WHITEHALL — Whitehall’s school board unanimously re-elected all its board officers at Monday’s meeting, which also included presentations from each school in the district for School Board Appreciation Month.
Board president Rachel Fekken, vice-president Chris Mahoney, treasurer Jimmy TenBrink and secretary Paula Martin were all the sole nominations to continue in their positions. No one on the board saw their term end in 2023, though TenBrink and Fekken will each end their terms at the end of 2024.
The board appreciation presentations included posters made by children at both Whitehall elementary schools as well as gift bags distributed by middle school principal Jessy Thompson. High school student council members Natalie Conners and Chloe Jensen joined principal Brett Westerlund for the high school’s presentation. Westerlund noted that his grandfather spent 35 years on the Reeths-Puffer school board, and commended the board for exhibiting the same love for students that he saw from his grandfather.
Beyond that, it was a light agenda; the board meeting lasted under a half an hour in total. Superintendent Jerry McDowell did share that the middle school is having a heating problem as a pipe burst in the area of the cafeteria. Although the pipe was fixed, other pipes in that part of the building have also sprung leaks. As a result, that area of the building is cold. McDowell said the possibility has been discussed of moving classes in that area of the school, such as physical education and band, to the Viking Athletic Center as a workaround until a more long-term solution can be found. It’s also possible that food production for the cafeteria may occur elsewhere in the interim.
The superintendent added that he anticipated these problems due to the age of the heating system and noted the millage request that was twice voted down by the district last year. The request included a new HVAC system for the middle school, as well as at Ealy Elementary.
District finance director Steve Aardema said in his monthly finance report that an increase in the district’s retirement rate has resulted in a $350,000 increase in budgeted benefits district-wide. He added revenue from the state is up as well, which helps offset the increase, but it is still a hit. Aardema also noted that debt fund revenue has decreased due to the millage rate falling to 5.000 mills.
