Speak Out

A list of concernsThe Board of Education is to provide oversight to the district administration. Why isn’t’ that happening? 1. To even consider voting for a building that is not needed by the district is a poor use of taxpayer money. The district just remodeled the high

school for approximately $30,000 for district adminis- trative offices, and save money by not leasing a build- ing. The building in question has cost of annual mainte- nance, utilities, etc. would increase budget expendi- tures. There is no room in the schools for any needed activ- ities or meetings. The district has worked hard to decrease properties, and the expenses that go along with owning property. One of the board members is on the board that is trying to sell the building. Fortunately that person is unable purchase due to con- flict of interest. Also a note of interest is that the superin- tendent told the finance com- mittee on December 5, 2021 that the projected budget for this coming school year would be $2,000,000 in the red. 2. The amended budget that was approved by the Board of Education at their June Board meeting showed that the Working Cash Bonds

that had been purchased by the district had never been put in the Working Cash Fund. The Administration had chosen to put it into other funds, and did not have permission from the board to place that money anywhere but Working Cash. This is not legal according to school code. In that budget there was approximately $1,000,000 in the Working Cash Fund. Now at this spe- cial meeting the superintend- ent wants to move $9,000,000 into the Capital Projects fund from Working Cash?? for the 2022 budget. I would question what is going on and the legality of using these funds in this manner. 3. The third item on the agenda is a resolution that would allow the superintend- ent to be able to move monies around in accounts as the superintendent wishes?? If the Board would even consider passing such a resolution that would be gross negligence by the Board of Education, and that would be a dereliction of duty. With the previous displays of a lack of common knowledge on school finance rules and regulations by the district administration who could reasonably pass such a resolution. I would be willing to bet that no other school district does this type of resolu- tion. Is it even legal, and it would be surprising that an auditor, or the Illinois State Board of Education would endorse this type of resolution. 4. The Treasurer for the Board of Education is also the district bookkeeper. With all the issues my question to the Board is why?? The majority of schools have a Treasurer that does not work in any other capacity except as Treasurer and has a good background in finance, in order to have good checks and balances for finances.

The Board of Education needs to take a good look at

what is happening and fulfill their own sword duty to the taxpayers of this community.

Sweeter Corn

Grandma made the best sweet corn in the State. No the world. Her secrets were to pick it fresh and cook it as soon as possible. As soon as corn is picked the sugar starts to convert to starch. Then add 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 of milk, and a half cup of SUGAR to the boiling water. That keeps the sugar in the corn not the water and flavors the ker- nels. Bless you Grandma. I never eat an ear of corn with- out thinking of you.

Frustrated, but not angry

I just want to say that  I am really frustrated with this new website. However, I am not angry. I understand that in a transition, a major one,

things happen. It’s just frus- trated for us that our user- names got messed up and some of us got lost in the shuffle.. I do have to say, though, I think the people at the Breeze have been doing a pretty doggon good job of handeling it. The gal I spoke with was very polite on the phone and I got my user- name pretty quickly. She even helped me figure out how to open the E-edition. I can’t imagine how many phone calls they must have gotten: most of my friends who have the paper have also stated that they have lost thier old user names, so the paper must have been busy!