REGULAR MEETING OF THE GREEN HILLS AEA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MINUTES Unofficial Halverson Center for Education 6:00 p.m. 24997 Highway 92 Council Bluffs, Iowa President Karen Thomsen called the regular meeting of the Green Hills AEA Board of Directors to order at 6:00 p.m. Roll call revealed the following persons present and/or absent. Due to the short agenda and distance for Board members to travel, most Board members participated telephonically. President Karen Thomsen verified that all members could hear each other. Board Members Present at Halverson Center: Karen Thomsen Board Members Present Telephonically: Randy Brown, Ed Gambs, Marland Gammon, Ken Lee, Jere Ann Jake Powers, Richard Schenck, Raymond Storm, and Julie Wilken AEA Staff Present at Halverson Center: Lane Plugge, Chief Administrator Linda Perdue, Board Secretary Mark Draper, Director of Special Education Emily Nelson, Director of Finance and Board Treasurer AEA Staff Joining Telephonically: David VanHorn, Associate Administrator Approval of Agenda Mr. Storm moved approval of the, Board agenda; seconded by Ms. Powers. The motion carried on a unanimous voice vote. Approval of Minutes Mr. Schenck moved approval of the June 25, 2013, regular Board meeting minutes as presented; seconded by Mr. Brown. The motion carried with Brown, Gambs, Gammon, Lee, Powers, Schenck, Storm and Thomsen voting yes; Ms. Wilken abstained. Open Forum There were no comments from the public in attendance. Financial Reports Ms. Powers indicated that she had reviewed the bills and that all questions were addressed satisfactorily. Ms. Powers moved approval/acceptance of the following: a. Approval of the Anticipated Cash Flow Chart through August 27, 2013. b. Acceptance of the General Fund Financial Report for June 2013, indicating a beginning balance June 1, 2013, of $6,734,402.98, receipts of $1,783,256.88, disbursements of $3,357,398.06, and an ending balance on June 30, 2013, of $5,160.261.80*. Note: This balance includes $2,502,658.20 invested in CDs. c. Acceptance of the Fiduciary Fund Financial Report for June 2013, indicating a beginning balance on June 1, 2013, of $35,996.47, receipts of $44,443.76, disbursements of $28,761.09, and an ending balance on June 30, 2013, of $51,679.14.
Page 2 d. Approval for payment of bills in the amount of $948,270.89, expense accounts of $24,368.70, fiduciary fund warrants of $31,844.19, and operating fund manual warrants of $30,682.94. e. Acceptance of the June 30, 2013, Investment Report balance of $4,675,276.13 in the General Fund. The motion was seconded by Mr. Lee. Roll call vote: Yes: Thomsen, Schenck, Gambs, Lee, Gammon, Brown, Powers, Storm, Wilken No: None Absent: None Motion carried. Ms. Wilken volunteered to review bills for the August Board meeting. Personnel Matters Lane Plugge, Chief Administrator, presented the personnel items for approval. Mr. Gambs moved approval/acceptance of the following personnel items as presented: New Classified Staff Andrew Carey, Speech-Language Pathology Assistant I for the 2013/2014 school year Hourly Salary: $12.71 Brian James, School Based Interventionist for the 2013/2014 school year Hourly Salary: $18.37 Jenifer Pontefract, School Based Interventionist for the 2013/2014 school year Hourly Salary: $18.37 Sheree Tomasek, School Based Interventionist for the 2013/2014 school year Hourly Salary: $18.37 Sarah Watkins, School Based Interventionist for the 2013/2014 school year Hourly Salary: $18.37 Certified Staff Extended Days Wendy Aanonson, Speech-Language Pathologist, one day for Teacher Quality Book Study Per Diem: $256.92 Andrea Compton, Literacy Consultant, six days July 1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12, 2013 for Summer Online Repository Literacy Work Per Diem: $327.99 Michelle Custer, Special Education Consultant, one day June 20 for testing a home school student Per Diem: $310.81 Lori Durand, School Psychologist, four and one half days May 18, 2013 for Teaching Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) for Council Bluffs, May 31, 2013 for Council Bluffs Behavior Team meeting and May 28, July 8, 9 and 11, 2013 for Council Bluffs Summer School Per Diem: $302.08 for 2012/2013 and $316.85 for 2013/2014 Pamela Elwood, Early Childhood Consultant, two days June 5 and 6, 2013 for Iowa Core Investigations Per Diem: $288.06 Cherry Hansen, Special Education Consultant, eleven and one half days February 16, March 2, 9, 16 for Council Bluffs Professional Development preparation, March 30, April 6, 13, 20 for Iowa s System to Achieve Results (ISTAR) and April 27, May 4, 11, 12, 2013 for Staff collaboration, paperwork and student staffing Per Diem: $327.47 Katie Hensley, Speech-Language Pathologist, two days March 21 and 22, 2013 for Therapy at Mount Ayr Per Diem: $219.55
