Deuel School District board adopts final budget and levies, approves hires and modest meal-price increases

The Deuel School District 19‑4 board on an August meeting adopted its final fiscal-year budget and certified levies, approved a slate of personnel hires and vendor contracts, and authorized modest increases to school meal prices.

Board chair opened the meeting and the business manager, Ellen, reviewed line-by-line changes to the draft budget, highlighting a roughly $26,000 increase in elementary general‑fund costs (partly corrections and insurance enrollment changes), a $47,700 federal REAP grant that increases high-school capital revenue and expenses equally, and a $110,000 rise in the SPED line that Ellen described as “a typo on my part.” The board discussed transfers required to move capital outlay funds into the general fund and then into programs such as preschool and food service, the impact of rising property insurance and maintenance costs, and an updated general‑fund balance estimate. After discussion the board voted to adopt the budget and certify levies at the meeting rather than defer to September.

The board also acted on several personnel items. It approved hiring Kim Holt to support preschool, Kelsey Monier for a high‑school paraprofessional vacancy, Colleen Vakie as a cook (transitioning from a custodian role), and rapid hires and appointments in athletics: Hunter Waging as assistant high‑school football coach and Andrew Rathbaum as middle‑school football coach. The board moved quickly to approve the hire of Shane Winkle as the K–12 art teacher after a same‑day interview; the superintendent noted Winkle holds a recent art degree and has 20 years of para experience in a neighboring district.

On procurement, the board awarded the bread contract to Maynard’s (Pan‑O‑Gold) after finding a competing bid from Bimbo Bakeries did not meet the district’s grain specifications. The district approved its annual child‑nutrition procurement plan unchanged for the year. For fuel the board received a single bid from Dual County Farmers Union (diesel number‑2 and number‑1 prices around the mid‑$4 range) and approved Dual County as the vendor while directing staff to seek a written negotiated price reduction similar to options used last year.

The board approved modest meal-price increases required under state guidance: preschool–grade 5 and grades 6–8 lunches from $3.65 to $3.75; grades 9–12 lunches from $3.75 to $3.85; adult lunches from $5.00 to $5.25; seconds from $1.85 to $2.00; and classroom milk from $0.40 to $0.50. Breakfast prices were unchanged. Board members discussed free/reduced eligibility and noted that applications apply forward from submission rather than retroactively.

Operational actions included approving the surplus and destruction of an old bus to qualify for a district rebate (superintendent said the reimbursement process should yield about $35,000) and scheduling concrete repairs and speed‑bump installation in the back parking lot to slow traffic.

Votes at a glance: the board carried motions to adopt the agenda as amended; approve the consent agenda (July minutes and payroll); adopt the final budget and levy resolution; approve the monthly financial report; approve bills; award the bread bid to Maynard’s; approve the child‑nutrition procurement plan; hire Kim Holt, Kelsey Monier and Colleen Vakie; appoint Hunter Waging and Andrew Rathbaum as coaches; hire Shane Winkle as art teacher; approve meal-price increases; approve Dual County as fuel vendor while seeking confirmed pricing; surplus the bus; and adjourn. Most motions were approved by voice vote with “aye” recorded; no formal roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.

The superintendent and administrators also presented academic and assessment materials (MAPS/ACT data and a strategic academic plan) as part of regular reports; that discussion did not require board action.

The board set its next regular meeting for September 8.