Board approves multiple operational items including LearnLifesavers, staffing plan, bus purchases and modest fee increases

The WARREN CO. R-III Board of Education voted on a series of operational items at its regular meeting. Below are the motions considered and the stated outcomes; the meeting transcript records voice votes with “aye/nay” responses rather than a roll‑call tally for most motions.

• Adopt agenda — Motion made and seconded; passed by voice vote.

• Consent agenda — Motion made and seconded; approved by voice vote.

• Negotiated agreement (teacher/staff compensation framework) — The board voted to approve the negotiated agreement as presented. The superintendent and negotiators reported the agreement will bring teacher minimums to the state‑required $40,000 floor and raise hourly schedules below $15 to at least $15 by the January 1 timeline; the district estimated the total cost impact to cover required minimums at about a 4.7% aggregate salary cost increase (the distribution of that increase varies by position). Motion passed by voice vote.

• LearnLifesavers (organ‑donation education) — The board voted to make the LearnLifesavers.org lesson available to high‑school teachers (use optional for staff; recommended placement in health classes). A motion to implement the LearnLifesavers program for the high school was made and seconded and passed by voice vote.

• SCI contract correction (special inspections for settlement plates on the new building) — The board approved a contract correction to add a special inspection on settlement plates for the new building; the item was described as correcting an omission in the original contract. Motion passed by voice vote.

• Staffing plan for 2025–26 — The board approved the staffing plan that included (1) a proposed executive producer/broadcasting position intended to be self‑funded through advertising, (2) an additional special‑education teacher at the middle school, and (3) three growth/backup positions earmarked for grade‑level needs (including possible fourth‑grade coverage). The motion passed by voice vote.

• Latch‑key rates — The board approved a modest increase in latch‑key fees intended to keep the program self‑sustaining. The recommended change raised rates by roughly $0.50 per session (the board explained that equals about $1 per day for morning+afternoon enrollment) and the meeting record describes weekly rate categories (for three days or fewer, currently $15 per week for morning only, with other weekly rates for additional sessions). Motion passed by voice vote.

• Bus purchase — The board approved purchase of three new buses from Midwest Transit Equipment for a total price the district stated as $494,787. Board members said bus prices have risen and the district recommended three vehicles rather than four to stay within available funds. Motion passed by voice vote.

• Global stability analysis (retaining‑wall geotechnical testing) — The board approved additional testing and a contract for a global stability analysis to confirm ground conditions where a retaining wall will be placed for the new building; the presenter said the work is a prudent step to avoid future structural problems. Motion passed by voice vote.

• Setting next meeting and closed session scheduling — The board set the next regular meeting for 2025‑04‑10 and scheduled an immediate closed session to precede that meeting. Motions passed by voice vote.

All motions were made and seconded as recorded in the meeting transcript; the audio record shows voice votes with “aye/nay” responses and occasional abstentions referenced but does not provide a person‑by‑person roll call or a numeric tally for each motion. Where the transcript included additional clarifying comments (for example, the negotiated agreement detail on the $40,000 teacher minimum and the $15 hourly floor), those clarifications are reflected above.