Page 3 Lynn Hockenberry, Literacy Consultant, one day June 25, 2013 for Special Education Literacy Per Diem: $310.81 Jody Madsen, Speech-Language Pathologist, one day for Teacher Quality Book Study Per Diem: $319.15 Connie Richardson, School Improvement Consultant, nine days October 29, 2013 for Comprehensive Improvement Plan team meeting, January 30, 2013 for License Renewal Professional Development planning meeting and Comprehensive Improvement Plan conference call, May 29, 2013 for Syllabi and office work, June 4, 2013 for Comprehensive Improvement Plan, June 6, 2013 for Secretary and Support Staff planning team meeting, June 19 and 20, 2013 for Iowa Learning Forward, June 21, 2013 for Syllabi and office work and June 25, 2013 for License Renewal Professional Development Per Diem: $327.47 Debra Schwiesow, School Psychologist, two days July 15 and 16, 2013 for Teacher Quality Google Summit Per Diem: $345.11 Jonette Smith, Speech-Language Pathologist, three days May 6, 13 and 20, 2013 for assigned work at College View Per Diem: $327.47 Connie Terry, Math Consultant, three days June 17, 20 and 24, 2013 for Creston Math Professional Development from School in Need of Assistant (SINA) plan Per Diem: $275.61 Extended Contract for Lead Staff Duties for 2013/2014 Val Caputo, Hearing/Audiology Lead, up to 4 days Per Diem: $336.55 Ami Leath, Early Childhood Lead, up to 6 days Per Diem: $300.85 Barb Nelson, Speech-Language Lead, up to 6 days Per Diem: $336.55 Seth Piro, Special Education Lead, up to 6 days Per Diem: $252.84 Jennifer Seuntjens, Early ACCESS Lead, up to 7 days Per Diem: $251.09 Extended Contract for Liaison Duties for 2013/2014 Nancy Amdor, SPED Representative Liaison, South Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $336.55 Amanda Arkfeld, SPED Representative Liaison, West Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $278.45 Amy Kading, SPED Representative Liaison, East Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $272.05 Brooke Lamp, SPED Representative Liaison, North Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $252.84 Hilary Brummer, Speech-Language Liaison, North Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $256.04 Keri Riddle, Speech-Language Liaison, East Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $319.43 Patricia Schliesman, Speech-Language Liaison, West Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $327.99 Linda Streicher, Speech-Language Liaison, South Region, up to 2 days Per Diem: $336.55 Lynn Hockenberry, Specially Designed Instruction Liaison, up to 5 days Per Diem: $319.43 Sarah Rozniecki, Response to Intervention Liaison, up to 5 days Per Diem: $240.04 Billie Jo Clausen, Early ACCESS Liaison, up to 5 days Per Diem: $251.09 Substitute Teachers will be paid an hourly salary of $24.40 for the 2013/2014 school year: Mike Randall, Substitute Teacher, Council Bluffs Nancy Stammer, Substitute Teacher, Quakerdale of Manning Contracted Staff Cindy Burchett received the following stipend: $150 for instruction of Human Relations Independent Study course on June 25, 2013 $150 for instruction of Human Relations Independent Study course on July 1, 2013 $150 for instruction of Human Relations Independent Study course on July 2, 2013 $750 for instruction of Human Relations Independent Study course on July 16, 2013
Page 4 Mark Davison received the following stipend: $200 for Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SPF SIG) training on June 15, and 22, 2013: The following were paid a $250 per day stipend for Summer Teacher Transition Institute on June 11, 12 and 13, 2013: Shelly Bentley, $250 Kevin Pitzen, $250 Beth Burgess, $250 Lisa Putnam, $250 Kim Heffelfinger, $250 Teresa Reif, $750 Lauren Leonard, $250 Doug Zimmerman, $250 Kathy Marsh, $250 Certified Staff Vacancies for the 2013/2014 Contract Year Speech-Language Pathologist (2 FTE) Creston, Harlan Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (1 FTE) Atlantic or Red Oak (contract pending) Classified Staff Vacancies for the 2013/2014 Contract Year Instructional Materials Assistant II (1 FTE) Halverson School Based Interventionist (1 FTE) Peterson (contract pending) Speech Language Pathology Assistant (1 FTE) Harlan (contract pending) The motion was seconded by Mr. Schenck and carried on a unanimous voice vote. Approval of Amendments to Agreements, Agreements and Contracts Dr. Plugge presented the following amendments to agreements, agreements and contracts for board approval: a. Amendment to Agreement with Iowa School for the Deaf for Exchange of Services This is an amendment to the two-year