Watertown School District board approves bids, banking contract and multiple personnel items; sets budget hearing for July 14

The Watertown School District 14-4 Board of Education voted on multiple routine and contract items during its May 13 meeting, approving bids, personnel recommendations and a district banking services agreement and setting the public budget hearing for July 14, 2025.

The board accepted a sole bid from Dunnick Incorporated for the Lincoln School North parking-lot project in the amount of $164,570 and approved a change order (Change Order No. 6) to the athletic complex contract that adds $46,301 to the contract, bringing the project total to $10,900,000. The change order covers nine items including code revisions to the field house, structural support for perforated panels at the ticket booth, concrete infill in front of the field house (previously shown as turf), some flooring and tile adjustments, and irrigation modifications; the construction contingency was reported at $525,000 before the change order and afterward the remaining contingency was $387,000.

The board accepted a proposal from First PREMIER Bank to provide comprehensive banking services under a service agreement that will begin in July 2025. Board members said an evaluation committee reviewed seven competitive proposals and recommended First PREMIER based on rates, fee structure and other terms.

District supply contracts for the 2025–26 year were renewed: Performance Food was awarded the food distribution contract and Contract Paper Group was awarded the paper-products contract.

On personnel matters the board approved a slate of resignations, retirements, hires and contract recommendations (including the hiring of Aaron Kanowski as assistant principal at the intermediate school), and granted a requested leave of absence for a staff member who is slated to assume an SDEA leadership position. The board also approved other personnel contracts and addendums as presented.

Other motions carried included approval of the April minutes and the April financial reports, authorization to bid for surgical-technology equipment at Lake Area Technical College (LATC) in advance of an equipment donation from Sanford, and acceptance of district product bids and routine policy updates. The board set the FY 2025–26 budget hearing for July 14 at 5:00 p.m.

All motions acted on at the meeting passed as presented; where specific tallies were not read into the record the motions were recorded by the board as carried.

Ending: The board closed the meeting after routine administrative reports and announcements about upcoming graduations and a June 17 election for four board seats.