CHSD 218 board approves tentative 2025–26 budget, awards Richards HS renovation and waste services bids; hears bond-sale plan
July 15, 2025 | CHSD 218, School Boards, Illinois
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At its July 15, 2025, meeting the Community High School District 218 Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the district's tentative budget for fiscal year 2025–26, moved a multi-item consent agenda and approved two separate bid awards, and heard a finance presentation on an upcoming bond sale that will fund capital projects.
Votes and approvals at a glance: the board approved a consent agenda that included May and June payments and personnel recommendations; it approved bid number 1515 for interior renovations at Richards High School; it adopted the tentative FY2025–26 budget; and it awarded the district's waste-management contract (bid 1513) to Republic Services. Each of those action items passed on roll-call votes with the same recorded affirmative votes from board members Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice and Jennifer.
Debt and financing presentation: district financial staff and outside counsel reviewed a financing plan prepared by Raymond James Financial (Elizabeth Hennessy, who did not attend, prepared the slides) and Chapman McCollister (bond counsel). The presentation explained that the district's equalized assessed valuation is just under $3.25 billion and that, under statutory debt limits for high-school districts (a 6.9 multiplier referenced in the presentation), the theoretical top debt limit is roughly $174 million. Presenters said the district currently has about $26 million in outstanding bonds (the presentation noted a $7 million issuance in 2024) and intends to issue roughly $18 million more to support planned capital projects; the total debt carrying forward after the planned sale would be on the order of $50 million, which the presentation characterized as less than one-third of statutory capacity. The presentation said proceeds from the proposed sale would flow first to the working cash fund bonds and then be abated and placed into construction funds; presenters described a schedule for the issuance and municipal-market context but did not finalize exact sale dates at the meeting.
What the board approved: beyond the tentative budget, the board approved the following motions (recorded roll-call tallies are listed below):
Votes at a glance
- Resolution of commendation/recognitions (agenda item 4): motion carried; vote recorded as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 522:31–537:38)
- Consent agenda (minutes, policies second reading, insurance renewals, audit services, activity buses, uniforms, payments for May/June/July, personnel list 2025-7 and closed-session minutes confidentiality): motion carried; roll-call recorded as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 768:15–788:35)
- Recommendation for bid number 1515 (Richards High School interior renovations): motion carried on roll-call as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 3739.89–3747.49)
- Tentative budget resolution for FY2025–26: motion carried on roll-call as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 3757.93–3799.67)
- Bid number 1513, award for waste-management services to Republic Services: motion carried on roll-call as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 3799.89–3821.74)
No votes were recorded in the transcript against any of these items and no formal recusals or abstentions were recorded in the roll-call transcripts provided.
Board discussion highlights: board members asked questions about transportation costs and in-house transportation pilots for special education; the finance presentation noted municipal-market volatility and said the district is ‘‘a little bit above average’’ on rates compared with historical lows but has adequate market demand to issue debt. The finance presenter reviewed statutory limits, the district's outstanding debt profile, and the plan to use a mix of fund balance and new debt for roughly a $79 million capital program (the presentation said about one-third financed by new debt and two-thirds from fund balance). The presenter emphasized the district will not use bond proceeds for operating expenses and that the new borrowing is intended for capital projects only.
Next steps: the finance presentation materials and a draft parameters resolution will be provided to the board for review; presenters said staff will meet with rating agencies and bring a parameters resolution to a future board meeting for approval before proceeding to market.
Background: the agenda also included an update on large capital projects (Eisenhower Auditorium and Field House addition, Shepherd auditorium and field house, and other maintenance) and multiple routine business reports. No closed session was required at this meeting.
Ending: after completing the agenda the board adjourned by unanimous voice vote.
Votes and approvals at a glance: the board approved a consent agenda that included May and June payments and personnel recommendations; it approved bid number 1515 for interior renovations at Richards High School; it adopted the tentative FY2025–26 budget; and it awarded the district's waste-management contract (bid 1513) to Republic Services. Each of those action items passed on roll-call votes with the same recorded affirmative votes from board members Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice and Jennifer.
Debt and financing presentation: district financial staff and outside counsel reviewed a financing plan prepared by Raymond James Financial (Elizabeth Hennessy, who did not attend, prepared the slides) and Chapman McCollister (bond counsel). The presentation explained that the district's equalized assessed valuation is just under $3.25 billion and that, under statutory debt limits for high-school districts (a 6.9 multiplier referenced in the presentation), the theoretical top debt limit is roughly $174 million. Presenters said the district currently has about $26 million in outstanding bonds (the presentation noted a $7 million issuance in 2024) and intends to issue roughly $18 million more to support planned capital projects; the total debt carrying forward after the planned sale would be on the order of $50 million, which the presentation characterized as less than one-third of statutory capacity. The presentation said proceeds from the proposed sale would flow first to the working cash fund bonds and then be abated and placed into construction funds; presenters described a schedule for the issuance and municipal-market context but did not finalize exact sale dates at the meeting.
What the board approved: beyond the tentative budget, the board approved the following motions (recorded roll-call tallies are listed below):
Votes at a glance
- Resolution of commendation/recognitions (agenda item 4): motion carried; vote recorded as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 522:31–537:38)
- Consent agenda (minutes, policies second reading, insurance renewals, audit services, activity buses, uniforms, payments for May/June/July, personnel list 2025-7 and closed-session minutes confidentiality): motion carried; roll-call recorded as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 768:15–788:35)
- Recommendation for bid number 1515 (Richards High School interior renovations): motion carried on roll-call as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 3739.89–3747.49)
- Tentative budget resolution for FY2025–26: motion carried on roll-call as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 3757.93–3799.67)
- Bid number 1513, award for waste-management services to Republic Services: motion carried on roll-call as Steve, Tom, Carol, Nora, Sheila, Candice, Jennifer — all "yes." (vote recorded at 3799.89–3821.74)
No votes were recorded in the transcript against any of these items and no formal recusals or abstentions were recorded in the roll-call transcripts provided.
Board discussion highlights: board members asked questions about transportation costs and in-house transportation pilots for special education; the finance presentation noted municipal-market volatility and said the district is ‘‘a little bit above average’’ on rates compared with historical lows but has adequate market demand to issue debt. The finance presenter reviewed statutory limits, the district's outstanding debt profile, and the plan to use a mix of fund balance and new debt for roughly a $79 million capital program (the presentation said about one-third financed by new debt and two-thirds from fund balance). The presenter emphasized the district will not use bond proceeds for operating expenses and that the new borrowing is intended for capital projects only.
Next steps: the finance presentation materials and a draft parameters resolution will be provided to the board for review; presenters said staff will meet with rating agencies and bring a parameters resolution to a future board meeting for approval before proceeding to market.
Background: the agenda also included an update on large capital projects (Eisenhower Auditorium and Field House addition, Shepherd auditorium and field house, and other maintenance) and multiple routine business reports. No closed session was required at this meeting.
Ending: after completing the agenda the board adjourned by unanimous voice vote.
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