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Board approves SRO agreement, awards summer meal contract and renews Medicaid billing vendor
Summary
The Ottumwa board approved renewal of the school resource officer agreement (50/50 cost split), awarded the summer meal kit contract to ES Foods for a shelf‑stable 14‑meal kit, and renewed the district’s Medicaid billing contract with Relay (6% fee; optional $8,500 dashboard). Board members raised operational and volunteer concerns about meal distribution and allergen paperwork.
The Ottumwa Community School District board voted to approve several administrative contracts and routine items, including renewing a school resource officer (SRO) agreement with the city, awarding a summer meal vendor, and renewing the district’s Medicaid billing contract.
On the SRO agreement, administration said this was a renegotiation year for a three‑year partnership that funds three SROs. There were no operational changes; the district continues to split officer salary and benefits 50/50 with the city. Staff reported the district paid a little over $214,000 for three SROs this year and expects a little under $225,000 next year. Officials said the new contract reflects a 5% increase this year and projected annual increases of about 6.5% tied to officer salary and benefit changes.
The board also approved awarding the district’s summer meal kit contract to ES Foods after staff described a shift toward shelf‑stable, individually packaged 14‑meal kits (seven breakfasts, seven lunches) distributed once per week to reduce waste and handling at open sites. Staff said the district served a little over 171,000 meals and snacks during summer 2025 and recommended ES Foods as the lowest responsive bidder; the packet lists a unit price of $33 per kit. Board members and staff discussed volunteer handling and distribution-site conditions; staff said boxes were easier to manage than prior loose items and that distribution logistics were selected to avoid traffic backups.
On Medicaid billing, administration recommended renewing Relay (which purchased Timberline). Staff reported about $912,000 in Medicaid reimbursements last year and a projection of roughly $1.05 million for the current year. Relay’s fee remains 6% of net receipts and the district will pay $8,500 annually for an optional dashboard service designed to simplify documentation and billing.
All three items passed on motions with second and voice/hand-raise approval; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
Board members also raised a policy concern about allergen paperwork (policy 507.12) and asked that administration ensure severe allergy notifications are shared buildingwide.
