[0:01] Good morning. This special meeting of
[0:03] June 22nd, 2026 of the Dubuque Community
[0:06] School District Board of Education is
[0:08] called to order.
[0:11] Our mission is to develop world-class
[0:13] learners and citizens of character in a
[0:15] safe and inclusive learning community.
[0:17] Roll call, please.
[0:18] >> Bradley
[0:19] >> Here.
[0:20] >> Hamel
[0:21] Hinchen
[0:22] >> Here.
[0:22] >> Parks
[0:23] >> Here.
[0:23] >> Prohaska
[0:24] >> Here.
[0:25] >> Samsel
[0:26] Whitman
[0:27] >> Here.
[0:28] I move the Board of Education approve
[0:30] the agenda as submitted.
[0:33] >> Second.
[0:33] >> It's been moved and seconded that the
[0:35] Board of Education approve the agenda as
[0:37] submitted. Is there any discussion?
[0:39] Seeing none, all in favor say I.
[0:42] >> I.
[0:43] >> Any opposed?
[0:44] That motion carries.
[0:46] Um so, the first thing up then is a
[0:49] resolution that's authorizing the
[0:51] execution of our escrow agreement and
[0:53] lease agreement with Keystone
[0:55] um
[0:57] Area Education Agency. So, we're looking
[0:58] at the real estate located right next
[1:00] door, um 2310 Cheney Road. Um I will now
[1:05] entertain a motion to approve this
[1:08] resolution.
[1:10] >> I move the Board of Education approve
[1:12] the resolution authorizing execution of
[1:15] an escrow agreement and a lease
[1:16] agreement with Keystone Area Education
[1:19] Agency. All related to the real estate
[1:22] located at 2310 Cheney Road as
[1:24] presented. And to authorize the Board
[1:27] President and Board Secretary to sign
[1:30] all final transaction documents.
[1:33] >> Second.
[1:34] >> It's been moved and seconded that the
[1:35] Board of Education approve the
[1:37] resolution authorizing execution of an
[1:39] escrow agreement and a lease agreement
[1:41] with Keystone Area Education Agency. All
[1:45] related to the real estate located at
[1:46] 2310 Cheney Road as presented. And to
[1:49] authorize the Board President and the
[1:51] Board Secretary to sign all final
[1:53] transaction documents. Is there any
[1:56] discussion on the resolution?
[1:59] >> I think today, you know, we were here we
[2:01] were we talked about the Keystone
[2:03] purchase agreement. And what we're
[2:06] talking about today is number one the
[2:08] lease agreement because as you know, we
[2:11] want to make sure that we continue to be
[2:13] great partners with Keystone cuz they
[2:15] will continue to serve the Dubuque
[2:16] County. And so we've worked with
[2:19] their current chief administrator Stan
[2:21] Rygens and their new chief administrator
[2:24] and I talked to say you know, what
[2:26] spaces could you use? Also knowing that
[2:29] there can be some flexibility, you know,
[2:31] because as we all go to move into a new
[2:34] place. They have to if if there's more
[2:36] or less space needed, we will be
[2:38] flexible as we as we learn to live
[2:41] together in a new way than we do
[2:43] currently.
[2:44] And then the second agreement is the
[2:45] escrow agree escrow agreement and that's
[2:47] really about how we'll be paying
[2:49] Keystone for our purchase of that
[2:52] building. And so
[2:54] you know, we're really excited for this
[2:55] new partnership. We're excited for the
[2:57] district to not only you know, gain this
[3:00] space for our online school for our
[3:02] re-engaged students, but also for us to
[3:05] look into the future for us to own all
[3:07] of this land because you never know in
[3:10] 10 15 20 years down the road
[3:13] what the district may need 17 acres of
[3:15] land for. So it's really a great
[3:17] investment for us as a district
[3:20] at the $1.9 million.
[3:23] >> Great. Any
[3:24] >> I have a question on
[3:25] one item. The the agreement here under
[3:28] no consideration
[3:30] there's no additional rent or monetary
[3:32] reimbursement for the school district on
[3:34] this. Is that correct?
[3:35] >> That is correct. So
[3:37] when we negotiated the price, we
[3:39] negotiated
[3:41] that they would be able to use utilize
[3:44] about 3,000 square feet of that space
[3:47] with no payments back and forth.
[3:49] >> is 7-year lease renewable?
[3:52] >> With a 2-year extension.
[3:53] >> With the two-year extension.
[3:54] >> two-year extension.
[3:55] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[3:57] >> Wait, so seven years to equal nine or
[3:59] seven years
[4:00] >> Sorry, two
[4:01] >> to be repeated.
