Amery School District board meeting, Sep 21, 2026
2 h 16 min · 1 public speaker
This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 2 h 16 min.
- Who spoke · first speaks at
- Steve OseroVice President
What happened
What happened at this meeting
Amery annual meeting approves $14,149,721 tax levy with projected $7.21 mill rate 29:29
- At the annual meeting, the director of finance presented the district's 2025-2026 financial report and the proposed 2026-27 budget, and electors present approved a tax levy of $14,149,721 with a projected mill rate of $7.21. 5:45
- Resolutions on board salaries, student accident insurance and transportation were also accepted into the record. 31:55
- The choir program presented a request for choir robes and acoustical shells, with a combined total of $101,327.10, and the board took a voice vote on a motion for option one. 1:02:00
- The board voted to move forward with using Pillar Bank as the district's primary deposit. 2:08:39
Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →
Item by item (15)
- Annual meeting opening and officers 0:02
- Steve Osero said the evening included the annual meeting followed by the regular board meeting. 0:02
- A district staff member reviewed procedures and said participation and voting were limited to qualified electors of the district. 1:46
- Electors elected Steve Osero chairperson of the annual meeting and then elected a district clerk. 3:16
- District financial report and proposed budget 5:28
- The director of finance said the general fund had 2025-2026 revenues of $24,237,000, including a $3.5 million operational loan draw, expenses of $23,112,410 and a year-end fund balance of $756,525. 5:45
- The director of finance said Fund 80 had a negative fund balance of $1.513 and that the Clubhouse program was not making enough revenue to offset its expenses. 5:45
- The director of finance said the 2026-27 school tax levy reflected a 1.99% change over the previous year and that the state aid estimate was conservative because the figure would not arrive until October 15th. 12:58
- Public budget hearing 25:40
- A speaker asked about current fund balances, and a staff member said the Fund 10 beginning balance was $756,527.57 as of July 1st. 26:04
- A speaker asked whether the district planned to publish a monthly balance statement, and a staff member said that question was on the regular meeting agenda. 26:41
- A speaker asked where outgoing open enrollment appeared in the budget, and a staff member later said it was on line 79, at $1.659 million for the '25-'26 school year and an estimated $1.824 million for '26-'27. 27:32
- Annual meeting resolutions 29:29
- The tax levy resolution set a tentative sum of $14,149,721 with a projected mill rate of $7.21, which Steve Osero said could shift once aid numbers are known. 29:29
- Other resolutions set yearly board member salaries at $3,000 and authorized student accident insurance and transportation. 31:05
- Asked why the annual meeting was moving from September to August, a staff member said the change was for cash flow because a revolving line of credit cannot be arranged until the annual meeting is held. 34:38
- Steve Osero announced that the tax levy passed and said the other resolutions were accepted into the record. 31:05
- Annual meeting other business and adjournment 36:38
- Music program spotlight 39:20
- Choir equipment funding proposal 45:17
- A staff member said the district received a donation via the Granum Trust of $205,411, held in Fund 21, and the choir proposal was the request that followed. 46:18
- The choir teacher presented quotes of $41,413.42 for seated risers, approximately $21,000 for robes and $38,913.68 for acoustical shells, a combined $101,327.10, and said the choir's fund of $30,045.97 could reduce the board's share to $80,000 under one option. 1:00:24
- A motion was made to approve option one, under which the choir covers some items and retains money in its fund, and the board took a voice vote. 1:15:21
- Consent agenda 1:16:50
- Administrator reports 1:17:30
- A staff member said 45 students in kindergarten through 3rd grade were on personalized reading plans after screening. 1:23:57
- A staff member said the district was piloting two K-5 math curriculums, Reveal and Math Expressions, with a recommendation planned for spring. 1:26:53
- An elementary administrator said the new Pickup Patrol system recorded 547 changes through September 16th. 1:29:11
- Buildings and grounds committee report 1:41:40
- A staff member said the committee discussed installing a snorkel pipe behind the middle school to act as a pressure release valve for storm runoff and prevent water damage in the building. 1:41:49
- A staff member said the snorkel pipe was set to cost approximately $4,000 and that board approval was not needed. 1:46:03
- Finance Oversight Committee report 1:48:00
- A staff member recommended providing the monthly treasurer's report to the public, and one board member said being in favor of something like it as well. 1:48:05
- A staff member said work would begin to get the treasurer's report onto the website. 1:50:04
- One board member said voucher detail on the website would be available to the world and could include personnel-related information, and said having no desire to post it. 1:50:48
- Electric bike and scooter policy first reading 1:53:15
- A staff member said students on electric bikes and scooters were riding among pedestrians and vehicles on campus and that the policy would set safety requirements, including a permit. 1:54:05
- Steve Osero asked about the policy's confiscation provision and enforcement, and a staff member said the policy could be modified to bar use on school grounds after a violation. 1:57:14
- A staff member said a second reading would be heard in October, and one board member encouraged board members to spend extra time on the policy. 2:03:57
- Primary bank deposit relationship 2:05:03
- A district staff member recommended moving the primary deposit relationship from Old National Bank to Pillar Bank, citing interest at about 3.7% and treasury management services with no fees. 2:05:16
- After a voice vote on the motion, Steve Osero said the district would move forward with Pillar Bank. 2:08:39
- Short-term borrowing arrangement 2:09:05
- A district staff member said the district sought a $3.5 million revolving line of credit with Pillar Bank at an initial rate of 6.5% to cover months without income, compared with $3 million borrowed last year. 2:09:08
- A staff member said such an arrangement must be paid in full by October 31st, which is why it is done every year. 2:11:48
- Larry Wojchik moved to enter into the arrangement with Pillar Bank in the amount of $3.5 million. 2:12:23
- After a voice vote, Steve Osero said the board would accept the motion and that signatures were needed. 2:12:33
- Donations and personnel 2:13:25
Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.
Other meetings
Other meetings of this board
Video: posted by the district as “Amery Board of Ed Annual/Budget/Regular Meeting 9-21-26”