Starmont board approves insurance, raises substitute pay, ends Crossroads Consortium and appoints Katie Taylor

The Starmont Community School District Board on July 13 approved a package of routine operational measures, including a $339,141.82 insurance quote, a raise in substitute pay and bids to repair athletic and kitchen equipment, and voted to terminate the district’s participation in the Crossroads Consortium.

Board President Doug Puffett called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and the board approved the agenda. The board then approved a consent agenda that included personnel actions, billing and finance items and volunteer coaching appointments; the consent motion, moved by Tony Recker and seconded by Julie Uhlenkamp, was recorded with four votes in favor and one abstention (Nathan Meyers).

Principal Jennifer Lange told the board that online registration will open Aug. 3, with an in-person registration session Aug. 4 from 2–6 p.m. Lange said the administration will adopt an 8th-grade participation philosophy: 8th graders will not be elevated to high school teams unless they are judged "varsity ready" and the move would aid the season’s trajectory, and administrators plan to add a question to annual physical forms about high school participation. "They will not move up to sit on the bench," Lange said.

Co-Athletic Director Mike Augustine reported postseason play updates and recognized athletes who earned All-Conference honors.

In a separate motion, the board appointed Katie Taylor as board secretary/treasurer; the motion by Julie Uhlenkamp, seconded by Nathan Meyers, passed 5-0 and Taylor took the oath of office.

Among the business votes, the board:

• Approved an annual insurance quote from EMC Insurance for $339,141.82 (motion by Julie Uhlenkamp, seconded by Tony Recker, 5-0).

• Adopted the 2026–2027 fee schedule as presented (5-0).

• Increased substitute teacher pay to $160 per day (motion by Uhlenkamp, seconded by Meyers, 5-0).

• Approved multiple facility and equipment contracts, including a $5,900 bid to tile the baseball field from Recker Excavating and a $13,585 bid to replace walk-in freezer refrigeration from Wilson Restaurant Supply (each approved 5-0).

• Approved the district’s participation termination in the Crossroads Consortium and directed Superintendent Robert Busch to take the steps required under the consortium agreement and Iowa law to conclude obligations (motion by Uhlenkamp, seconded by Recker, 5-0).

• Approved a 28E agreement for the Bridge Learning Center and an operational sharing agreement with Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District to share a curriculum director on a 62.5/37.5 split (5-0).

The board also approved a second reading of annual policies and the HF2591 8th Grade Administrative Procedure, authorized an FFA trip to the National Convention in Indianapolis and adopted the district’s top four 2027 legislative priorities—teacher recruitment and licensure, supplemental state aid, tax base and unfunded mandates.

Superintendent Robert Busch noted upcoming transportation inspections, said he wants to improve district communications and community development coordination, and plans to schedule a building walkthrough. The meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m.

Votes at a glance: all individually recorded motions except the consent agenda carried by recorded votes of 5-0. The consent agenda motion was recorded as four 'yes' votes with one abstention (Nathan Meyers).