While action items largely included contract agreements and discussion was focused on the reading curriculum at Rogers Elementary, the Waterloo School Board meeting Monday night dealt with deficits and the concern the district could be facing even more future budgeting issues.

The meeting began with a public hearing regarding the amended district budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, though no members of the community present approached the board to comment on the matter.

Though not the focus of the hearing, Waterloo Superintendent of Schools Brian Charron did offer a brief summary of the available budget and the district’s current deficit situation,

He mainly spoke about some of the concerns he’s had in recent years about the district potentially have to put together a deficit reduction plan.

As was noted on the provided budget, such a plan is required when the deficit is equal to or greater than one-third of the ending fund balance. In this case, revenues of $29.3 million and expenditures of $32.1 million result in a deficit of $2.8 million, with an estimated ending fund balance of $8.7 million.

“I will point out something that I’ve talked openly about with the board and the public for years, that I grow more and more concerned about when the district may have to do a three-year budget deficit reduction plan,” Charron said. “That was looming for us when we did the amended budget this spring. We had to make some revisions to avoid that for now. I think that is something that we’re gonna have to concentrate on this summer and in budget development for next year.”

Charron further explained how, as the amended budget was being developed, some substantial reductions had to be made when it came to budgeted utility costs.

He further noted how, though the district tends to take a very conservative approach in putting together a budget as they try to exclusively include revenues that they’re confident about receiving, this year’s amended budget demanded the district also rely on some more uncertain revenues.

Additionally, as the district has sought revenues to include in the budget, Charron pointed to an action item on the agenda regarding the transfer of earned interest from the district’s capital projects fund to the education fund.

This item, as well as the amended budget, were both approved later in the meeting.

Other action items in the meeting largely concerned district projects and contracts, with $10,198 approved for Neff Floor Covering Inc. to address some inconsistencies with the flooring at Zahnow Elementary.

To Vernier Sales & Service Inc., $18,200 was awarded for the removal and reinstallation of air conditioning units at Rogers. Charron explained earlier in the meeting that this was necessary to make space to address the sinking which has been noted at the school for several years.

Charron reiterated, as he has when the sinking has been brought up by the board previously, sonar indicates no voids under the building, and the sinking is not cause for alarm.

Another contract for $57,425 was awarded to Carrol Seating, Inc., for bleacher replacement also set at Rogers. Charron explained this cost was for a set of connected, motorized bleachers as the current bleachers spread out when extended, leaving gaps that, while small, could still pose an issue, especially as smaller students are on the bleachers not infrequently.

An additional contract for up to $50,000 was approved with Western Specialty Contractors for tuckpointing at Waterloo High School.

Further action items approved by the board included a memorandum of understanding with the Waterloo Association of Service Personnel regarding an individual being compensated for serving as a head cook while not officially hired for the position, district student fees – Charron said only cafeteria costs had been increased, which the district does not always have discretion over – and several employment items.

When it comes to discussion matters, Charron spoke briefly about FOIA requests in his superintendent’s report, noting in particular a set of 10 requests which he said many other districts in the state received, seemingly written and sent by AI.

One request, as he explained, asked for district vendor expenses from 2019, 2009 and 1999, with the other requests likewise asking for information from the past three decades.

With this information available in annual reports held by the Illinois State Board of Education, Charron said these requests were simply collectively referred to the ISBE website.

This month’s report from the Waterloo Classroom Teachers Association came from Lyndi Davis, a reading specialist at Rogers.

With a brief thanks to the board for its support of the school’s reading curriculum, her presentation primarily featured a video highlighting school reading success.

Of note, the video highlights at least one student who was in the lower percentiles when it came to reading early on in the district. This child’s percentile scores have increased dramatically over the past few years in the district.

“This progress is not by chance,” Davis said. “It is the direct result of your commitment, the board of education, to supporting our students through high-quality training and resources. Thanks to your investment, our reading specialists, our classroom teachers and instructional coaches have the tools they need to deliver stronger, more effective instruction and to meet the needs of every learner no matter where they are starting.”

During the public comment portion of the meeting, recent Waterloo School Board candidate Lloyd Jarden offered something of a response to Davis’ presentation, also remarking on a comment made earlier by Charron regarding the future of the district’s budget.

“You mentioned difficult budget decisions coming,” Jarden said. “The presentation here highlights one of the best parts of Waterloo that I personally experienced. We’ve got some amazing teachers that have directly impacted my family’s life as children have struggled through that. You mentioned some difficult decisions coming with the budget. Do not let this be impacted through that.”