Bethalto CUSD 8 board places tentative levy on display and approves $80,000 for CHS elevator; personnel slate adopted

At its November meeting, the Bethalto CUSD 8 Board of Education took several fiscal and operational actions: members voted to place a tentative tax levy on public display, set a Truth in Taxation hearing for 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 18, and approved an $80,000 Health Life Safety fund project to reserve CHS elevator renovation work.

Motions and votes: The board made and seconded the motions; roll-call votes were recorded as follows (each recorded as "yes"): Kirby; Pritchette (also appears as Richard in one roll call line); Zimmerman; Potter; Rosie; Wolfful; Meiser. The actions carried unanimously in the recorded roll calls.

Elevator project details: District staff described the CHS elevator as an Otis unit that is operational but aging and reliant on proprietary parts no longer manufactured for the model. The full estimated project cost discussed was about $150,000; the presenter said the district hopes for approximately $50,000 from the Illinois State Maintenance Grant and the remainder from Health Life Safety funds after architect and state review. The board approved $80,000 toward the project at this meeting to secure summer scheduling and reduce disruption to students.

Tentative tax levy and multipliers: Administrators recommended proposing a tentative levy up to 12% to capture projected increases in equalized assessed value (EAV). The presenter explained township multipliers the state has applied to local assessments (Fort Russell 1.0679; Foster 1.0419; Morrow 1.1136; Wood River 1.0836) and said placing a tentative levy on public display begins the statutorily required 20-day public-notice period before final adoption in December.

Personnel actions: The board reviewed and approved a slate of routine personnel items including a certified leave of absence (Valerie Anderson, kindergarten teacher), several noncertified hires and resignations, exempt hires, extracurricular hires and resignations, and other adjustments. The personnel list submitted for approval included names and positions (for example, Alexis Gillis, custodian; Amy D. Bachmann, permanent substitute, CHS science; Eric Young, CHS boys head soccer coach). The board approved personnel actions by roll call.

What happens next: The tentative levy will be placed on public display for the statutorily required period and the Truth in Taxation hearing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18; a fuller levy presentation and formal vote on the final levy are expected at the Dec. 18 regular board meeting. The district will continue architect review and state approval processes for the CHS elevator project before committing additional funds or issuing contracts.