NORMAL – Normal’s Unit 5 School Board has hired the Chief Financial Officer of Peoria County to be its next Business Manager, effective July 1.
Board members approved the hiring of Erik Bush as the new Business Manager, replacing outgoing interim Chief Financial Officer Martin Getty. Getty, who had experience working with the Decatur School District, has been serving as Unit 5’s interim CFO since December, following the resignation of Jim Gillmeister.
As CFO for Peoria County, Bush is responsible for a $125 million operating and capital budget, and orchestrated a balanced 2010 fiscal year spending plan which included avoiding any layoffs or tax increases. Prior to his job in Peoria, Bush served as City Administrator for the City of Flora, Ill., and director of finance for the City of Warrenville, Ill.
Married with four children, Bush served in the U. S. Navy, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Workforce, Education and Development from Southern Illinois University, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University.
“(Bush) brings the confidence and competence we need in a Business Manager,†District Superintendent Gary Niehaus told Board members. “We will get him into position to get this (financial) ship righted.â€
“I want to extend my appreciation to Dr. Niehaus and the Board for considering me,†Bush said when addressing the group. Bush’s contract runs for three years at an annual salary of $125,000.
Student Population Increase Expected: Board members heard from Niehaus about the proposed student population increase Unit 5 is planning to see in the coming years.
With two schools, Cedar Ridge Elementary and Benjamin Elementary, opening at the start of the 2010-11 school year, by the end of September, Unit 5 estimates to have 13,405 students in its 17 elementary schools, three junior high schools, and two high schools. A fourth junior high, George L. Evans Junior High in Bloomington, is slated to open in the fall of 2011.
When the two new elementary schools are open for business, Unit 5 estimates its total population will jump to 13,847 students.
As had been suspected when the district pushed for a referendum to build new schools in 2008, by the time students start school in August 2015, student population in the district will be just shy the expected 15,000 student mark – with 14,804 students anticipated attending school in the district.
By 2013, Niehaus told Board members, Unit 5 will be looking at an anticipated 1,300 students starting kindergarten.
Board, Rep. Brady Discuss State Re-imbursement: Unit 5, like many other school districts in the State, continues to wait for funds still due to it from the State. Getty informed Board members Unit 5 has submitted another set of vouchers to the State totaling $1.2 million, but that those funds will probably not arrive before the end of fiscal year 2010, on June 30. In total, the State of Illinois owes Unit 5 around $6 million. Niehaus said the State is between 4-6 months behind in doling out payments.
Board member John Puzauskas asked Getty if money for which vouchers were submitted to the State on Feb. 1 would arrive by the end of fiscal year 2010. Getty replied, “Maybe.â€
Getty said everything depends on how the State sets its budget for fiscal year 2011.
State Rep. Dan Brady (R-88th Dist.) was present for the meeting, and told Board members, “the fact of the matter remains (Unit 5) is in limbo, just like (Bloomington’s School) District 87.†Brady said he has heard the State could announce a fiscal year 2011 budget as early as May 7 and as late as May 15.
“We could vote on some kind of budget on one of those two days,†Brady said.
Unit 5 will hold a public hearing concerning its proposed fiscal year 2011 budget as part of its June 9 meeting.
Junior High School Start Time Change Proposed: Board members heard a report from Chris Donnan, Safety Coordinator for the district, who proposed, as part of a three-tier busing plan, that junior high school students begin their school days 15 minutes earlier than they do currently.
Presently, the 3,000 students at Kingsley Junior High School, Chiddix Junior High School, and Parkside Junior High School start their school day at 7:45a.m., being dismissed at 3p.m. Under the proposed change suggested by Donnan, junior highs would begin the school day 15 minutes sooner – at 7:30a.m., and being dismissed at 2:45p.m.
The primary reason for wanting the change, Donnan explained, was because it would give bus drivers enough time to get elementary school students to class by the start of their school day at 8:30a.m.
Donnan reported to Board members that the principals of three elementary schools – Fox Creek, Grove, and Brigham – have all registered complaints about buses arriving at their schools 15 minutes late. At the beginning of the year, Donnan admits, the delay is caused by drivers not knowing their routes, but that the time delay decreases as the school year progresses.
Still, Donnan proposed the change for middle school students in an effort to get elementary students to class on time.
Board member Wendy Maulson said she would like to see data on test scores and student performance in relation to an earlier start time. Maulson, and other Board members, may get an indication of how the start time change will affect students this summer when results of PSAT tests students take in class come out in July, Niehaus said.
Niehaus had originally proposed looking at a three-tier busing program to Board members in February 2009.
Renovations approved for Hoose: Board members approved work to be done at Colene Hoose Elementary School. First, they approved work to be done by Oglesby, Ill.-based John’s Service and Sales to the school’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system at a cost of $25,163. They also approved a bid from Roanoke-based Lifts of Illinois to install a wheelchair lift at Colene Hoose at a cost of $13,405.
Board members also approved a second bid submitted by Lifts of Illinois, of $24,498 to install a wheelchair lift at Carlock Elementary School.
Contract With New Auditing Firm: Board members approved a three-year agreement for auditing services with Clifton Gunderson. The agreement between the district and the firm is for three years, with Unit 5 paying a total of $108,400 over that period. Unit 5 had previously received audit services from Peoria-based Gorenz and Associates.