West Fork Community School District Board Minutes
Official Proceedings – Regular Meeting – March 17, 2025 – Approved
The West Fork Board of Education met for its regular meeting in the Media Center in Sheffield. The meeting was called to order at 5:00 PM by Board President, Holly Henricks. Board members present: Grant Petersen, Amber Marzen, Travis Butler and, Erin Suntken. Also present were Superintendent Mike Kruger, High School Principal Daren Huisenga, Middle School Principal Lance Thompson, and West Fork Board Secretary Lacey Pueggel.
Visitors: Stacey Ubben, Amber Brown, Emily Weeks, Abbie Emhoff, Ava Huff, Sydney Heinz, Libby Trewin.
Marzen made a motion to approve the Agenda, Minutes from February 17th, 2025, March 2025 Bills, and February 2025 Financials; seconded by Suntken. Motion carried 5-0.
Principals Report:
Superintendent’s Report
New Business:
Ava Huff, Sydney Heinz, and Libby Trewin presented information about their upcoming Senior Class Trip. The Class of 2025 will be going to Chicago, April 11-13th. There will be 34 classmates attending with 4 Chaperones. Some of the places they will be visiting are as follows: Navy Pier, Fly over Chicago, Chicago River Cruise, and more! The board approved their travel plans as presented.
Ava, Sydney, Libby and Stacey left the meeting at 5:15pm.
Following discussion, Petersen moved to approve the Preliminary Official Statement for issuing GO Bonds; seconded by Butler. Motion carried 5-0.
The Board of Directors of the West Fork Community School District, in the Counties of Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Hancock, and Wright, State of Iowa, met in regular session, in the Media Center, 504 Park Street, Sheffield, Iowa 50475, at 5:00 P.M., on the above date. There were present President Henricks, in the chair, and the following named Board Members: Butler, Petersen, Marzen, Suntken. Absent: N/A. Vacant: N/A.
The matter of the issuance of General Obligation School Bonds was discussed. It was the consensus that the District should offer for public sale the bonds described in the following resolution.
Director Suntken introduced the following Resolution and moved its adoption.
Director Petersen seconded the motion to adopt. The roll was called and the vote was:
AYES: Butler, Petersen, Marzen, Suntken, Henricks. NAYS: N/A.
The President declared the Resolution adopted as follows:
RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR SALE OF NOT TO EXCEED $10,000,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION SCHOOL BONDS, SERIES 2025, APPROVING ELECTRONIC BIDDING PROCEDURES AND APPROVING OFFICIAL STATEMENT
WHEREAS, at a special election of the qualified electors of the West Fork Community School District in the Counties of Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Hancock, and Wright, State of Iowa, held on November 5, 2024, the voters authorized the issuance of $16,865,000 of General Obligation School Bonds for the District for the purpose of providing funds to remodel, repair, and improve the HVAC and electrical systems at the Rockwell elementary building and the Sheffield middle school / high school building, including related remodeling and improvements; to replace roof sections at both facilities; to replace horizontal runs of the domestic water system piping at the Sheffield facility; and to add a secure entrance at the Sheffield facility; and
WHEREAS, this Board finds it advisable and necessary that bonds authorized at the election be offered for sale for the purpose authorized at the election; and
WHEREAS, the Board deems it in the best interests of the School District and the residents thereof to receive bids to purchase such General Obligation School Bonds by means of both sealed and electronic internet communication; and
WHEREAS, the Board has received information from its Municipal Advisor, recommending the procedure for electronic bidding so as to provide for the integrity of the competitive bidding process and to facilitate the delivery of bids by interested parties
Section 1. That the PARITY® Competitive Bidding System described in the Notice of Sale and the Electronic Bidding Procedures attached hereto are found and determined to provide reasonable security and to maintain the integrity of the competitive bidding process, and to facilitate the delivery of bids by interested parties in connection with the offering at public sale of not to exceed $10,000,000 General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2025.
Section 2. That all electronic bidding shall be submitted in substantial conformity with Iowa Code Section 75.14 and Chapter 554D.
Section 3. That General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2025, in the aggregate amount of not to exceed $10,000,000, to be issued as referred to in the preamble of this Resolution, to be dated the date of delivery, will be offered for sale pursuant to published advertisement.
Section 4. That the Secretary of the Board of this School District publish notice of the sale of bonds at least once, the last one of which is not less than four days nor more than twenty days before the date of the sale. Publication will be in the Hampton Chronicle and the Clear Lake Mirror Reporter, legal newspapers published wholly in the English language, published within the County in which the bonds are to be offered for sale or an adjacent County. Notice is given pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 75 that bids will be received and acted upon by this Board at a meeting to be held on April 24, 2025;
Section 5. That the preliminary Official Statement in the form presented to this meeting be and the same hereby is approved as to form and deemed final for purposes of Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities and Exchange Commission, subject to such revisions, corrections or modifications as the Superintendent and Board Secretary, upon the advice of the District's Municipal Advisor, shall determine to be appropriate, and is authorized to be distributed in connection with the offering of the Bonds for sale.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 17th day of March, 2025.
Following discussion, Butler moved to set the 2nd Public Hearing for the FY2026 Budget for April 21, 2025 at 5pm in Rockwell in the Supt. Office; seconded by Suntken. Motion carried 5-0.
Marzen moved to approve the Local Government Risk Pool Agreement for Natural Gas Costs for the 25-26 school year; seconded by Petersen. Motion carried 5-0.
Suntken moved to approve the Open Enrollment Request(s) as presented; seconded by Butler. Motion carried 5-0.
Marzen moved to approve the Cooperative Agreement with UNI for Student Teacher Placements in the 2025-2026 school year; seconded by Petersen. Motion carried 5-0.
Petersen moved to approve the Cooperative Agreement with Morningside for Student Teacher Placements in the 2025-2026 school year; seconded by Butler. Motion carried 5-0.
Suntken moved to approve a contract to Desirae Randall to serve as the JJV Softball Coach; seconded by Marzen. Motion carried 5-0.
Suntken moved to approve a contract to Edison Maske to serve as the JJV Baseball Coach; seconded by Marzen. Motion carried 5-0.
Butler moved to approve the resignation of Lance Thompson, MS Principal and MS Athletic Driector; seconded by Marzen. Motion carried 4-0.
The Board reviewed possible changes to the district’s health insurance plan due to the high cost of insurance premiums for the 25-26 school year.
The SIAC meeting will follow this meeting at 6pm.
Next Board Meeting: April 21dst at 5pm in the Rockwell Supt. Office. There will be a Special Board Meeting for the 1st Public Hearing for the FY2026 Budget on March 24th, 2025 at 5:00pm in Sheffield in the Library.
Butler moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:45 pm; seconded by Marzen. Motion carried 5-0.
______________________________ _______________________________
Board President – Holly Henricks Board Secretary – Lacey Pueggel