West Nodaway BOE

West Nodaway Board Secretary Cheryl Adkins administered the oath of office to newly-elected board members James Graham and Scott Conn during the April 10 meeting.

The West Nodaway R-I Board of Education met in open and closed sessions on April 10 to handle the following school district business.

The board underwent re-organization to reflect the outcome of the April 2 election. Board Secretary Cheryl Atkins swore in two new board members, Scott Conn and James Graham. Amanda Walker is returning to the board.

Troy Brady was elected board president, Walker is vice president, the board reaffirmed Atkins as secretary and Bev McGinness as treasurer.

In closed session, the board hired the following people for the 2019-20 school year: Bradley Sheeley as a PreK-12 music teacher, Shayli Larabee as a fourth grade teacher, Lori Baldwin as a high school special education teacher and renewed the slate of non-certified support staff. Kelli Hoyt as PreK-12 nurse was voted on separately to allow Board Member Emma Barnett to abstain.

In open session, a 2.2 percent increase in salary was approved for Superintendent Shannon Nolte and Principal Holly Brady.

A transfer of $20,000 was made between the incidental fund to the special revenue fund.

Nolte gave a report on the estimated nonbinding 2019-20 tax rate. He stated in the future this will not be necessary and the board will set the tax rate at the August or September meeting. Property values are estimated at $24,445,305. The estimated Fund 1 or general revenue tax rate is $3.5237 per $100 of assessed valuation and the estimated Fund 3 or debt retirement tax is 65.42¢ per $100 of assessed valuation for an estimated total tax rate of $4.1779 per $100 of assessed valuation. All of these estimates are same as current rates and valuation as recommended by financial tax consultants, Nolte said.

Clevenger & Associates, CPA, PC, Chillicothe, was approved as the school district’s auditors for the next three years. Clevenger will charge $5,500 for the first year and will increase $200 for each year, thereafter. The previous auditor, Arthur White, who is retiring, had charged the district $4,500 for the last audit. Clevenger was the only firm to submit a bid.