School City of East Chicago board approves MOUs, contracts and personnel items; tables certified staff raise

The School City of East Chicago Board of School Trustees approved multiple memoranda of understanding, contracts, budget transfers and personnel items at the May 13 regular meeting. Most motions carried on recorded roll-call votes. One personnel item—a certified staff cost-of-living increase—was tabled for later discussion.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of the agenda (Item 2.01): motion passed on roll call (Trustees Gomez, Smith, Rodriguez and President Gibson King voted yes).

- Consent agenda: approved by roll call.

- Personnel report (Item 6.01): trustees voted to remove one item from page 2 and then approved the personnel report as amended; roll-call votes recorded as yes by Trustees Gomez, Smith, Rodriguez and President Gibson King.

- Memorandum of Understanding with Communities In Schools (Item 6.02): approved; trustees and legal staff noted the MOU carries no dollar amount and is contingent on future grant approval.

- Memorandum of Understanding with Purdue University Northwest for the DREAMS degree summer camp and transportation (Item 6.03): approved on roll call.

- Technology summer internships (Item 6.04): approved on roll call.

- Amendment/approval of collective bargaining agreements for the professional, clerks, transportation, security and custodial units (Items 6.05–6.09): trustees approved amendments as presented.

- Transportation retirement insurance payment transfer (Item 6.10) and additional internal transfers per the State Board of Accounts audit recommendation (Item 6.11): approved; staff explained the transfers correct fund receipts and close inactive accounts per the audit.

- Certified staff cost-of-living increase (Item 6.12): trustees debated raising the proposed 3% to 5% but ultimately voted to table item 6.12 for further consideration.

- Non-certified staff cost-of-living increase (Item 6.13): approved.

- Summer-school reading intervention program (Item 6.14): approved; elementary summer program dates were described as May 28–June 26, Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–12 p.m.; staff said program duration is limited by the state and funding availability.

- Whitman facility condition assessment proposal (Item 6.15): approved; the contract will deliver a building-by-building condition report with short- and long-range maintenance recommendations.

- Disposal of surplus property (Item 6.16): approved; staff said items will be offered for donation or sale and discussed options such as online auction platforms.

- Central High School restroom remodeling summer project (Item 6.17): construction contract approved; the contract had been reviewed by legal staff.

- Lighting upgrades (Item 6.18): approved; work covers exterior and interior lighting improvements and upgrades to a library lighting desk.

- Title change from Director of Special Education to Director of Exceptional Learning (Item 6.19): approved as an administrative title change.

- Appointment of a State Board of Accounts internal compliance officer (Item 6.21): approved; trustees said the role will strengthen separation-of-duties and internal controls identified in recent audits.

One agenda item about creation of a new position (listed in the packet as a director of secondary curriculum, instruction and career-technical education) was moved to be tabled by motion of Trustee Smith and seconded by Trustee Rodriguez; the motion to table carried on roll call.

Most motions recorded roll-call votes with all present board members voting yes, according to the transcript. Where motions named movers and seconders, the transcript lines were recorded (for example, several items were introduced by Trustee Rodriguez or Trustee Gomez and seconded by Trustee Smith).