Masks, vaccines and taxes were topics at Monday night’s Waterloo School Board meeting, with the board, building administrators and public gathering in the Gardner Elementary cafeteria. 

COVID chatter

Prior to public comment, Waterloo Superintendent Brian Charron updated the community on the district’s COVID-19 landscape. As of Monday, four students had COVID-19 and no students were being excluded from school as close contacts. 

One employee contracted with the district had tested positive. 

The previous week, five students tested positive and 12 students were excluded from school as close contacts. Of those, 10 were exposed to the virus outside of school.

“Things are trending in the right direction, at least currently,” Charron said. 

Charron briefly mentioned the lawsuit that Waterloo and over 140 other districts are defendants in. Currently, they are awaiting a decision from the Supreme Court on which cases can be consolidated and tried with the large suit and what court will hear the case. 

As the Republic-Times previously reported, the Illinois Supreme Court may not choose to decide these matters at all. 

“I can tell you that at this point, there has not even been a ruling yet on where the temporary restraining order will be heard at. I think that the Illinois Supreme Court should be weighing in on that soon, but at this point they are still debating where to even hear the case,” Charron told the crowd. 

Many community members who addressed the school board discussed some of the same topics the suit does – COVID-precautionary mandates in schools, who has the ability to enforce them and what, if any, of these measures are lawful. 

Jason Jones offered the board a “statement of support” on behalf of Waterloo Listens, a local group that, according to its Facebook description, “focuses on political, social and judicial accountability and reform.” 

“We support the board’s decision to follow directives from the Illinois State Board of Education and the Governor of Illinois regarding vaccines and masks in public schools. We support the board’s effort to follow all directives and laws from the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois General Assembly,” Jones read. “We recognize our citizenship in a nation, state, county and municipality of laws and that every person must abide by all laws regardless of one’s opinion (of them). 

“Therefore, the group opposes the efforts of public bodies and public officials who attempt to nullify the laws passed by such entities,” Jones said. 

After Jones, who had previously approached Charron about speaking before the meeting began, spoke, the board moved on to discuss other business on the agenda. 

Prior to adjournment, Don Voelker asked to speak. 

Stating that even though the board “(already) had public participation,” school board president Lori Dillenberger said Voelker could address the board. 

Voelker’s comments elicited reactions from individuals of all opinions.

“It’s time to stop harming our kids with these masks. Our kids can’t breathe,” Voelker began, after which an audience member laughed. 

“There’s nothing funny about this,” Voelker paused, later continuing to state, “I agree with (Jones) here – it’s always time to listen to our laws. Laws are set by legislature, not by the executive branch of government. These mask mandates are not laws.” 

“That’s right!” said one parent. 

Voelker questioned the effectiveness of masks and expressed concern over a vaccination mandate. 

Another concerned resident chimed in about the vaccine allegedly causing myocarditis.

Dr. Norah Baker, a board certified physician who later addressed the audience, asked Voelker what his professional qualifications are, which prompted a flurry of “it doesn’t matter” responses from others. 

“It has been studied and it has been shown that masks do not harm your kids. There’s not an unhealthy level of CO2. The vaccine saves lives,” Baker said, later adding it is rare to get myocarditis from the vaccine. 

Zachary Sheets, a parent of three Waterloo students, said he feels COVID mandates have overshadowed the caring part of education. 

“You guys are more concerned about my mask than if I walked through that door with a gun. That is a shame!” Sheets said. “My kids can’t even trust you guys anymore! They get a headache (and) they’re so worried they’re going to have to get a shot, or go back to the doctor and get a swab up their nose because they got a headache.”

At previous meetings, the board asked the public if anybody who did not ask to address the board prior to the start of the meeting wanted to speak. 

After the meeting, Charron explained this. 

“The board would like to return to an orderly board meeting; we would like to respect the processes and policy for those who want to speak at a board meeting,” Charron said. “The board is not opposed to having a public forum at some point, but we don’t want to have a public forum at our board meeting. People that do sign up to address the board for public participation may and they’ll be given their time.” 

Charron said those wishing to address the board should email or call him, preferably by the Wednesday before the meeting. 

However, he said those who contact him past this point will not be prohibited from speaking. 

Tax levy 

Last week, the district’s finance committee met to discuss what the board is requesting to levy during the 2021 property tax year, payable in fiscal year 2022-23. As Charron explained to meeting attendees, the district is asking for 4.99 percent more than the $18,271,927 they actually received the previous year. 

This puts the total levy the board is requesting at $19,183,855. 

The actual amount the school district will receive depends on equalized assessed value, which will be determined at a later date. 

Individual tax rates limit how much money can go into each fund as well. 

“While the board is asking for 4.99 percent this year, we don’t anticipate receiving that full amount just like the previous year where the board had asked for as much as 4.98 percent more than what we received prior, but after the assessor and county clerk had done calculations of actual EAV, the district was only entitled to a 2.91 percent increase,” Charron said. 

Charron also passed around a tax rate comparison document for 2020 property taxes payable in 2021. Charron pointed out the rates of other school districts such as Bethalto, Highland, Triad and Mascoutah. Their tax rates are 5.07270, 4.66710, 5.13920 and 4.83830, respectively. 

“I am personally proud of the education Waterloo provides at the tax rate it provides it at,” Charron said. “With our tax rate of 4.32, I would argue that Waterloo gives you a good deal for your money.” 

ESSER 

The American Rescue Plan’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds were also on the finance committee and school board’s meeting agendas. 

As the Republic-Times previously reported, ESSER funds are supposed to be used toward COVID-related expenditures. 

Previously, Waterloo Curriculum Coordinator John Schmieg was able to secure a $120,930 USAC Emergency Funds grant for 250 Chromebooks, 160 iPads and 20 T-Mobile hotspots. Before this E-Rate funding was received, the district planned to use ESSER funds to reimburse the cost of this technology.

The district has since applied for another E-Rate grant, this time for $280,000. Should they be awarded this, it will go toward replacing 1,000 Chromebooks.

These Chromebooks are still functional, however, as they age they will eventually lose the ability to update. This will cause them to not be usable for state testing and more. 

“If funded, that’s a total of $400,000 of ESSER money that would have gone to technology that can go toward other things that are beneficial,” Charron said, referring to the cost for replacing Chromebooks was originally planned to be covered by ESSER funds. 

As a result, how ESSER III funds will be spent depends on whether or not the district is granted this second E-rate funding. 

Once this result is shared, an ESSER III committee consisting of a designated group of parents and representatives from its schools will meet and work on the budget. 

From there, the budget will be posted online for public comment. As Schmieg previously said, parents will be provided a link to send their thoughts to the board. 

Waterloo is expecting to receive $988,094 for ESSER III, bringing its total from all three rounds of funding to $1,508,835.