$140,000,000 School Referendum

Posted on July 18, 2022 by seektruth

Tomorrow night, Tuesday, July 19, 7:00pm, the Batavia School Board will vote to put a referendum on the Nov. ballot, “to build and equip a new H.C. Storm School and a new Louise White School and demolish the existing buildings, and alter, repair, equip and improve its other school facilities, including but not limited to installing student safety and security enhancements and improving roofs, floors, windows, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems, and improve the sites thereof (the “Project”) at an estimated cost of $140,000,000“. 

Also on the agenda is the tentative budget for the next school year. It looks like a 2% increase at the moment, but given the Board’s history of taxing to the max every year and the current sky high inflation, that number may go up (to a maximum 5% increase or CPI, whichever is lower).

Attend the meeting if you can. More info here:  https://go.boarddocs.com/il/bps101/Board.nsf/Public

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Library Remodeling?

Posted on July 13, 2022 by seektruth

Thursday, July 7, 6:30pm, the Batavia Library Committee of the Whole has on its agenda:

  1. Remodeling Project, Phase One: Master Plan / Concept Design
    a. Options for Master Plan / Concept Design, presented by Donald J. McKay, Principal, and Amy
    Schmieding, Associate, Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects Ltd.
    b. Remodeling Project, Phase One: Master Plan / Concept Design (Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects Ltd.) (Standing Committee on Facilities) (DISCUSSION and/or ACTION ITEM) {VOICE VOTE}

What is this ”Remodeling Project”? Is this part of the ”maintain and repair” a narrow majority voted for in 2018 (passed by 58 votes—6169 to 6111)? Go to the meeting tomorrow or tune in via Zoom and find out. Meeting info here: https://bataviapubliclibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2022/07/Agenda-2022-07-07-Committee-of-the-Whole-1.pdf

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BPS Master Facilities Plan, Finances

Posted on February 23, 2022 by seektruth

Thursday, 2/24, 6:30-8:30pm, is Session 2 of the school district’s community engagement for a Master Facilities Plan. Topic: Finances. Review of Session 1 and info on Session 2 can be found here:  https://www.bps101.net/boft/community-engagement/

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BPS Master Facilities Plan

Posted on January 31, 2022 by seektruth

Starting tomorrow night, Tuesday, 2/1/22, 6:30pm, the School District will begin holding meetings regarding a Master Facilities Plan. More details here: https://www.bps101.net/boft/community-engagement/

Please try to attend. They are likely gearing up for a referendum because the $75 million BFAC/fieldhouse bonds are set to be paid off in a few years.

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SHODEEN PROJECT IS DEAD!

Posted on December 30, 2021 by seektruth

Shodeen pulled out of the agreement for the massive 1 N. Washington apartment complex downtown:

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BPS Health Insurance Plans

Posted on September 21, 2021 by seektruth

Tonight’s School Board meeting agenda includes approval of their health insurance contract. A screenshot from the agenda of their plan numbers with dollar amounts added for the % contributions and the deductibles can be found here.

Is this what your health insurance plan looks like? Do you have a $625 deductible? If you think this is overly generous, please email the school board and ask them to bring their benefits in line with the private sector and reduce your taxes. You can email them using the button at right.

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BPS101 Budget Public Hearing Tonight

Posted on August 24, 2021 by seektruth

The School Board is holding a public hearing for their 2021-22 budget TONIGHT (8/24) 7pm. Excepts of letter sent to School Board by a founding BRG member:

“Another Great budget with lots of specificity and clarity.  Another KUDOs to everyone involved.

One page 6, I assume the predicted inflation for the next year of around 6 % accounts for the expenditure increases below?

l  Expenditures (Sections B-6 and B-7)

l  Expenditures +9.4% to $102.8 M (excluding on-behalf contributions)

l  Salaries +5.4%, $48.6 M

l  Employee benefits +5.1%, $13.1 M

General contingency of $0.5 M….

Although it lists staffing ratio as unchanged, in the very next section it shows a change from 7.6 to 7.9?     ????

Please don’t issue any more Bonds, it’s nice the bond debt is going down.   (7.6 % is debt service now)

Looks like Benefits, 26.6 %, is catching up as a percentage to Salaries, 40.9 %   Any discussion of why the high ratio of Benefits to Salaries???

Having said that, I’m pleased to see Administration costs are being held at 0.3 percent, well below predicted inflation for the next 12 months.  Also, I recognize Admin works year round and whatever the salaries are, including Lisa, Anton, and many others, taxpayers are getting their benefit for the buck.

Pupil transportation is going up because we didn’t run as many buses during COVID?

I see my favorite, BFAC, is going up 188%, even considering last year COVID, we’ll never agree on BFAC budget, having said that, I’d like to see more “Pay as you go” programs with less taxpayer support.

And I LIKE all the pie charts and bar graphs, as well as the numbers, not too fancy, but good visual presentation of information.”

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Dam, Shodeen

Posted on August 23, 2021 by seektruth

Tuesday night’s COW (8/24) will have more discussion of the Shodeen project. Last week, Shodeen had not yet secured funding, but has since done so.  BUT, the bank wants a letter of support from the Council saying he is not in breach of contract, though he is in breach of contract. Some aldermen are balking. We’ll see what happens Tuesday night. A story on last week’s meeting can be found here, and one on the funding, here.

Wednesday night (8/25) there is a public meeting regarding the dam. Info sent to B4RG:


“As you may know, the city and park district will soon seek reaction from residents to five options for removing the Challenge Dam. The city had been working with Hitchcock Design Group to formulate the options but thus far there has been little opportunity for public engagement.


A group of residents has organized a public meeting on the subject this Wednesday, August 25th at 7pm in the City Council Chambers. 


Please feel free to share and join us if you are available.”

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Shodeen: Never Ending Drama

Posted on August 15, 2021 by seektruth

Tuesday night, 8/17, agenda item 6: “ Discussion: Update On One Washington Place”. What does this mean? We don’t know—there is no accompanying document. What we do know is that Shodeen failed to apply for permits by his contracted deadline, July 15.

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Tentative BPS Budget

Posted on July 18, 2021 by seektruth

This Tuesday, 7/20/21, 7pm, Rosalie Jones Admin. Building, the School Board will discuss the budget for the next school year. Public hearing will be in August. Of course, maximum tax increases are proposed. Tentative budget here:  https://go.boarddocs.com/il/bps101/Board.nsf/files/C4WTBS769B06/$file/FY22%20Tentative%20Budget%20Summary.pdf


During public comments, a group of parents will be asking the School Board to make masks and Covid vaccines optional for students (at the discretion of the parents). If you would like to show your support, they’ve asked you to please attend the meeting wearing something red.

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