It was a regular meeting of the USD 327 Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo school board, yet it also was a time for goodbye.

During Monday night’s meeting at the district office, board member Peggy Svaty recognized Superintendent Dale Brungardt who was attending his last meeting as superintendent. She thanked him for his leadership and wished his well in his new job.

Brungardt submitted his resignation at the November board meeting. He leaves at the end of this month for a job with the Kansas Department of Education in Topeka.

Brungardt, who has led the district for six years, said he will always be a Bearcat and will bleed red and black the rest of his life.

“It’s been a great ride”, he said.

After a lengthy discussion on textbook and technology fees for the 2021-22 school year, it was decided to add a technology fee to the fees at registration.

Chromebook laptops are used by students in grades 5-12. Spark funds were used to purchase 250 laptops at a cost of $56,000. The laptops last about 4-6 years with replacement cost at $250-$300 each. The fee will help cover the cost of upgrading. Also by payin the fee, it is hoped students will realize they are receiving valuable pieces of equipment and take proper care of them. Eventually the laptops will take the place of textbooks.

The fees are as follows:

For those with free lunches it will be $30 per student with a maximum cost per family of $60

For those on the reduced lunch plan, cost will be $60 with a maximum cost per family of $120.

And for those on full-priced lunches, the fee will be $90 with $180 as the maximum cost per family.

In other business:

• For the second year, registration for the 2021-22 school year will be on-line and will begin in July. Free, reduced and full price lunch fees will be determined at registration.

• A contingency declaration was declared based on the recommendation from the Kansas Association of School Boards to encumber $20,200.43 of the outstanding natural gas bill from the frigid weather in February. Of the $31,000 bill, $10,000 plus some fees have been paid b the district. Approving the contingency declaration allows the district to encumber the funds yet not have to spend the money as would be required if it were budgeted. There is still discussion between KASB and the gas company regarding the amount billed so if it were to change — or even become not due — the funds would not need to be spent.

• Approval was given to spend $54,434.91 for 12 interactive audio/visual boards. Money will come from the PILOT (wind) funds. They should be here by the time school starts.

• Year-end transfers are anticipated at $220,000 for special ed and $15,000 for contingency. The $220,000 will be used for the special ed estimated assessment fee of $452,000, which means $232,000 will need to be paid out of the general fund. The year-end transfer amounts could change as expenses continue to come in for this budget year, but Brungardt said the $220,000 amount will be pretty close.

• Approval was given to a $54,434.91 purchase of 12 interactive audio/visual boards. The funds will come out of the PILOT (wind) fund.

• Approval to pay $400 to the Schools for Quality Education dues was given. The dues cover a lobbyist for small rural districts and saw an increase of $75 over last year.

• Jason Maisog was approved as the junior high/high school assistant tennis coach for 2021-22.

The next regular board meeting is at 7 p.m. July 6 at the District Office and by Zoom.