Board approves 2025‑26 calendar, personnel contract, HVAC study, maintenance plan and fiscal audit

The Dallas Center‑Grimes Community School District board voted on a series of routine and substantive actions including approval of the 2025‑26 district calendar, acceptance of the 2023‑24 fiscal audit, personnel and facilities agreements, and awards for surplus property.

Key items approved at the meeting (votes at a glance):

- Resolution authorizing the redemption of General Obligation School Bonds Series 2019 and approving a third amendment to an escrow agent agreement; motion carried by voice vote (Item A).

- Third Amendment to the Escrow Agent Agreement for the DCG surplus levy for fiscal year 2026 — approved (Item B).

- Optional kindergarten name change to "Transitional Kindergarten" — approved (Item C).

- Two students approved to graduate at the end of the second term after meeting requirements — approved (Item D).

- 2025‑26 district calendar (start date listed in comment as August 25, 2025) — board approved the proposed calendar after discussion about split workdays for K‑6 and 7‑12 on Feb. 27 and March 30; motion carried (Item E).

- Contract for Director of Student Services: appointment of Allison Finley at a salary of $125,000 with standard administrative benefits for the 2025‑26 year — approved (Item G). Board discussion noted contract document to be provided to members after the meeting.

- Baker Group HVAC engineering study for the district administration building for $4,200 — approved (Item H).

- Baker Group preventive maintenance agreement for district HVAC systems (seven buildings) from Feb. 1, 2025 through Jan. 31, 2028, annual cost listed in packet as $58,500 (paid in installments) — approved (Item I).

- Award of surplus technology lots 1–3 to Secured Tech Solutions for $5,166 — approved (Item O).

- Acceptance of the 2023‑24 fiscal audit by Bergen KDV (unmodified opinion); the district business manager reported audit adjustments and prior‑period reclassifications handled in the audit — accepted (Item P).

- Denial of an open‑enrollment application from a family in Des Moines for lack of good cause — approved (Item K).

- Termination of an open‑enrollment agreement for student CP and prohibition on reenrollment in the receiving district — approved (Item L).

- Acceptance of bids for surplus lots, approval to sell items on GovDeals (28 items), and routine consent agenda items including minutes, bills and personnel items — approved.

Several motions passed by voice vote with no roll‑call tallies printed in the meeting minutes. Where a mover and seconder were recorded in the transcript, those names appear in the actions log below.

Board members raised questions about the 2025‑26 calendar, specifically the split professional development/workday arrangement that would hold different grade bands on separate workdays (Feb. 27 and March 30) and the district's contingency plans if the Iowa Legislature changed allowable start dates. Superintendent Bloom said the calendar team and teacher‑quality committee discussed tradeoffs and would consider adjustments if needed. The board directed district staff to communicate calendar details widely to families and noted the possibility of amending the calendar if compelling feedback emerged.

The business office presented the fiscal audit. The auditors issued an unmodified opinion; district staff noted adjustments including a reclassification of construction in progress and higher than‑expected cash balances that the board subsequently addressed with an updated investment resolution.

A detailed list of motions, movers, seconds and recorded outcomes is included in the actions array below. Where the meeting transcript did not include a recorded roll‑call vote tally, the outcome is summarized as recorded in the minutes (voice vote: motion carried).