SCHOOL DISTRICTS 85, 86 and
309
The District 85, 86 and 309 Boards of Education met
in Special Session on Thursday, November 13, 2003, at 6:00 P.M., at the East
Peoria Expo Center, 4200 E. Washington St., East Peoria, IL., Presidents
Buttice, District 85, President Densberger, District 86, and Vice President
Knobeloch, District 309, presiding. The
purpose of this Special Meeting was to further discuss increasing costs and
reduced revenues of local school districts and the ½% sales tax to benefit said
districts and to hear public comments regarding same.
CITY COUNCIL:
Mayor Charles
Dobbelaire introduced members of the Council:
Commissioner Archie Lyons, Commissioner Dave Mingus, Commissioner Harold
Fogelmark, Commissioner Jim Bevard,
Mr. Dennis
Triggs, City Attorney, Berta Dinkins, City Clerk, Mr. Tom Brimberry, City
Administrator, and Ms. Terri Gualandi, City Treasurer/Comptroller.
DISTRICT 309 BOARD:
Recording
Secretary Mary Keil called the roll, and the following members either answered
present or were recorded absent:
PRESENT: Knobeloch,
Joseph, Paulson, VandeSchraaf, Wells
ABSENT: King,
Laredo
DISTRICT 86 BOARD:
District 309 Recording Secretary Mary Keil called
the roll, and the following members either answered present or were recorded
absent:
PRESENT: Densberger, Ennis, Gross, Roberts,
Tompkins, Wright
ABSENT: Reinholdt
Member Reinholdt arrived at 6:30 p.m.
DISTRICT 85 BOARD:
District 309
Recording Secretary Mary Keil called
the roll, and the following members either answered present or were recorded
absent:
PRESENT: Buttice,
Dearing, MacPhee, Norvill, Schwader, Van Beuning, and Visocky
ABSENT: None
Others in attendance were Superintendent Mike
Burdette, District 86, Superintendent Sally Masear, District 85, Superintendent
Cliff Cobert, District 309, Mayor Charles Dobbelaire, Commissioners Harold Fogelmark,
Dave Mingus, Archie Lyons, Jim Bevard, City Attorney Dennis Triggs, City
Treasurer Tom Brimberry, City Clerk, Berta Dinkins, Terri Gualandi, City Treasurer/Comptroller, and Recording
Secretary Mary Keil.
At the request
of Mayor Dobbelaire, all persons stood and pledged allegiance to the flag of
the United States of America.
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Mayor Dobbelaire
welcomed all in attendance at this public forum to hear the presentation being
made by Districts 309, 86 and 85 in support of their proposal of a city sales
tax increase.
PRESENTATION / COMMENTS BY REPRESENTATIVES OF
DISTRICTS 85, 86, and 309
District 85
Board
President Buttice made a presentation which addressed additional questions the
City Council had asked regarding the districts’ need for additional
revenues. He encouraged Council members
to ask questions during his presentation. He reviewed a list of District 85’s
cost containment measures since 1998; he explained the effect that tax caps
have had on the District; he presented the District’s salary schedule and
outlined measures taken to contain salary and benefit costs; and he summarized facility
cost reductions.
Board Member Paulson illustrated the effects of tax
caps on District 309 revenue. Since 1997 approximately $1.4 million dollars
have been “lost” that are directly attributable to PTELL. He further explained
measures that have been taken to reduce personnel, staff training, employee
benefit costs, and facility costs. Council member Bevard asked several
questions regarding salary costs—specifically administrative personnel costs.
Mayor Dobbelaire asked if a five-year plan had been implemented five years ago
when tax cap legislation became effective.
District 86
Board
President Densberger stated that the District has reduced the number of staff
in both the educational and building and maintenance funds. Current financial problems have been caused
by revenue reductions not increasing expenditures. State revenues have
decreased since 1999, and the District will use the sales tax revenue to
attract quality teachers and maintain quality programs and facilities—all
considered important to the District as well as the city.
At 7:10 p.m., participants took a 5-minute break.
Public Comments
Terri Woodward (District 86 teacher) spoke in favor
of the sales tax proposal citing increasing costs to fund state mandates. She
believes this proposal will not pose an undue burden on property owners.
Tami Sculty (District 86 parent) spoke in favor of
the sales tax proposal wanting to move the school district forward.
Randy Rundle (District 86 parent) spoke in favor of the sales tax proposal
stating that for a property owner, the cost to generate $1.6 million dollars
would be approximately $60 a year vs. $236 a year for a 59 cent property tax
increase to generate the same revenue.
Matt Bainbridge (District 85 step-parent) spoke in
favor of the sales tax proposal. He questioned the city as to how hotel/motel
tax revenues are spent. By law, those taxes must be spent on tourism.
Herb Norris (former 86 and 309 parent) spoke in
favor of the sales tax proposal. He thanked the Districts for the excellent
education provided to his daughters and reminded the Council members that
schools are the foundation of a community.
