Libertyville SD 70 board approves Butterfield renovations, parking-lot repaving, staff pay increases and $5 million tax warrants

The Board of Education for Libertyville School District 70 on March 16 approved a package of facility contracts, personnel pay adjustments and a parameters resolution authorizing up to $5,000,000 in taxable Tax Anticipation Warrants to handle short-term cash-flow timing differences.

The Board voted unanimously, with Board President Jennifer Khan and five other members present and one member absent, to award renovation contracts for Butterfield Elementary and to accept the low bid for repaving the Dymond Road property parking lot.

Administration and SMC Construction Services recommended awarding the Butterfield Elementary renovation work to three low bidders. Ostrander Construction was the recommended low bidder for the General Trades package (BP#06A) with a base bid of $372,250 and Alternate 1 of $673,960 for a combined total of $1,046,210. Oosterbaan & Sons Co. was the low bidder for Painting (BP#09B) with a base of $77,460 and Alternate 1 of $9,000 for a combined $86,460. Heitkotter, Inc. was recommended for the Acoustical Ceilings package (BP#09C) with a base bid of $38,000 and Alternate 1 of $20,000 for a combined $58,000. The Board approved the awards on a motion by Board Member Mr. McGhee, seconded by Board Member Mr. Lawton.

For the Dymond Road parking-lot repaving project, Chicagoland Paving Contractors, Inc. submitted the low base bid of $100,000 and a $90,000 Alternate 1 (stone-base replacement). Under the district’s intergovernmental agreement with Libertyville High School District 128, D128 will manage the project and reimburse District 70 for the cost. The Board approved the recommendation following a post-bid review by Inspec (D128’s civil engineering firm).

The Board also approved aggregate, “not-to-exceed” salary increases for returning employees for the 2026–27 school year: $273,204.01 for non-certified staff (Board Report 9.3) and $89,177.73 for administrators (Board Report 9.4). Both motions were moved by Mr. McGhee and seconded by Mr. Lawton and passed on unanimous roll-call votes of the members present.

To address a short-term gap between expenditures and property-tax receipts, the Board approved a parameters resolution authorizing issuance of taxable Tax Anticipation Warrants (TAWs) not to exceed $5,000,000. Administration explained the timing issue stems from routine property-tax distribution schedules (roughly 50% of property-tax revenue received in late May/June and 50% in August/September) combined with near-term construction and equipment expenditures and reduced CPPRT receipts. The Board was told the planned mid-April issuance would be repaid no later than June 30 after the district receives its tax distribution.

Votes at a glance - Move to closed session: motion by Mrs. Schilling, second Mr. Lawton — approved (ayes: Mrs. Khan, Mrs. Schilling, Mrs. Grove, Mr. Lawton, Mr. McGhee, Mrs. Dahlke; absent: Mr. Sticklen). - Consent agenda (Board Report 6): motion by Mrs. Schilling, second Mr. Lawton — approved (same roll call). - 2027–2028 school calendar (Board Report 9.1): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved (same roll call). - Postpone 2026–2027 board meeting dates to April: motion to remove from agenda — approved for further review. - Non-certified personnel compensation (Board Report 9.3, $273,204.01 aggregate): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved. - Administrator compensation (Board Report 9.4, $89,177.73 aggregate): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved. - Butterfield renovation bids (Board Report 9.5): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved; recommended awards to Ostrander Construction, Oosterbaan & Sons Co., and Heitkotter, Inc. - Dymond Road parking-lot (Board Report 9.6): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved; award to Chicagoland Paving Contractors, Inc.; project to be managed jointly with District 128 and reimbursed by D128. - Support-staff resignation/termination as reviewed in closed session: motion by Mrs. Schilling, second Mr. Lawton — approved (employee name/details not disclosed in open minutes). - Intercom/paging system replacement and enhancements (Board Report 9.9): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved. - Parameters resolution authorizing not-to-exceed $5,000,000 Tax Anticipation Warrants (Board Report 9.10): motion by Mr. McGhee, second Mr. Lawton — approved.

What’s next Contracts and procurement steps will proceed as recommended by administration. The district intends to issue the short-term warrants in mid-April and to retire them no later than June 30 after receiving property-tax distributions. Several items (including the 2026–27 Board meeting dates) were deferred to the April meeting for further review.

Sources: Board of Education meeting minutes, Libertyville School District 70, March 16, 2026 meeting minutes.