VB School Board organizes for 2024 with the same officers

The Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education held its organizational meeting on Jan. 16 and reelected the same board officers.
Amy Pearce is president; Susan Featheringill is vice-president, Darlene Loyer Gerick is secretary, and Simone Pinter is treasurer.
School Supt. Pete Kudlak recognized the board members for their work since January is School Board Appreciation Month.
The board approved the regular meeting dates, time, and place and authorized depository for school funds and investments for the 2024 year. Members were appointed to the board’s five committees.
The board also approved having the superintendent’s office or designee post board meeting compliant with the open meetings act.
A special meeting was held at 6 p.m., prior to the organizational meeting, to conduct a closed-door session to consider reinstatement of a student for the 2023-24 school year, after the period of expulsion had expired. After the board came into open session Student 22-23-013 was reinstated with conditions.
The regular meeting opened after the organizational meeting was complete. The board then:
• Unanimously approved Bond Series II Move Management contract with University Moving and Storage of Farmington Hills for the total project amount of $132,620, which includes a 5% district contingency of $6,314, as explained at the last meeting. The district said it needed to hire a moving company to assist with the removal of existing furniture, storing it on site in storage containers and then moving it back into the buildings once the construction is completed in the summer and winter of 2024. This assistance is a necessity due to the tight timelines before and after upgrades at McBride, Savage, and Tyler, as explained by James Williams, director of plant operations;
• Discussed the district’s Bus Replacement Program to replace district buses every eight years. The board needs to purchase six buses a year. Information was given on the proposed 2024 bus purchase and the three bidders, with bids ranging from $125,742 to $137,936. No action on this was taken at the meeting;
• Approved the 18-month contract agreement with Van Buren Education Association (VBEA), with Susan Featheringill and Simone Pinter abstaining because of a relation to a member of the VBEA. All pay increases were changed from a calendar year to a fiscal year; one-time payment of $2,500 to all members in January 2024, steps reduced from 20 to 16, added alternative certification language, critical teacher shortage incentives, increased compensation for leadership teams, longevity, extracurriculars, retirement incentives, and mentor pay;
• Approved the termination of Jordan Parsons as a custodian after less than a year of service; and the resignations from Food Service of Deborah Moorehead after five years of service and Anita Fahey after less than a year;
• Approved the retirement of Beverly Porter after 27 years of service in Transportation as of Feb. 1;
• Approved the employment of non-instructional employees: Tiffany Wohfeil as a bus aide, Michael Pobursky in FANCU Robotics at BHS, Zhanae Wright in Food Service at BHS, Jessika Tuddles as a paraprofessional at McBride, Hannah Moore as a custodian for Building and Grounds Department, and Amanda Swank as a bus aide; and
• Held another closed-door session on a student reinstatement request at the end of the regular meeting. After the board came back into open session, it voted unanimously to deny reinstatement to Student 21-22-064.