Maurice Joseph (former parent/current
grandparent/area realtor) spoke in favor of the sales tax proposal. He called
upon the schools to use further diligence in containing costs. He stated that
school should be the center of a community’s activity.
Kathy Polson (District 85 PTO president) stated that
the Robein Parent Club is in favor of the proposed sales tax proposal.
Bruce Williamson (District 85 parent) spoke in favor
of the proposed sales tax proposal. He believes extra curricular programs
attract families.
Dale Brown (District 309 Booster Club president)
spoke in favor of the proposed sales tax proposal. He said if we lose extra-curricular
activities, families will move away.
Dale Messmore (District 86 and 309 parent) spoke in
favor of the proposed sales tax proposal. He doesn’t want the “meat” cut from
any programs.
Kim Bain (District 86 parent) spoke in favor of the
proposed sales tax proposal. She is concerned about property tax rates, and
feels this proposal will “spread out the burden.”
Frank Borror (former District 86 and 309 parent)
spoke in favor of the sales tax proposal. He did question what the schools have
done to encourage the state to increase spending.
Terry Newlan (District 85 parent) spoke in favor of
the sales tax proposal.
Rick Swan (former District 86 and 309 parent) spoke
in favor of the sales tax proposal. He cautioned the Council member to not
reduce the amount (1/2%) requested.
Dominic Irrera (District 86 and 309 parent) spoke in
favor of the sales tax proposal. He spoke about East Peoria’s sense of
community. He thinks property owners would prefer an increase in sales tax over
an increase in property tax.
Dawn Adams (District 86 parent) spoke in favor of
the sales tax proposal. She will choose to shop in East Peoria over Morton.
Jeff Giebelhausen (District 86 parent) spoke in
favor of the sales tax proposal. He
urged Council members to approve the ½%. In his experience as a developer, the
amount of sales tax does not solely determine where a developer builds.
Dee Mertens (District 86 and 309 parent) spoke in favor of the sales tax proposal.
Lorraine Skank ((District 86 parent) spoke in favor
of the sales tax proposal. She moved to East Peoria because District 86 was the
only school in the area which provided the proper special education program for
her son.
Betty Korder expressed concern over restrictions the
City may impose. However, she wants a guarantee from the school districts that
the funds will be spent on programs and not be wasted.
Todd Scoffield spoke in favor of the sales tax
proposal. He is concerned what children will do without extra-curricular school
activities.
Sharon Kilty (District 86 and 309 parent) spoke in
favor of the sales tax proposal. She wants the orchestra program re-instated in
the grade school.
Melissa West (District 85 teacher) spoke in favor of
the sales tax proposal. When it comes time for her to purchase a home, she will
consider the school system when making her choice.
District 309
Member Andy
Paulson thanked the City Council for hearing the districts’ request and
encouraged the Council to ask any question they may have.
District 86
Board President Gary Densberger also encouraged
questions. He stated that approving
this increase will require school and community partnership to provide the best
we can.
District 85
Board President Buttice thanked everyone for
attending.
Mayor
Dobbelaire informed all three districts that the City Council appreciated the
efforts made by each district to provide the information that had been
requested. He suggested a committee be formed to lobby state legislators to
increase state expenditures for education.
District 309
Board member Garth Knobeloch stated that District 309 has submitted a
resolution to the Illinois Association of School Boards to permit local
government entities the ability to collect a sales tax for its school
districts.
Board members
from all three districts commented about the need for the state to provide a
larger portion of education funding.
Each of the districts feels that one or both of three alternatives are
necessary: 1) massive, deep spending cuts; 2) a referendum to increase property
taxes; or 3) ½% sales tax to be distributed amongst the districts. All three districts prefer the
implementation of the sales tax.
MEETING
ADJOURNED AT 8:45 P.M.
District 85:
Motion by Norvill, seconded by Van Beuning to
adjourn at 8:45 P.M. On roll call the following votes were recorded:
YEAS: Buttice, Dearing, MacPhee, Norvill,
Schwader, Van Beuning, Visocky
NAYS: None
Motion carried.
District 86:
Motion by
Gross, seconded by Tompkins, to adjourn at 8:45 P.M. On roll call the following votes were recorded:
YEAS: Densberger, Ennis, Gross, Reinholdt,
Roberts, Tompkins, Wright
NAYS: None
Motion carried.
District 309:
Motion by
Paulson, seconded by Knobloch, to adjourn at 8:45 P.M. On roll call, the following votes were
recorded:
YEAS: Joseph, Knobeloch, Paulson,
VandeSchraaf, Wells
NAYS: None
Motion carried.
The Mayor declared the meeting be adjourned at 8:45
P.M.
________________________________
Mary Keil, Recording Secretary
________________________
_______________________________
Steven Buttice, President Shauna Schwader , Secretary
85 Board of Education 85 Board of Education
______________________________ Gary Densberger, President Joseph
Roberts, Secretary
86 Board of Education 86 Board of Education
________________________
________________________________
Barbara King, President Tim VandeSchraaf, Secretary
309 Board of Education 309
Board of Education