[4:03] >> two seven years
[4:03] >> So it could be 14 years.
[4:05] >> It could be 21.
[4:06] >> Well, we thought it was 20.
[4:08] >> two renewals
[4:10] >> Yeah, I got it. Okay. And that really
[4:11] was
[4:13] the state requires you know, you can
[4:15] have up to seven years and then if you
[4:18] go over that then there needs to be
[4:21] different approvals throughout the
[4:23] state. So we
[4:24] met with our attorneys [clears throat]
[4:25] and said we'll do two
[4:28] Well, three seven year you know, if that
[4:31] makes sense.
[4:32] >> Do we have to have state approval at the
[4:35] in order to renew?
[4:36] >> No.
[4:37] >> Okay.
[4:37] >> But terms
[4:38] >> That is it right now.
[4:39] >> Terms could be negotiated renegotiated
[4:41] if needed at the end of each seven
[4:43] years?
[4:43] >> Correct.
[4:44] >> Okay.
[4:45] >> Yep.
[4:46] >> Amy, just for the public's consideration
[4:48] if they aren't aware yet, would you
[4:51] explain how it came to be that that was
[4:54] attached to this building? I think it
[4:56] was in 1995.
[4:58] And the land transfer was
[5:01] >> Yeah, so the district actually sold the
[5:04] land to Keystone for $1.
[5:06] >> Right.
[5:06] >> So they have then returned that favor
[5:09] back to us, which was great. So really
[5:12] that purchase price even though it was
[5:14] appraised at a little bit higher value,
[5:16] that was including the land. So when we
[5:19] did our negotiations it's really for us
[5:21] just to purchase back the building and
[5:24] the land at no value.
[5:26] >> Right. And at that time my understanding
[5:28] is the the agreement was that the
[5:30] Dubuque schools would have first right
[5:32] of refusal
[5:33] >> That is correct.
[5:33] >> at such time as that building might be
[5:35] sold.
[5:36] >> Yep. Anytime
[5:37] in the agreement that we had with them
[5:39] it showed that if they were going to
[5:41] sell it we had first right of refusal,
[5:43] which is when Stan came to us and said,
[5:45] "Hey, we're thinking about um selling
[5:48] our property, you know, are you
[5:49] interested? You know, is the district
[5:51] interested?" And then we moved forward
[5:53] with those conversations. So,
[5:55] um cuz Keystone has also sold some other
[5:57] properties within their landscape. Um
[6:00] >> Right.
[6:01] >> Um due to, you know, using building
[6:03] space and things like that. And so,
[6:06] um many of their staff are now working
[6:08] more in schools than [clears throat]
[6:10] working um off on different sites.
[6:12] >> Mhm.
[6:13] >> It's really benefiting us and them, so
[6:15] they're not spending so much on bricks
[6:17] and mortar.
[6:18] >> Absolutely.
[6:19] >> are out in the schools
[6:21] and we're benefiting by having more
[6:23] space for more departments
[6:25] and that it's all ours. You know, all
[6:28] this building, all this land.
[6:30] >> Absolutely.
[6:31] >> Yeah, it's a it's a it's definitely a
[6:32] win-win. And we work so closely with
[6:34] them right now. So, um I'm just happy
[6:37] that we can continue to have that
[6:39] partnership and um we're just kind of flip-flopping
[6:43] cuz we were we were leasing space from
[6:45] them prior to this. So, yeah, it's
[6:47] great.
[6:47] >> Not only the building, but the land. I
[6:49] see that as a very
[6:51] important part of this agreement. Cuz I
[6:54] go way back to when
[6:56] the district owned all the land all the
[6:58] way down to Kaufman. I think Does
[7:00] Kaufman go this way?
[7:01] >> That's Kaufman, yeah.
[7:03] >> And that then was sold to the developers
[7:05] that put in the condos or whatever. So,
[7:07] >> Okay.
[7:07] >> So, it's good to hold on to land.
[7:09] >> Didn't I know that?
[7:10] >> That's a history.
[7:12] That's how we bring him back, right?
[7:14] >> [laughter]
[7:16] >> I didn't know that.
[7:17] yeah.
[7:18] >> They're great neighbors, though.
[7:19] >> Amy, would you also comment on the our
[7:22] intended use of of the building once
[7:25] we're in possession?
[7:26] >> Yeah, [clears throat] so um one thing
[7:28] we're really excited about is our online
[7:30] school is currently housed at Jefferson
[7:32] Middle School. So, our online school
[7:34] staff will actually now be housed here
[7:37] at in that Keystone um area of the
[7:40] building.
