Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lake Benton board approves routine fiscal and administrative items, updates handbooks and sets signatories
Summary
At its July 16, 2025 meeting the Lake Benton School Board approved routine fiscal and administrative measures including bank signatories, vendor selections, lunch prices, updated student and staff handbooks, insurance renewals, and a vehicle lease arrangement; administrators reported staffing and facilities maintenance needs.
The Lake Benton School Board approved a package of routine fiscal and administrative items at its July 16, 2025, regular meeting and received administrative reports on staffing and facilities.
During roll call Chairperson Schwing confirmed a quorum and the board approved the meeting agenda and previous minutes. The board approved the monthly financials showing $82,636.30 on hand (motion Hurd, second DeVries).
Administrators reported several operational items. Mr. Hansen said the district’s only staffing needs at present are substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and kitchen staff; he also said building cleaning continues, updated handbooks have been distributed to board members and parking lot and basketball court cracks remain to be filled this summer. Mr. Woelber said Title funding is "in limbo," year‑end finances were better than anticipated, and that an ad for a new custodian will run next fall because Steve Bennett intends to retire.
On administrative motions the board:
- Approved account access and signatories: Ms. Appel authorized for district transactions, scholarship electronic transfers and ACH; Mr. Woelber, Ms. Appel and Ms. Rochel authorized for First Security Bank accounts; and Ms. Appel authorized for MN Liquid Asset and Max accounts (motion Hurd, second Osland).
- Designated Squires, Waldspurger & Mace, P.A. as the district attorney and First Security Bank as district depository; named Lake Benton Valley Journal as the district newspaper; set regular board meetings for the third Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m.; and scheduled the annual Truth in Taxation hearing for Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at 6 p.m. in Lake Benton (motion Hurd, second DeVries).
- Kept rental rates and facility fees unchanged for 2025–26, and approved appointments including Ms. Rochel as census taker and Mr. Hansen for Title ESEA, World's Best Workforce chair and district testing coordinator; Mr. Harming was named district technology coordinator (motion DeVries, second Osland).
- Approved Dean Foods as the milk vendor and Bimbo Foods as the bread vendor (motion Hurd, second Osland), and authorized Mr. Hansen to submit annual Title I, II and IV application submittals in August.
- Set meal prices for 2025–26: adult breakfast $2.40, adult lunch $5.00, student lunch free and extra milk $0.50 (motion Osland, second Hurd).
- Approved annual workers' compensation insurance with Koslowski Agency; approved WWG leasing the district Ford Transit provided the vehicle is not needed locally and WWG will supply a 2021 Chrysler Pacifica and pay $350 per month; approved updated student and staff handbooks; changed the August meeting date to Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 6:00 p.m.; and approved continued membership in the Minnesota Rural Education Association (motions recorded throughout the meeting).
The board recognized Jordan Bennett of Lake Benton Bus Service for donating candy and providing a bus for the Saddle Horse Holiday parade. The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Where specific motions, approvals or vote tallies were recorded in the minutes, they are reflected here; if the minutes indicate only "passed" the article reports that result without additional vote details.
