Be prepared was the warning Kimball Superintendent, Troy Unzicker, passed on to the Kimball Board of Education at the regular meeting Monday Nov. 8.

Unzicker reported meeting with the three state senators in the area recently, including the chair of education and a senator on the appropriations committee. Talk steered towards state aid, and the task of redistricting since the census, as well as retirement concerns. He said that when someone in that position warns you, pay attention.

Preparing the board for upcoming cuts, Unzicker said, “(We are) in huge danger of losing all our state aid.” He continued on to say that the ten percent the Governor is talking about is off the top of the drop the district has already experienced.

An audit of the school district was also reported. According to the auditor, Kimball schools were found in compliance on all aspects. Unzicker and the board were advised to increase cash reserves to the recommended level, which fluctuates depending on the time of year and the needs of the district.

Kim Baliman, director of food services for the Kimball schools, updated the board on the audit for the food services program as well. According to Baliman, the auditor stated some updating of policies is due, and that she would be working with the auditor they next day.

Collections for the program are down from last month, and a summer feeding program is in the works for the elementary schools. As for the lunch program, Baliman said she was happy with the way things were going.

Breakfast with the board went well according to board president, Danielle Reader. It was held in the student center at the high school and though there were no parents or patrons in attendance, students took some time to talk with the board.

This is one way the board is becoming aware of needs and wishes of the students, who requested more and newer books in the library. Unzicker will be following up on that request with teachers and the librarian.

Another way the board is receiving feedback is through the advisory council. This council was set up by Unzicker, and has met once in separate groups.

The next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 22 in the auditorium, with the public invited. This meeting will have all four groups meeting together, as opposed to the first meeting. The lists each group provided will be reviewed and discussed. In this way, Unzicker hopes to find common concerns and needs and start finding creative ways to meet those needs.

High school principal, Eugene Hanks, reported that parent-teacher conferences went well. According to Hanks, 50-60 percent of the students’ parents met with teachers at the high school with even more picking up grade reports.

Bids for two new and two used vehicles were received from Wolf Automotive. The school district is replacing a Chevy Impala and a Chevy Freestar van, both 2008 models. Each vehicle’s trade in value, offered by Wolf, exceeded the private bids to purchase.

Arguing in favor of the new van, board member Steve Diemoz said, “My opinion, it’d be smarter to get brand new.”

“I just want to point out, for the new one, you pay $925 more for a six liter engine, and the used comes with it,” board member Lynn Vogel said about the vans.

After scrutinizing the differences of all vehicles and costs of each, the board voted to purchase the used Impala as well as the used Chevy Express and trade in both older vehicles.