[7:41] And um that's about
[7:43] Oh, how many spaces is that? I think
[7:45] it's 16 spaces, you know, that that
[7:47] they'll have. And then this will also
[7:49] give us an opportunity because we're
[7:51] still required by um, state code to do
[7:53] testing. And then we often time bring
[7:56] online students into the community so
[7:58] they can meet and have face-to-face
[8:00] interaction. We do that in public
[8:02] spaces, sometimes at the library or
[8:03] Panera things. And now we'll have a
[8:05] space to bring students in um, to expand
[8:09] on their learning and their social
[8:12] things within this within their
[8:13] classmates. Then our Re-Engage Center,
[8:16] our re-engagement center has currently
[8:18] been housed down at the Town Clock Plaza
[8:21] um, through NICC. And that area or that
[8:25] building has been renovated um, is being
[8:28] renovated as we as we speak. And so that
[8:31] we actually lost our space there um, in
[8:33] the beginning of March. So we were able
[8:35] to have conversations with Keystone and
[8:38] they allowed us to move our re-engage
[8:39] center there in March of this year. So
[8:41] we'll continue to house to use that
[8:44] space um, for that. And then we're
[8:46] actually going to be using the upstairs
[8:48] space for our special education
[8:50] department because um, a lot of the
[8:53] connections we have with Keystone is
[8:55] around special education. And so then
[8:57] they will take up the Keystone area and
[9:00] our special ed department will be
[9:01] upstairs so they'll be able to work um,
[9:04] very closely together um, in that new
[9:07] configuration. So yeah, so we're finding
[9:09] lots of uses for the space um, that will
[9:13] um, benefit the district for sure.
[9:15] >> I think as a I serve on both the
[9:18] Keystone AEA board and this board. And
[9:21] it's interesting to see how it is, as you said Lisa, how it is a
[9:25] benefit to both
[9:27] organizations.
[9:29] Keystone having had many
[9:31] um, [clears throat]
[9:32] budget cuts from legislative action in
[9:35] Iowa. And as you said earlier Amy this
[9:39] will be the third building that Keystone will
[9:42] have
[9:43] sold and not maintained
[9:47] ownership of
[9:48] so that's a great efficiency the cost of
[9:51] it and for us having the need for the
[9:53] space it's really perfect timing for
[9:55] both so I will be abstaining from the
[9:58] vote because of that
[10:01] >> That was my question I'm
[10:03] sure the desire is to have this done by
[10:04] July 1st has the Keystone board already
[10:06] approved this lease
[10:08] >> Yes
[10:09] >> I didn't know if it had to go to them
[10:10] next
[10:10] >> It did we did just within a few days
[10:12] >> Okay
[10:15] » And the public might not know but
[10:16] there's no repairs or
[10:20] build outs that need to be done right
[10:23] everything's okay the buildings flow
[10:25] that you know the doors open it's like
[10:27] it's one building
[10:29] >> Oh yeah we're connected yeah we're we're
[10:31] totally connected inside and
[10:33] >> We're we're going to have to change our
[10:34] keypads and things like that but yeah
[10:37] But [laughter] otherwise there's no
[10:38] extra expense for us to do any repairs
[10:40] or improvements it's it's moving ready
[10:44] >> Yeah and part of the agreement was you
[10:46] know furniture desk space and those
[10:48] things were also included in that
[10:50] purchase
[10:50] >> Yeah so we're fortunate for that for
[10:52] sure
[10:54] >> Wonderful anything else
[10:58] All [snorts] right let's have a roll
[10:59] call vote
[11:01] So President Parks Anderson Sancy just
[11:04] joined the meeting so I just wanted to
[11:05] let you know that
[11:07] >> Welcome Anderson
[11:08] >> Welcome
[11:10] >> Bradley
[11:11] >> Abstain
[11:13] >> Hamel
[11:14] Hinchen
[11:15] >> I
[11:15] >> Parks
[11:16] >> I
[11:17] >> Prochaska
[11:17] >> I
[11:18] >> Sancy
[11:20] >> I
[11:20] >> Whitman
[11:21] >> I
[11:23] >> That motion carries Congratulations both
[11:26] parties
[11:27] All right next on the agenda is the
[11:29] resolution to terminate the self-funded
[11:31] vision plan and authorize use of
[11:33] remaining funds to offset future vision
[11:35] benefit costs.
[11:39] I believe we are going to postpone this
[11:43] discussion.
[11:44] So, if someone would like to read that
[11:47] >> Read the motion? Okay, I'll read it. I
[11:49] move
[11:50] that consideration and action on the
[11:52] resolution to terminate in self-funded
[11:55] vision plan and authorize use of
[11:57] remaining funds to offset future vision
[11:59] benefits costs be post- postponed until
[12:03] a further
[12:04] future regular or special meeting of the
[12:06] board.