Umbrella Agreement (effective July 1, 2012-June 30, 2014) with Iowa School for the Deaf, outlining the exchange of services between the two agencies. Each year, the Agency files an Amendment with Iowa School for the Deaf to adjust for increased salaries for the respective staff. Iowa School for the Deaf shall reimburse Green Hills AEA 60% of the cost of salary and benefits for.6 FTE School Psychologist and.8 FTE Audiologist. The cost of salary and benefits for 2013-2014 is $75,465 to be paid semi-annually on January 1 and May 1, 2014. This is a partnership that brings the best of both agencies together to serve schools and the students. b. Agreement between the Iowa Department of Corrections, Clarinda Correctional Facility, and Green Hills AEA for Services at Clarinda Correctional Facility This renewal agreement outlines the responsibility of the Agency to provide services to students who require special education while they are housed at the Clarinda Correctional Facility. Services provided by the Agency at the Clarinda Correctional Facility will be reimbursed by the local schools. The contract is for 2013-14. c. Amendment to the Agreement with University of Nebraska Medical Center This amendment extends the original agreement with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), dated August 1, 2010, for three years, effective August 1, 2013 through July 31, 2016. No other changes to the original agreement are contemplated by this amendment. The original agreement with UNMC is to allow physical therapy education students from the University to participate in Green Hills AEA programs in order to gain clinical experience. Green Hills AEA will be responsible for the supervision of any students in the program. There is no cost to either organization to enter into this agreement.
Page 5 d. Contract with Knovation, Inc. This contract is for the purchase of nettrekker, a media resource which will be available to all students and staff in Green Hills AEA. nettrekker is a digital standards-based educational search tool and is currently utilized by several other AEAs in the State. The contract is for three years at a cost of $152,049. e. Agreement with MJ Care, Inc. GHAEA and the other eight AEAs are contracting with MJ Care, Inc., a Milwaukee based Medicaid billing agent, for special education billable Medicaid claims processing. This two-year agreement is effective July 1, 2013. GHAEA will pay a claims processing fee of $2.00 per student per billable service per month and an annual administrative fee of $500. MJ Care, Inc. serves many Iowa school districts and came highly recommended to provide this service to the benefit of the entire statewide AEA special education system. f. Agreements with Zion Recovery Services, Inc. Green Hills AEA receives funds from the Iowa Department of Public Health and subcontracts with Zion Recovery Services, Inc. to provide substance prevention services. In May, 2012 The AEA Board approved a two-year agreement with Zion beginning July 1, 2012 and ending on June 30, 2014. However, the Iowa Department of Public Health wanted the original agreement replaced due to language changes they indicated were necessary. These new agreements for $159,391 and $69,861 run from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. Two agreements are required because the funds flow to the agency from two separate grants, each covering specific counties. This arrangement will cease at the end of fiscal year 2013/14, as the agency will no longer be the grant recipient. Mr. Gammon moved approval of the amendments to agreements, agreements and contracts as presented; seconded by Mr. Storm. The motion carried on a unanimous voice vote. Committed and Assigned Fund Balances as of June 30, 2013 The Board was requested to approve the amount of fund balance to be Committed for Tornado Recovery at June 30, 2013 and to assign portions of the June 30, 2013, fund balance for encumbrances and other items to be expended in 2013-14. The Board approved at the June 25 Board meeting that funds would be committed for tornado recovery with the specific amount to be provided at the July Board meeting. Motion 1: Mr. Schenck moved approval to set the amount of fund balance Committed for Tornado Recovery at 6/30/13 at $965,000, a reduction of $535,000 from the amount committed at 6/30/12; seconded by Mr. Gambs. Roll call vote: Yes: Schenck, Gambs, Lee, Gammon, Brown, Powers, Storm, Wilken, Thomsen No: None Absent: None Motion carried. Motion 2: Mr. Schenck moved approval to assign portions of the 6/30/13 fund balance as follows: $32,330 Assigned for Conference Room Equipment $5,035 Assigned for Encumbrances The motion was seconded by Mr. Gammon.
