Members of the Atlantic School Board Wednesday evening, held the first regular session that featured new Superintendent Steve Barber and Finance Director Sarah Sheeder. During their session, Sheeder was also officially appointed Board Secretary. Barber, as you may recall was hire to replace former Superintendent Mike Amstein, who has retired, and Sheeder was hired to replace Mary Beth Fast, who accepted a similar position with a central Iowa school district.

Atlantic School Board (From left to right: Kristy Pellett, Jenny Williams, Ali Bruckner, Superintendent Steve Barber, Dr. Keith Swanson and Finance Director/Board Sec. Sarah Sheeder (Josh McLaren on the phone for this meeting)

The Board Wednesday, by a vote of 3-to 2, split a fuel bid recommendation between Pelgas and Olsen Fuel Supply. The original recommendation from Transportation Director Dave Eckles and Superintendent Barber, was to accept the low bid from Olsen’s for the district’s propane, diesel and gasoline needs. Both propane bids were adjusted to reflect a 30-cents per gallon state gas tax, which will be refunded at years’ end. There is also an Alternative Fuels Excise Tax credit available in the amount of 37-cents per gallon.

Olsen’s net bid on propane was lower by about 4.5-cents per gallon over Pelgas, but Board members Josh McLaren and Christy Pellett thought it would be more wise to “share the wealth” so to speak, in providing business to both companies. Last year, the Board went with Olsen’s for all the fuel needs, even though they were higher on the cost of propane. Pelgas does not supply number 1 and number 2 diesal, or unleaded regular/ethanol blends. The Board voted to contract with Pelgas for the propane, and Olsen’s for the other forms of fuel. Dr. Keith Swanson and Alison Bruckner were the two No votes for dividing the services.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board heard from Food Services Director DeeAnn Schreiner, about the summer lunch program, that runs from May 31st through August 4th. Schreiner said Breakfast is averaging 50 kids daily, and lunch 158 students daily. She said also they have been giving away food on a daily basis, with each child able to take home up to four items per day. That includes canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, fruit snacks and individual lunch/dinner items.

The big news, she said was with regard to a Farm to School grant. The grant application was written by Schreiner and Kate Olsen, with Cass County/ISU Extension and submitted on Dec. 8, 2016. The schools included in the joint application were Atlantic, Griswold and CAM. Only two applications out of the hundreds submitted, came from Iowa, and Cass County is the only one to be awarded the $45,000 planning grant from the USDA, with a $15,000 match coming from all three county schools in the form of “In-Kind” donations of time from Schreiner, Olsen and other staff. The USDA funds will be used to hire a Farm-to-school coordinator to work 20-hours per week to see the process through.

Among the goals, is to create a plan for next year for resourcing locally grown, fresh food sources.