Mid Valley School Board approves routine personnel and contracts, accepts county assessment settlement

The Mid Valley School District Board of Directors on March 13, 2025, approved a slate of routine personnel, operational and contractual items and voted to accept a county assessment settlement that sets the fair-market value of an Urban Northeast LP parcel at $4,000,000 for the 2024 tax year and $4,300,000 for the 2025 tax year.

The action on the assessment appeal drew the meeting’s most substantive discussion. Board members described the county reassessment process as imperfect and warned the settlement reduces the district’s tax base for the near term. One board member criticized the county’s public information and appeals process, saying the county “provides no resources for looking up your property” and urging residents that “you’re gonna have to hire your own people to go appeal.” The settlement motion passed; one board member recorded a no vote.

Most of the evening covered routine approvals. The board approved minutes from the Feb. 12, 2025, meeting; accepted resignations submitted by Jessica Norris and Jessica Pagnati; and approved a contingent list of volunteers pending required clearances. The board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Mid Valley Education Support Personnel Association (MVESPA) concerning retirements and a partial agreement for 2024–25 with NEIU No. 19. The board also approved an affiliation agreement with Keystone College.

School operations actions approved included conference and field-trip requests, adoption of the 2025–26 school-year calendar, acceptance of the district comprehensive plan for 2025–2028, approval of a student adjudication agreement (ST No. 07/2425), and adoption of the seventh-through-12th-grade course selection guide for 2025–26. Facilities and transportation items approved included multiple facility-use requests, approval of the listed bus and van drivers for 2024–25 (subject to timely certification/clearance renewals), and a transportation extension agreement with MRO. The board also approved a cafeteria services renewal with Nutrition Inc. for the 2025–26 school year and several policy revisions on first reading.

On finance and reporting, the board approved bills payable for Feb. 13–March 12, 2025; accepted the treasurer’s reports; approved the list of checks received for deposit; and accepted activity fund and cafeteria reports as posted.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Feb. 12, 2025 minutes — motion carried (voice vote). - Acceptance of resignations (Jessica Norris; Jessica Pagnati) — motion carried (voice vote). - Approval of volunteer list (contingent on clearances) — motion carried (voice vote). - MOU with MVESPA (retirement provisions) — motion carried (voice vote). - Conference and field-trip requests — motions carried (voice votes). - Adoption of 2025–26 school calendar — motion carried (voice vote). - Affiliation agreement with Keystone College — motion carried (voice vote). - Acceptance of district comprehensive plan 2025–2028 — motion carried (voice vote). - NEIU No. 19 partial agreement 2024–25 — motion carried (voice vote). - Student adjudication agreement (ST No. 07/2425) — motion carried (voice vote). - Course selection guide for 2025–26 (grades 7–12) — motion carried (voice vote). - Facility-use requests — motion carried (voice vote). - Bus drivers list for 2024–25 (subject to certification/clearance renewal) — motion carried (voice vote). - Van drivers list for 2024–25 (subject to certification/clearance renewal) — motion carried (voice vote). - Transportation extension agreement with MRO — motion carried (voice vote). - Cafeteria renewal with Nutrition Inc. (2025–26 school year) — motion carried (roll call: board members recorded as voting yes; see actions[] for details). - Policy revisions (first reading) — motion carried (voice vote). - Assessment-settlement acceptance (Urban Northeast LP; FMV $4,000,000 for 2024, $4,300,000 for 2025) — motion carried (one recorded no vote by Missus Dixon). - Approval of bills payable (02/13/2025–03/12/2025) — motion carried (voice vote). - Acceptance of treasurer’s reports — motion carried (voice vote). - Approval of checks received — motion carried (voice vote). - Acceptance of activity fund and cafeteria reports — motions carried (voice votes).

Board members spent the evening largely on business-as-usual agenda items; the assessment-settlement vote prompted the most extended remarks. During board comments near the end of the meeting, a board member who had attended an earlier county presentation on reassessment criticized the county process, noting the appeals board is small and that property owners will likely need outside help to pursue appeals. The board scheduled a work session for April 7 and the next regular meeting for April 9.

The meeting included an executive session earlier in the week (March 10) for personnel and legal matters and an executive session the evening of the meeting at 6:30 p.m. before the regular session. The meeting adjourned by motion.