The regular meeting of the Board of Education of Oblong Community Unit School District #4 was held on January 21, 2008 in the Elementary Library.  The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Poehler with the following physically present: Meese, Cross, Harris, Pinkston, Bailey, Sparks, and Poehler.

Recognition & Comments – Eighteen OES students were recognized through the Character Counts Program for their outstanding character dealing with Citizenship. 

Motion by Bailey and seconded by Pinkston to adopt consent agenda items as presented. Roll call vote: Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.    Consent Agenda items:  To approve regular and closed session minutes of December 17, 2007;  financial report of December, 2007;  payment of January, 2008 board bills; and approve Budget Calendar - A. Dates of Receipts – July; B. Preliminary appropriation recommendations by fund – June; C. Major Board Actions regarding the budget – tentative budget – August,  hearing & adoption of budget – September.

Motion by Poehler and seconded by Meese to open closed session minutes for the following months in 2007: July, August, September, October, November, and December.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea,   Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Pinkston and seconded by Harris to employ David Weger, CPA, as auditor for the 2008-2009 school year for a fee of $6,100.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

            Motion by Sparks and seconded by Pinkston to approve request from FFA to host Oblong FFA Ag Day 2008 on Friday April 18th at the Crawford County Fairgrounds.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Harris and seconded by Poehler to approve the High School Chorus request for instructor and six students to attend the Millikin Music Festival in Decatur, IL on February 10-11, 2008.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Bailey and seconded by Meese to approve the High School Band request for instructor and 4 students to attend Southern Illinois University’s Heartland Honor Band Program in Carbondale, IL February 8-9, 2008.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Poehler and seconded by Sparks to approve High School Advanced Topics Class request to attend the Body Worlds Exhibit at the St. Louis Science Center on February 13, 2008.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Bailey and seconded by Harris to approve High School World History Class request to attend the C.A.N.D.L.E.S. Holocaust Museum in Terre Haute, IN on February 22, 2008.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Harris and seconded by Sparks to go into closed session at 7:20 PM to consider information regarding appointment, employment, or dismissal of an employee, student discipline, and negotiations.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Sparks and seconded by Harris to return to open session at 8:14 PM. Roll call vote: Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Poehler and seconded by Pinkston to approve closed session minutes of 1/21/08. Roll call vote: Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Meese and seconded by Bailey to accept bus driver Roanna Wartsbaugh’s letter of resignation effective January 14, 2008.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

            Motion by Pinkston and seconded by Poehler to approve David Miller as volunteer High School Baseball Assistant.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

            Motion by Pinkston and seconded by Bailey to approve Whitney Harper as volunteer High School Softball Assistant.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea, Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.

Motion by Harris and seconded by Sparks to adjourn at 8:17 PM.  Roll call vote:  Meese – yea,  Cross – yea, Harris – yea, Pinkston – yea, Bailey – yea, Sparks – yea, Poehler – yea.