Land Improvements Inc. (Peck family farm lease referenced). Outcome: Approved (motion seconded; roll-call approval recorded).

- Motion: Approve final completion and payment for the middle-school project (referred to in packet materials as the middle school project completion for Crook Lamine). Outcome: Approved (motion seconded; roll-call approval recorded). District staff said one subcontractor (landscape contractor) remained completing punch-list work and that the project had 13 subcontractor steps.

Meeting context: The transcript shows the board voiced unanimous or near-unanimous approval for the above items during the May 1 meeting and recorded individual 'Yes' votes in sequence for each item. The transcript records motions, seconds and recorded 'Yes' responses from board members on each listed item; if a reader requires exact roll-call order or the precise wording from agenda documents, the official board minutes and packet should be consulted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Southeast Polk Community School District Board Meeting 5/1/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its May 1 meeting the Southeast Polk board approved a tentative labor agreement (AFSCME staff increase), multiple farm-lease renewals, final payment for the middle-school project and routine consent items; motions were recorded as shown below.","taxTitle","Southeast Polk Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",38786,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6565673,"District financial advisers outline $50 million GO bond plan, target no property-tax increase",175,2523000,2698000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f&start=2523&end=2698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f/thumbnail_2523000.jpg","/articles/6565673/Iowa/District-financial-advisers-outline-50-million-GO-bond-plan-target-no-property-tax-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565673-f3e6e078cd298d195f02f425402237cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401943&Signature=WxX6s5HCtnYDb1VaTWR3ZpsJPlbOq6izuir16jbT2-LFm~0~pgywnXOzuzwMAJs2FG9kG9OUiyVI26ne2v6yx2KAYmfo2sD6i12ad7qqhBbUZGojPqFiAsHKVOsI1gFSBQ~Ka7UAFI9oAiH2PUeKs9FIIv5pTQUORlFTSkcJ~qpCn5Ml5JE5nlS1hDlvZQhSOwreqog9ryy3yMo3C7wBrz-BEOA2e8UomjCNbJD2QWMJFqUWNUz9~~n9dIORCBvhMkmCvMsbVHh8fYrtX6-QtMH-ptsVsy7cX~eDC5RreCcHRnzAnvY0l0nRqRfEqx6NOhiXcOmqKbERas8J0~73jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A financial-team presentation at the May 1 Southeast Polk board meeting outlined plans for a proposed $50 million general-obligation (GO) bond package, a timeline to place the question before voters in November 2025, and a repayment plan designed to keep the district’s debt-service levy near its current level.

Suzanne Gerlach (introduced by district staff) and a PFM adviser described the proposal as a $50 million project budget with a $51 million “not to exceed” bond authorization to cover issuance costs. The advisers said they are using conservative market assumptions (roughly 4.5–5.0% interest-rate assumptions for planning) and intend a 20-year term. The plan, they said, wraps new principal repayment around existing outstanding bonds and targets a debt-service levy near $2.50 per $1,000 of taxable valuation so the district can proceed “with no property tax increase” under current assumptions.

Key dates and mechanics described to the board included drafting petition language with bond counsel, circulating signatures equal to 25% of the last school-board election turnout, filing the petition and then adopting a resolution to call the election (target petition filing deadlines discussed included late August with an August 28 Polk County Auditor deadline to place an item on the November ballot). Advisers said, if voters approve the bonds in November, architects and bidding would follow so construction could begin in summer 2026; bond sale and closing for proceeds would likely occur in spring 2026 to fund projects for the 2026 construction season.

Advisers also reviewed legal capacity: the district’s assessed value and current outstanding debt mean it was using roughly 29.5% of its legal debt limit at the time of the presentation, and even after the proposed issue advisers estimated utilization would remain well below statutory caps. The presentation noted that pending state property-tax legislation could change levy mechanics and rollback assumptions; advisers said Southeast Polk appears well-positioned in several modeled versions of that legislation but recommended continuing monitoring because the state legislation remained fluid.

Board members asked clarifying questions; advisers said they would return with updated language and timelines as needed.","Financial advisers from PFM told the board the district is planning a $50 million general-obligation bond package for projects, targeting a November 2025 voter question and a debt-service levy structured to avoid a net property-tax increase for taxpayers under current law.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6565678,"Southeast Polk staff recommend Amplify CKLA for grades 3–5; board to consider adoption May 15",710,805000,1515000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f&start=805&end=1515","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f/thumbnail_805000.jpg","/articles/6565678/Iowa/Southeast-Polk-staff-recommend-Amplify-CKLA-for-grades-35-board-to-consider-adoption-May-15","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565678-09343c05423826d749d08c90a374d0cb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401943&Signature=l7c5vn0luB2iGnoCViB8i0-A68qKeWKb676zf1JyqU3mqz6UPAhKCT-4okLIWawsNrhw6gG8a6v9gt0yyljfWDHNtdBoVXskhCDOXSU5DcjZGc2zkAbEHCQgFvzTVSmozGUyWud1vyN5L~iBCbJ6ISENH~a56sG5dXBpAfBrXRyKdrstz4sPUBwdt6zQ8ufCtkL001cbjUcN3P83eRvS7mLQ3sLeAJ49yo9K5R0khxCTc96iXqheEgRZuZS3FPLlv7Ei8ud1D0I3DmxNa-I904LRPvSvPfq0F7AaqJ5f9EKuVxYTIR4SEdA09Oz1I3kCN~vGZFIf3~ecnUJ65YAEtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Carrie Bernstein, the district’s elementary literacy coordinator, told the Southeast Polk Community School District Board of Education on May 1 that a cross-district committee of teachers and specialists recommended adopting Amplify CKLA for grades 3–5.

