Milbank School District Board Proceedings- December 8, 2025
Milbank School District Board Proceedings
December 8, 2025
President, Richard Schwandt called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the high school building. Members present were Thue, Seffrood, Steffensen, Christensen, and Schwandt. Superintendent Justin Downes and Business Manager Nancy Meyer were also in attendance. Guests present were Holli Seehafer, Katie Pulscher, Alexis Schubert, Nicole Stengel, William Kill, Ryan Scoular, David Graf, Dan Snaza, and Andrea Hagen.
Motion by Thue and seconded by Christensen to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried. 5-0
No once came forward during the Community Input Session.
Educator Rising Students gave a brief presentation to the Board detailing their activities over the past few months and discussed the Teacher Table tutoring program for K-12 students held on Mondays and Thursdays each week from 3:15 to 4:30 PM. Transportation is available for students inside city limits.
Mr. Downes gave an overview of the Governor’s annual budget address. The Governor is recommending a 0% increase for school funding. The statute calls for 3% or CPI, whichever is less. The CPI appears to be around 2.9%,
Motion by Seffrood and seconded by Steffensen to approve the consent agenda that included:
• Approved of the minutes of the November School Board Meetings.
• Accept the Business Manager’s Financial Report.
Business Manager’s Monthly Report: General Fund: Balance 11-1-25, $944,618.24. Revenues: Taxes, $1,530,266.75; Tuition, $24,642.14; Interest, $713.17; Local Misc, $9,062.20; County Apportionment, $331.24; State Aid, $342,167.00; Federal Sources, $74,288.28; Other, $400,000.00. Expenditures: Salaries-Instructional, $367,782.84; Salaries-Support Services, $143,100.00; Salaries-Co-curricular, $33,820.46; Benefits-Instructional, $96,904.96; Benefits-Support Services, $42,475.65; Benefits-Co-curricular, $5,391.87; Purchased Services, $141,694.59; Supplies, $37,601.35; Other, $802,358.33. Journal Entries, $232,332.72. Balance 11-30-25, $1,887,291.69.
Capital Outlay Fund: Balance 11-1-25, $4,107.74. Revenues: Taxes, $937,928.36; Interest, $3.10. Expenditures: Purchased Services, $14,331.12; Supplies, $25,872.89; Capital Acquisitions, $649.00; Other, $94,455.13. Journal Entries, ($180,000.00). Balance 11-30-25, $626,731.06.
Special Education Fund: Balance 11-1-25, $799.43. Revenues: Taxes, $735,926.25; Interest, $.60; State Aid, $46,495.00; IDEA Flowthrough, $56,980.00. Expenditures: Salaries-Instructional, $133,570.58; Salaries-Support Services, $36,281.77; Benefits-Instructional, $25,715.28; Benefits-Support Services, $6,907.59; Purchased Services, $84,859.37; Supplies, $912.29. Journal Entries, ($30,722.76). Balance 11-30-25, $521,231.64.
Bond Redemption Fund: Balance 11-1-25, $543,321.70. Revenues: Taxes, $395,825.05; Interest, $410.19. Balance 11-30-25, $939,556.94.
Lunch Fund: Balance 11-1-25, $27,757.26. Revenues: Student Meals, $31,152.57; Adult Meals, $2,569.50; Ala Carte Sales, $3,222.80; Misc Income, $959.06; Federal Sources, $37,952.13. Expenditures: Salaries-Support Services, $34,254.44; Benefits-Support Services, $10,524.79; Purchased Services, $748.74; Supplies, $34,271.89. Journal Entries, ($20,000.00). Balance 11-30-25, $3,813.46. Promissory Notes to General Fund: $8,200.00.
Enterprise Fund: Balance 11-1-25, $8,862.39. Revenues: OST Fees, $9,976.11. Expenditures: Salaries-OST, $9,239.65; Benefits-OST, $1,862.04; Purchased Services, $259.48; Supplies, $1,328.40. Balance 11-30-25, $6,148.93. Promissory Notes to General Fund: $53,500.00.
Custodial Accounts: Balance 11-1-25, $756,132.37. Revenues, $44,578.46; Expenditures, $37,056.03. Balance 11-30-25, $763,654.80.
• Approval of Bills presented for payment.
