Oelrichs School Board adopts FY25 budget, sets meal rates and approves multiple hires and contracts

The Oelrichs School District 23-3 Board of Education on Aug. 19 approved the district's 2024–25 budget, set student meal and officials' pay rates, and authorized multiple contracts and personnel appointments.

Board President John Cope convened the meeting at 5:00 p.m. in the high school science room. The board accepted unaudited financial reports and moved to pay invoiced claims on the motion recorded in the minutes.

The board set meal prices for the school year: student lunch $4.50 (with milk), adult lunch $5.00 (with milk); student breakfast $2.50 (with milk), adult breakfast $2.84 (with milk); milk sold at $0.35. The board also approved a pay scale for sports officials: varsity referees $100 per game, junior varsity referees $65 per game, and mileage at $0.58 per mile.

On a motion by Board member Katie Merdanian, seconded by Marty Schommer, the board adopted the FY25 budget as presented.

Principal Peterson presented multiple open-enrollment applications; the board approved the students listed in the minutes in a series of motions and authorized Superintendent Dr. Mitchell Stone to tentatively approve future open-enrollment applications subject to later board ratification.

The board approved disposal of items on the surplus list provided to board members and authorized consulting agreements with Dr. Melissa Frein and Michelle Moser. Coaching contracts approved included Jessica Eagle Hawk as head volleyball coach and Anna Takes the Shield as assistant volleyball coach.

The board approved the employment of Chevy Zimiga as a summer custodian at $15.00 per hour. The minutes record that Board member Dave Osmotherly abstained from that vote; all other recorded actions were marked "Motion carried" and the minutes state that actions were unanimous unless otherwise noted.

The meeting adjourned at 6:51 p.m.; the minutes were attested by CEO/Superintendent Dr. Mitchell Stone.

Votes at a glance - Approval of July 15, 2024 minutes: Motion carried (mover: Dave Osmotherly; second: Lance Tlustos). - Approval of agenda: Motion carried (mover: Dave Osmotherly; second: Katie Merdanian). - Accept unaudited financial reports and pay invoiced claims: Motion carried (mover: Lance Tlustos; second: Katie Merdanian). - School lunch prices set as above: Motion carried (mover: Dave Osmotherly; second: Katie Merdanian). - Officials/referees pay scale: Motion carried (mover: Lance Tlustos; second: Katie Merdanian). - FY25 budget adoption: Motion carried (mover: Katie Merdanian; second: Marty Schommer). - Open enrollment approvals: Motions carried (mover/second varied; Principal Peterson presented applications). - Surplus disposal: Motion carried (mover: Dave Osmotherly; second: Katie Merdanian). - Consulting agreements with Dr. Melissa Frein and Michelle Moser: Motions carried. - Head and assistant volleyball coach contracts (Jessica Eagle Hawk; Anna Takes the Shield): Motions carried. - Employment of summer custodian Chevy Zimiga at $15.00/hour: Motion carried; Osmotherly abstained.

What this means The board's actions finalize the district's spending plan for the 2024–25 school year, set meal and official pay rates for athletics, and put in place multiple outside-service contracts and coaching staff for the coming year. Open-enrollment approvals were handled individually and the superintendent was granted authority to tentatively approve future applications pending later ratification by the board.

Provenance: meeting minutes, SEG 005, SEG 008, SEG 009, SEG 011.