Bernstein said the process began this school year when the district convened a 27-member committee and later expanded pilot participation to 52 teachers and about 1,642 students so teachers and students could test candidate programs in classrooms. After piloting multiple vendors, she said teachers’ top selection received a 75% preference and the recommendation is to adopt Amplify CKLA, which Bernstein noted appears on the Iowa Department of Education’s list of high-quality instructional materials that align with the science of reading.

The recommendation emphasizes a reading–writing connection, vocabulary development and cross-curricular units (science and social studies) and includes online components for differentiated student practice. Bernstein said professional development and optional training days for 3–5 teachers, coaches and specialists are planned in June, July and August; some materials will be available online before hard copies arrive. District administrators said the state’s participation in the high-quality instructional materials program will subsidize a portion of the district’s cost and that packets in board materials include a quote and a line-item summary; district staff said the state subsidy reduces the district’s net cost substantially but the packet should be consulted for the specific dollar figures.

The board will consider formal approval of the adoption at its May 15 meeting.","District curriculum staff recommended adopting Amplify CKLA for grades 3–5 after a semester-long review and a three-week classroom pilot involving 52 teachers and roughly 1,642 students; the board will vote on May 15.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6565682,"MidAmerican Energy presents $348,000 rebate for Southeast Polk middle school energy upgrades",64,137000,201000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f&start=137&end=201","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3215126-7a716f68665533e208dbf6a25ce6817f/thumbnail_137000.jpg","/articles/6565682/Iowa/MidAmerican-Energy-presents-348000-rebate-for-Southeast-Polk-middle-school-energy-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6565682-3410583a2a13e088235d2ae3cd83a03f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770401943&Signature=erQDIjcVl3cv2-NS5WvX9bwQVMWtlmmUjSYjUTb-xrtfO52EyNOaNn148IDFTExhWBm20WHdo5iFsxKoMO5TUJHAc7RkIZ~2vllEFDKNgNv3i2SWIi002jNM7V2kwrmCwHhZ9j2gVH0n3xjkdq66b~aBTMjIrX9dhOdCcSmw8013nBHLjmyDCbOR4OGLDHXdlzNeinoirOXzWjmmxwZiZSon2inSARuSXmWLTk7r~JCY7uzBjdqj3qO0rgqNYbE2dIXT3TeD3oOh9yj5WdaX1GR9f6glPKsktAc5gKfp2Q3LSoWmEZ2bZtBwFH11VQlw~AHrOfQQ-cWQWbsAU38w4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kirk Doss, business connection manager for MidAmerican Energy, told the Southeast Polk Community School District Board of Education on May 1 that the utility had issued a $348,000 energy-efficiency rebate for the district's recently completed middle school.

Doss said the project began in the design phase in 2021 and that MidAmerican’s early estimate of the rebate was $189,000. After a post-construction verification, he said the company calculated a larger rebate because the program now includes gas savings: “we calculated that your rebate would be a hundred and $89,000…we came up with a different amount, $348,000,” he said. He also told the board the upgrades are expected to reduce the building’s annual energy costs by about $162,000.

District staff accepted the check on behalf of the district; Doss asked for a photo with board members at the meeting. The board did not take separate action on the rebate during the public-comment portion beyond accepting the presentation.

Why this matters: The district’s capital projects include energy and operational cost implications. MidAmerican’s verification raised the rebate amount from the design estimate to the verified figure after including gas savings, increasing one-time rebate funding available to the district and raising expected annual operating savings for that building.

Board context and next steps: The presentation occurred during the public-comment/presentation portion of the May 1 board meeting. District staff did not present a separate agenda action tied to the rebate during the same meeting; the check presentation and photo opportunity concluded the item.","MidAmerican Energy business connection manager Kirk Doss presented the district with a $348,000 energy-efficiency rebate tied to the district's recently completed middle school, and said the district should see roughly $162,000 in annual energy-cost savings at that building.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Southeast Polk board approves labor agreement, farm leases, middle-school completion and routine consent items

District financial advisers outline $50 million GO bond plan, target no property-tax increase

Southeast Polk staff recommend Amplify CKLA for grades 3–5; board to consider adoption May 15

MidAmerican Energy presents $348,000 rebate for Southeast Polk middle school energy upgrades