Meeting: 08/17/2026 - 05:30 PM Regular Board Meeting Board Meeting
Location: Central Office Board Room
The Maquoketa Community School District Board of Directors is scheduled to consider a mix of instructional, policy, financial, facilities, personnel, and operational matters. Major items include approximately $6.14 million in school infrastructure revenue bonds, plans for a high school track resurfacing project, an amended Career Academy agreement, employee-benefits consulting services, and a district vehicle purchase.
Key Items on the Agenda
Career Academy Cooperative Agreement
The board is scheduled to consider the first amendment to the district's 10-year Career Academy Cooperative 28E Agreement with Eastern Iowa Community College District. The packet says EICCD and participating districts have spent the past 11 months working toward a more financially sustainable arrangement while maintaining career academy opportunities for students.
Under the proposed amendment:
- The participating districts' total annual enrollment commitment would decrease from 250 to 175 seats. Current enrollment is approximately 202 students.
- Maquoketa's annual enrollment commitment would be 30 students.
- The facility and operations charge would be fixed at $2,000 per student for the remaining six years of the agreement, without annual or inflationary increases.
- Students above a district's enrollment commitment would carry a reduced $1,000 facility and operations charge.
- Tuition would remain at 30% of the applicable EICCD tuition rate.
- The amendment would not extend the agreement beyond its existing June 30, 2032 expiration date.
The packet notes that Career Academy tuition and related expenses continue to pressure district general funds. Superintendent Notz recommends approval of the amendment.
2026–27 Student Handbooks
The administrative team has completed updates to student handbooks for the 2026–27 school year. The board is being asked to approve the High School, Activities, and Coaches handbooks as presented.
A separate discussion-only item concerns possible future handbook language for eighth-grade participation in high school athletics. Activities Director Larson is expected to present draft language that could be used if the board approves an updated activities policy and decides to establish regulations for such participation.
Fall Play Selection
Activities Director Larson recommends Silver's Secret: A Pirate Adventure as the district's 2026–27 fall play. The board is scheduled to consider approval of the selection.
Major Financial and Facilities Items
Approximately $6.14 Million Infrastructure Bond Sale
The agenda includes a proposed resolution establishing the process for selling approximately $6,140,000 in School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds, Series 2026.
The packet states that the bonds are associated with remodeling, renovating, repairing, improving, furnishing, and equipping the Briggs Elementary building and constructing and equipping an addition. It also states that the district previously provided notice and held public hearings on the proposed issuance and that no valid petition for an election was filed following those hearings.
If the proposed resolution is adopted:
- The bonds would be dated November 4, 2026.
- The district would use the PARITY® Competitive Bidding System along with sealed bidding.
- Bids would be due by 10:30 a.m. September 21, 2026 at the Central Office – Board Room.
- Bids would be evaluated by the superintendent, board secretary, and municipal advisor and referred to the board for action.
- The sale and award would be scheduled for the board meeting on September 21, 2026.
- The preliminary Official Statement would be approved for use in connection with the bond offering.
The packet's resolution language is drafted for board action at the August 17 meeting; its blank motion, vote, and signature fields do not document an already-completed vote.
Maquoketa High School Track Resurfacing
The board is being asked to approve plans and specifications for the Maquoketa High School Track Resurfacing Project so the work can proceed to bidding.
The project calls for removal of the existing track surface and installation of a new surface and lane striping, along with fence and long-jump modifications. The packet identifies an estimated $225,000 base-bid budget for track surface replacement and an $85,000 estimated alternate for structural spray.
Bidding documents call for sealed bids by 2:00 p.m. September 16, 2026. The proposed work includes replacement of the running-track surface and related areas, new markings, and restoration of surrounding construction areas.
The board is also being asked to set a public hearing on the proposed Track Update Project for September 21, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.
TrueNorth Employee Benefits Services
The board is scheduled to consider a Master Services Agreement and Statement of Work with TrueNorth Companies for employee-benefit consulting and brokerage services, effective July 1, 2026.
Services described in the packet include benefit-plan consulting, insurance brokerage and placement, employee education, compliance support, and benefits-technology guidance. The proposed compensation includes:
- $46,074 annually for medical plan-related services, subject to a 4% annual increase.
- Compensation equal to 3% of premiums for dental coverage.
- A 12-month initial term with automatic 12-month renewals unless terminated or non-renewed under the agreement.