Bills Presented for Payment: Advanced Technologies, Supplies, $51.00; Amazon Capital Services, Supplies, $2,014.54; AmericInn-Hartford, Lodging, $1,076.00; Andor, Supplies, $694.27; Badlands Distribution, Food, $299.36; Band Shoppe, Flag, $32.95; Berens Market, Food, $1,773.18; Big Stone Therapies, Therapy Services, $18,495.85; Bimbo Bakeries, Bread, $815.79; Bluum of MN, Building Improvements, $19,205.65; BMO Harris Card, Supplies, $3,457.15; Brewster Building Center, Supplies, $162.87; Cash-Wa Dist, Food, $5,909.28; Century Business Products, Copier Payment, $3,874.40; Chase Cards, Supplies, $2,710.98; Childrens Care Hospital & School, Tuition, $21,420.00; Churchill Manolis Freeman Kludt & Burns, Attorney Fees, $1,510.15; City of Milbank, Water/Sewer, $4,923.33; City of Milbank, SRO/Field Painting, $43,572.50; Cole Papers, Supplies, $709.72; Colliers Securities, Professional Services, $300.00; Robin Cook, Background Check, $50.00; DeFea Transportation, Busing, $71,714.28; East Side Jersey Dairy, Milk, $3,755.11; First Western Equipment Finance, Scrubber, $649.00; Flinn Scientific, Supplies, $189.71; Food-N-Fuel, Fuel, $864.89; G&R Controls, Maintenance, $10,259.47; Grant County Review, Publications, $375.87; Health Equity, HSA Fees, $88.00; Hillyard-Hutchinson, Repairs, $1,039.56; Hillyard-Sioux Falls, Supplies, $1,039.56; Impres Fund, Registration, $970.55; Imprest Fund, Professional Services, $6.48; Imprest Fund, Travel, $92.00; ITC, Phone Service, $271.39; Joy Blooms, Supplies, $42.48; JW Pepper, Supplies, $50.95; Kelly’s Kutters, Grounds Upkeep, $1,088.55; Lewis Drug, Supplies, $20.23; Macksteel Warehouse, Supplies, $368.44; Mid-American Research Chemical, Supplies, $702.65; Midland Publishing & Printing, Advertising, $57.65; Milbank Community Transit, Busing, $228.00; Milbank School Lunch, Student Workers, $71.00; NCS Pearson, Supplies, $457.04; Northwestern Energy, Natural Gas, $3,592.29; OtterTail Power, Lights/Power, $16,995.67; Oxygen Service Company, Supplies, $1,352.97; Performance Foodservice-Marshall, Food, $3,593.72; Popplers Music Store, Supplies, $690.84; Ramkota Hotel-Pierre, Travel, $224.00; Deborah Rausch, Professional Services, $1,440.00; Really Great Reading, Professional Services, $79.00; Sarlettes Music, Repairs, $511.91; Kevin Schnaser, Professional Services, $420.00; SD Dept of Human Services, Residential Services, $38,446.76; SD DOE-Child & Adult Nutrition Services, $1,996.58; SD FFA Assoc, Dues, $2,180.00; Nick Sipe, Coaching Classes, $70.00; Soter Technologies, Supplies, $1,200.00; Star Laundry & Dry Cleaners, Cleaning Services, $452.31; Nicole Stengel, Travel, $41.84; Street Graphex, Supplies, $656.50; Sysco-ND, Food, $21,420.73; Jay Trenhaile, Professional Services, $5,624.83; Tri-State Water, Cooler/Water, $63.60; Twin Valley Tire, Repairs, $1,289.80; Verizon Wireless, Phone Service, $99.48; Webster School District, Registration, $66.50; Whetstone Sanitation, Garbage Collection, $1,350.00; Wiese Electric, Repairs, $91.84; Margaret Winkels, Background Check, $50.00.
• Approve repayment of Promissory Notes to General Fund from Special Ed Fund of $35,000.
• Approved repayment of Promissory Notes to General Fund from Capital Outlay Fund of $180,000.
• Approve repayment of Promissory Notes to General Fund from the Lunch Fund of $ 20,000.
• Approved payback of Loan Avance of $800,000 plus interest of $2,358.33.
Motion carried. 5-0
A second review of Policies JFA, JFC, and JFCD took place. Motion by Christensen and seconded by Seffrood to approve the policies as read. Motion carried. 5-0
Motion by Steffensen and seconded by Thue to approve the 2026-2027 school calendar. Motion carried. 5-0
Motion by Seffrood and seconded by Christensen to approve an Open Enrollment for an eighth-grade student to start in January 2026. Motion carried. 5-0
Motion by Thue and seconded by Steffensen to accept the resignation of Jhoselim Serrano Saavedra as Paraprofessional. Motion carried. 5-0
Motion by Christensen and seconded by Thue to accept the resignation of Nancy Hoeke as Head Volleyball Coach. Motion carried. 5-0
Motion by Seffrood and seconded by Steffensen to accept the resignation of Beth Wagner as Teacher at the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year. Motion carried. 5-0
Motion by Christensen and seconded by Thue to approve June 2, 2026, as the date for the School Election. The Board position held by Jeremy Steffensen will be up for election.
Reports were received by Elementary Principal, David Graf, Middle School Principal/AD, Ryan Scoular, High School Principal, Dan Snaza, and Special Services Director, Andrea Hagen.
Superintendent Downes reported on the following:
1. Legislative Issues
Motion by Steffensen and seconded by Christensen to enter executive session for legal matters pursuant to SDCL 1.25.2. at 6:32 p.m. Motion carried. 5-0
Chair Schwandt declared executive session over at 7:22 p.m. and regular session resumed.
Motion by Thue and seconded by Steffensen to adjourn at 7:23 p.m. Motion carried. 5-0
The next School Board meeting is set for Monday, January 12, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the High School Building.
/s/ Richard Schwandt,
Chairman
/s/ Nancy M. Meyer,
Business Manager
Published once at an approximate cost of $94.39 and can be viewed free of charge at www.sdpublicnotices.com.
