Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Actions topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Morton CUSD 709 board approves 2027 calendar, sends 1% county sales-tax question to ballot and accepts $1.347M construction bid
Summary
The Morton CUSD 709 board unanimously approved the 2027 district calendar, adopted a resolution to place a 1% county retailers' and service tax question on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot for school facilities and safety personnel, and accepted a $1,347,000 construction bid; other routine fiscal transfers and the consent agenda were also approved.
The Morton CUSD 709 Board of Education on the night of the meeting approved the 2027 district school calendar and several fiscal and facilities motions, including sending a measure to county voters to consider a 1% retailers' and service occupation tax dedicated to school facility purposes, school resource officers and mental-health professionals.
Secretary Mrs. Layman read the county-question resolution to the board, which voted to direct the regional superintendent to certify the question for the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. Board members who recorded votes during the roll call included Mrs. Layman, Dr. Crawl, Mrs. Pery, Dr. Cross, Mr. Roth, Mr. Rudd and Mr. Ronis Orchard; the motion passed on an affirmative roll call.
The board also approved the 2027 district calendar as presented and authorized a permanent transfer of $110,000 of accrued interest from the working-cash fund to the Education fund; administration said higher interest rates made the transfer advantageous this year.
On facilities business, board members approved acceptance of a base bid plus alternate from Peoria Metro Construction (transcript: "Poria Metro Construction") in the amount of $1,347,000 for specified 2026 project scopes discussed in committee. Facilities committee members had reported the total was about $140,000 above estimate, with window pricing a primary driver; committee members recommended moving forward with the recommended bid and the board approved it by roll call.
The board also approved the consent agenda, after a brief question from a member about participant counts and paperwork for an overnight Skills USA trip; administration committed to provide updated participant numbers.
The meeting concluded business and then moved into a closed session to discuss personnel matters and property acquisition or lease.
What to watch next: the sales-tax resolution must be certified to the county and, if included by the county clerk, voters will decide the question in November 2026. The district said it will continue to report on project bids and budget impacts to the board.
