The CAM School District’s Board of Education met during a regular session Monday evening. Superintendent Paul Croghan said the Board received an opening proposal from the CAM Education Association (CAMEA), and reciprocated with the District’s proposal, with regard to contract negotiations. It’s essentially the starting point for negotiations, and a way of saying the two sides will work together.

The Board also reviewed the process for updating the School Calendar for the upcoming school year, before it is presented to the staff for input, and a public hearing prior to April 15th. The same applies to the FY 21/22 Budget. Croghan said the Board also discussed the makeup of the facilities committee.

He reminds District patrons to cast their vote during the March 2nd Special Election to adopt a Revenue Purpose Statement specifying the use of revenues the CAM Community School District will receive from the State of Iowa Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) Fund. The vote does not impact your property taxes.

Voters in all 99 counties approved this sales tax to upgrade school facilities without increasing property taxes. The SILO was originally intended to last ten years. In 2008, the Legislature changed the SILO local option into a state penny sales tax to benefit the students in all school districts. In the 2019 Session, the Legislature further extended the state penny. The state will continue to collect the penny on retail purchases through December 31, 2050 and will continue to send the proceeds to all Iowa school districts. As part of this change, the state now requires school districts to determine how they plan to spend the sales tax money for the tax extension and communicate those intentions to their patrons.

For additional information on the change in law and the revenue purpose statement process, visit the district’s web site at camcougars.org or contact Paul Croghan, Superintendent, 712-762-3238 or pcroghan@cam.k12.ia.us.