Page 6 Roll call vote: Yes: Gambs, Lee, Gammon, Brown, Powers, Storm, Wilken, Thomsen, Schenck No: None Absent: None Motion carried. First Reading of Revised Early ACCESS Policies 601.1 through 601.14 Mark Draper, Director of Special Education, addressed the changes to Early ACCES Policies. Both the Federal and State Education Departments are requiring the Early ACCESS policies be revised in order to align with new federal IDEA Part C regulations. These policies address quality intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. The DE and AEAs have drafted common policies in order to provide statewide consistency of service and to facilitate interagency collaboration. Early ACCESS policies 601.1 through 601.14 were presented for first reading. These policies will be presented for second reading and Board action at the August 27 regular Board meeting. AEA Legislative Priorities During the June 25, 2013, Board meeting, the Board decided to wait until after the Chief Administrators June 27-28 meeting to act on AEA legislative priorities and moved this item to the July 23 regular Board meeting agenda. The Board considered Green Hills AEA legislative priorities for 2013-14. Mr. Gammon moved that the Green Hills AEA Board support the following legislative priorities to be submitted to the Iowa Association of School Boards; seconded by Mr. Storm. Supports additional resources to AEAs and school districts for curriculum development, student assessment analysis, in-service training, professional development and technology assistance; Supports legislation allowing students in accredited nonpublic schools to be counted for special education services, allowing them full access to services; Supports fully funding the AEA budget as provided by the school growth factor; Supports creation of a separate funding mechanism for the operation and maintenance of AEA facilities; Supports an increase in funding for early childhood efforts. The motion carried on a unanimous voice vote. Administrative Updates/Reports a. Administrative Reports Chief Administrator Lane Plugge reported that the Statewide AEA System will contribute $2,500 to help sponsor the second Iowa Governor s Bullying Prevention Summit to be scheduled late fall 2013. Dr. Plugge announced that an Open House for the new Creston office is scheduled for August 2, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Board members were invited to attend. David VanHorn reported on the successful Google Summit held in Glenwood on July 15 and 16, 2013. Board President Karen Thomsen attended the session. GHAEA and Glenwood Schools are beginning to plan for next year s event to be scheduled in June 2014. b. Revised Administrative Procedure Disposal or Relocation of Property Dr. Plugge reported that GHAEA will begin providing a new service to schools of disposing/recycling computer equipment. Emily Nelson, Director of Finance, explained that as a result of offering this new service, the Administrative Procedure on the Disposal or Relocation of Property needed to be revised.
As recommended by GHAEA legal counsel, the following statement was added to the procedure: Unofficial Minutes Page 7 Equipment from which all confidential information has been removed and which is determined to have no value may be disposed of by delivering to Goodwill Industries or another similar organization willing to accept the equipment. c. Board Reports--No additional reports were provided. Time and Place of Next Meeting The next regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Green Hills AEA will be held on August 27, 2013, at 6 p.m., at the Creston Regional Office, located at 257 Swan Street, in Creston. Adjournment With no further business, Board President Karen Thomsen declared the meeting adjourned at 6:38 p.m. Linda Perdue Board Secretary Karen Thomsen Board President