[12:07] >> Second.
[12:08] >> It's been moved and seconded that
[12:10] consideration and action on the
[12:11] resolution to terminate the self-funded
[12:13] vision plan and authorize use of
[12:15] remaining funds to offset future vision
[12:18] benefit costs be postponed until a
[12:20] future regular or special meeting of the
[12:22] board. Is there any discussion?
[12:25] >> I'll just bring a little bit of
[12:27] information to the to the board. Um, so
[12:29] in the past we were self-funded, um, and
[12:32] we looked at, um, that not being, uh, a
[12:35] viable thing for us anymore. So, we are
[12:36] looking or we have switched to a fully
[12:38] funded plan. And so, some of this is
[12:40] just kind of cleaning that up for the
[12:42] end of the year. We had hoped to have it
[12:44] in place for you guys, um, but our one
[12:46] of our attorneys was out and so, we did
[12:48] not get it in place for this meeting.
[12:49] So, we will bring it to you for a future
[12:51] meeting. But we do have some carryover
[12:53] funds that will be in there,
[12:54] um, that we would would like to ask you
[12:56] guys to use for, um, offsetting premiums
[13:00] for the, uh, fully funded plan. But more
[13:02] information to come as we continue to
[13:04] work through that process.
[13:05] >> Lisa, can you say a little bit about the
[13:07] difference between being self-funded and
[13:10] um, having a fully funded plan?
[13:13] >> So, self-funded is where we are
[13:14] collecting the money and we are paying
[13:16] out all of the claims. So, we are
[13:17] totally taking care of it all of
[13:19] ourselves and then we are looking to go
[13:21] with a provider to do that for us now.
[13:22] >> Got it. Thank you.
[13:23] >> It just didn't seem to be as feasible
[13:25] now.
[13:26] >> Sure.
[13:26] >> And then when we looked at other um
[13:27] options, it was all fully funded. So,
[13:30] looking at going through another carrier
[13:32] to do that.
[13:32] >> Will there be any disruption of benefits
[13:35] to our employees?
[13:36] >> No.
[13:37] They still have vision.
[13:38] >> And this is the only vision part of it,
[13:41] the only thing affected.
[13:42] >> Yes. Vision is the only one we're
[13:43] talking about that we were self-funded
[13:44] on.
[13:45] >> Uh-huh.
[13:45] >> Yeah, insurance is divided into three
[13:47] different sections. So, we have vision,
[13:49] dental, and then health.
[13:51] So, this is just the vision piece of
[13:53] that.
[13:54] So, and again, you know, we're trying to
[13:56] find efficiencies all the time and how
[13:58] we can make sure that we keep premiums
[14:01] um at a low cost for our employees
[14:03] um the best that we can. And this was
[14:05] one of the ways that we were able to
[14:08] you know, if we if we switched over to
[14:10] fully funded, it was going to help our
[14:13] employees with their premiums. So, it it
[14:15] made sense for us to do that piece. But
[14:18] again, we didn't realize, you know, we
[14:20] wanted to make sure that we're doing all
[14:21] the things and getting your permission
[14:23] to do so. Um we were trying to do that
[14:25] before the end of the fiscal year, but
[14:27] um
[14:29] didn't get that. We didn't get all that.
[14:30] >> Didn't work out.
[14:31] [laughter] as much as we
[14:32] planned, but it's all going to be.
[14:33] >> So, we'll come to you in the future.
[14:34] >> More to come.
[14:35] >> I assume I assume that all the that the
[14:38] new vision program was put out for bid,
[14:40] so to speak?
[14:42] >> To bid? Um
[14:43] we did ask for yes. We did go to a
[14:45] couple different carriers to look at
[14:46] yes.
[14:47] >> Very good.
[14:47] >> To give us different offerings, for
[14:49] sure. Yeah. And now our vision our plans
[14:52] used to switch over in July and now they
[14:55] switch over in January.
[14:57] >> Mhm.
[14:57] >> So, we're actually have
[14:59] time, you know, so um that was one of
[15:02] the shifts we made as well with our
[15:04] carriers. Again, just as we're looking
[15:06] at efficiencies to make sure that we're
[15:07] keeping costs as low as we can for our
[15:10] employees.
[15:14] » Anything else?
[15:16] All right. All in favor, say aye.
[15:19] >> Aye.
[15:20] >> Any opposed?
[15:22] That motion to postpone carries.
[15:25] Any other items?
[15:29] All right, seeing none, we are
[15:30] adjourned. Have a great day.