Regular Meeting
March 9, 2026
The Board of Directors of the Forest City Community School District met for a regular meeting on March 9, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at the District Office, Forest City, Iowa.
After a quorum was established the meeting was called to order by President Troy Thompson. Members present: Cody Hennigar, David Reese, Beth Clouse, Troy Thompson, Rick Wiley, and Andrew Fedders. Absent: Kim Severson. Beth Clouse moved to approve the agenda. Cody Hennigar seconded the motion Ayes: six. Nays: none. Carried.
For administrative reports,
- Director of Teaching and Learning, Zach Dillavou, presented on ISASP testing which starts next week, teacher focus work for professional development, curriculum development and research, artificial intelligence (ai) resources and SEE framework, and updates to the IDEA plan.
- Sec’y Meinders presented the monthly financial reports and provided district office updates.
- Sup’t Lehmann shared updates on snow days, open construction project quotes, NCC Conference update, individual speech contests and upcoming band trip to Chicago.
The following consent agenda items were reviewed: minutes from the February 9, 2026 regular meeting, open enrollments, employee resignations, donations, employee sick leave bank request, financial statements, bills for payment, and district investment plan. After discussion, Andrew Fedders moved to approve all consent agenda items. Rick Wiley seconded the motion. Ayes: six. Nays: none. Carried.
- Open Enrollment Out: Kirra Sage to Clayton Ridge and Hadley Farrow, Ariena Farrow and Oliver Farrow to North Iowa;
- Employee Resignations at the end of the 2025-26 School Year: Trish Hall, Reading/Media Teacher and Chuck Crail, paraprofessional;
- Donations: Forest City Ford, LaHarv Construction, Linahon Electric and Miller Pharmacy to the FFA Department; Sheryl Davids to special education funds; Karen Kerr Memorial to the Mitten fund; MBT Bank and Miller Pharmacy to the Girls State Basketball transportation costs; and Benevity to Elementary PBIS fund.
In old business, Supt. Lehmann provided a legislative update.
In new business, Beth Clouse moved, Rick Wiley seconded to approve board policies 800, 801.1, 801.2, 801.3, 801.4, 802.1, 802.2, 802.3, 802.4, 802.4FC, 802.5, 802.6, 802.7, 409.1, 102, 102R1, 102E1, 102E2, 102E3, 102E4, 102E5, 102E6, 710.1R1, 710.1E1, 710.1E2 as presented. Ayes: six. Nays: none. Carried.
Sec’y Meinders presented the financial audit report for fiscal year 2025 as prepared by district auditor TrustPoint, LLC. Rick Wiley moved, Beth Clouse seconded to approve the report as presented. Ayes: six. Nays: none. Carried.
David Reese moved, Andrew Fedders seconded to approve the annual AEA purchasing agreement for 2026-27 for food, small wares, and ware wash bids. Ayes: six. Nays: none. Carried.
Beth Clouse moved, David Reese seconded to approve the payment of the Education Support Personnel Salary Supplement (ESPSS) to all regularly scheduled support staff in the May 2026 payroll based upon employee full-time equivalency (FTE) as presented. Ayes: six Nays: none. Carried.
Andrew Fedders moved, Cody Hennigar seconded to approve the one-time payment of Teacher Salary Supplement (TSS) funding known locally as TSS4 in the May 2026 payroll as presented. Ayes: six. Nays: none. Carried.
Sup’t Lehmann presented the employee contracts, wages, sub rates, and hiring bases for the 2026-27 fiscal year with a contract issue date of March 16, 2026 and a return date of April 6, 2026 for all staff. Rick Wiley moved to approve the contracts and wages as presented. Beth Clouse seconded the motion. Ayes: five. Nays: none. Abstained: David Reese. Carried. Teachers will receive a pool raise of $2,000 per teacher which equals a 3.76% increase. Non-certified staff and administrators also receive a 3.76% salary increase. In addition to this recommended rate increase, employees starting their 5, 10, 20, 25, 30 contract will be given an additional 2% increase. Food Service wages are also being updated to a minimum wage based upon years of service with incentive calculation changes approved. The hiring base for paraprofessionals is moving to $14.00 for years 1-4, with minimum hourly wages to $14.25 for years 5-9, and $14.50 for years of service 10 or beyond. Employees will be given whichever increase is higher, their hiring base or their current wage increased by 3.76%. Incentive pay such as paraprofessional certification and licenses are being added to these minimums and not absorbed in the increase.
Sec’y Meinders shared employee benefit cost increases for the 2026-27 school year along with the options for change as presented to the district’s employee benefit committee. Cody Hennigar moved, Andrew Fedders seconded to accept the committee’s recommendation of a 2% increase which changed the district paid plan to a $1,250 deductible plan from ISEBA that is partially self funded from a Wellmark plan of $6,500 at 25% for an increase in costs of 2% for employee health insurance. Dental insurance will increase by 3.06% while vision and long term disability insurance will remain the same. Ayes: five. Nays: None. Abstained: David Reese. Carried.
David Reese moved, Beth Clouse seconded to approve the participation agreement with Iowa Local Government Risk Pool Commission Program for the district’s natural gas for 2026-27 at a total cost of $98,624.00, a 0.70% increase from 2025-26. Ayes: six. Nays: None. Carried.
Rick Wiley moved, David Reese seconded to approve the quote received from EPIC furniture for the amount of $27,993.29 to carpet six classrooms in the high school. Ayes: six. Nays: None. Carried.
David Reese moved, Beth Clouse seconded to approve the quote from Polytec for the amount of $83,499 to install a new epoxy type flooring in the middle school 5th grade classrooms and the high school science rooms. Ayes: six. Nays: None. Carried.
Rick Wiley moved, Andrew Fedders seconded to approve the proposal from ISG at a cost of $227,000 for the scope of work for architectural services to add a 5,600 square foot weight room to the high school. Ayes: six. Nays: None. Carried.
Suggestions for the April 13, 2026 board meeting were discussed.
David Reese moved, Cody Hennigar seconded to adjourn the meeting. Ayes: six. Nays: None. Carried. The time was 8:10 p.m.
_______________________ _____________________________
Troy Thompson, President Sara Meinders, Board Secretary