The administration recommends approval.
District Passenger Van
Transportation Director Scott Hansen recommends purchasing a used 2024 Ford Transit 350 XL passenger van with approximately 48,000 miles from Brad Deery Ford in Maquoketa for $37,000.
The district proposes trading in a 2015 Ford Transit 150 valued at $15,000, producing a net district cost not to exceed $22,000. The board is being asked to approve the purchase on that basis.
Policy and Governance Items
First Reading of Policy Updates
The board is scheduled to discuss and update a substantial group of district policies and then consider approval of a first reading. Subjects covered by the proposed revisions include board elections and meeting notices, employment practices, open enrollment, student conduct, medication administration, instructional programs, special education, gifted and talented programming, technology, counseling, responsible technology use, and public records.
Among the packet's proposed changes are new district policies and regulations numbered 503.14, 503.14-R(1), and 503.14-R(2) addressing disruptive behavior, including a regulation addressing students with Individualized Education Programs.
The packet also identifies Policy 603.04 — Multicultural Gender Fair Education and Policy 603.10 — Global Education as rescinded. Additional new material includes 604.03-R(1) for gifted and talented programming and 605.04-E(1) concerning technology and instructional materials.
Consent Agenda
The consent agenda carries a recommendation to approve its items as presented. It includes:
- Approval of the meeting agenda.
- Minutes from the July 8, 2026 Regular Board Meeting.
- Registrations, reimbursements, and accounts payable.
- Financial reports, including June and July 2026 materials.
- Resignations and retirements.
- Recommendations to hire, subject to licensure and criminal-background-check requirements.
- A contract amendment for High School Counselor Staci Deutsch adding 10 extra days for $2,916.72.
- A roster of long-term substitute positions and rates.
- Fundraising approvals.
- An out-of-state travel request for a middle school teacher to participate in an educational camping and leadership trip to Grand Island, Michigan, during Labor Day week.
- Open-enrollment matters.
The accounts-payable materials include expenditures across the district's general, activity, school house, lunch, and other funds. The check register lists a $2,072,808.81 elementary-addition construction payment for work from June 1–30 and a $1,407,446.20 payment for work from July 1–31, both to Conlon Construction Company. It also lists a $74,151.44 payment associated with the purchase of property at 206 N. Decker St.
Financial Reports
The packet includes unaudited June 30 and July 31 financial information.
The June 30, 2026 estimated fund balances include approximately:
- $2.97 million in the General Fund.
- $7.83 million in the Local Option Sales Tax Fund.
- $857,516 in PPEL.
- $644,510 in the Nutrition Fund.
- $1.90 million in the Health Fund.
The July 31 report is identified as preliminary and not final. It shows an estimated General Fund balance of approximately $2.69 million, a Local Option Sales Tax balance of approximately $7.83 million, PPEL at approximately $792,029, and the Health Fund at approximately $2.13 million.
Public Participation and Reports
The agenda provides time for visitors and informal public comments under district Policy 213. Speakers normally are limited to three minutes, subject to adjustment by the board president. The policy states that the board receives community input during this period but does not discuss or take action on matters during public comment.
Administrators are also scheduled to provide verbal reports concerning the first weeks of school. The agenda additionally includes board comments, a legislative update from the district's Legislative Action Network representative, and the superintendent's report.
What to Watch at the Meeting
Several agenda items could shape district finances or operations beyond the August meeting:
- Whether the board advances the approximately $6.14 million bond sale, setting up competitive bidding and potential award on September 21.
- Whether the high school track resurfacing project moves into bidding and whether the proposed September 21 public hearing is scheduled.
- Whether the revised Career Academy agreement is accepted with lower enrollment commitments and a fixed facility-and-operations charge.
- How the board handles the broad package of policy revisions, including new disruptive-behavior policies and regulations.
- Whether the board supports draft rules that could eventually allow eighth-grade students to participate in high school athletics under specified conditions.
- Whether the proposed TrueNorth benefits-services agreement and Ford Transit purchase receive approval.
The official public-body packet source is the Maquoketa Community School District's Simbli meeting page.
Provider: simbli
Provider Meeting ID: simbli-32624
Official Meeting Source URL: https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=36031384&MID=32624
Public body's meeting/document listing page: https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/SB_MeetingListing.aspx?S=36031384
Civic Translator summarized publicly available meeting materials provided through the official public-body meeting source.
