3 incumbents sworn in to BBCHS board

BRADLEY – Three incumbents took oaths of office Monday to continue serving on the Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School District 307 Board after the results of the April 1 election.

Sally Martell, Jim Patterson and Ann Brezinski each were sworn in to serve another four-year term on the seven-member board.

Although the BBCHS race was contested, the three incumbents defeated the three challengers who sought to gain spots on the board.

Challengers were Mark Parson, David Schumer and Chris Borchardt.

Also during its Monday reorganization meeting, the board voted to maintain its same officer positions.

For the next two years, Justin Caldwell will remain the board’s president, Patterson will remain vice president, and Brezinski will remain secretary.

Brezinski was elected for a fifth term, Patterson was elected for a third term, and Martell was elected for a second term.

“It’s an exciting time to be on the board, with the renovations and the construction project for this term,” Brezinski said, referring to the $70 million building renovations soon to take place after voters passed a referendum in November.

Patterson agreed that exciting things are on the horizon for the district.

”It’s an honor to be back on the board with the other six here,” he said.

Martell noted that she had a good experience during her first term on the board.

“These are great people to work with, and it’s been really nice to see the changes in the board,” Martell said. “We’re getting so many different personalities now from different backgrounds, and input, and I’m happy.”

Funding resolution passed

During Monday’s regular meeting, the board approved a resolution allowing the district to reimburse its operations and maintenance fund using proceeds from bond sales that will take place in the fall.

The district is slated to pay for its planned facilities overhaul using $62 million in taxpayer funds and $8 million in reserve funds.

Currently, the district is using its operating funds to pay for expenses that are eligible to be covered by the future bond proceeds.

Ramie Kolitwenzew, chief school business official, said the district plans to use the $8 million it has committed to the facility plan for the last payments in the process.

“In education funding, there’s buckets, and you’re allowed to spend from each bucket,” she said. “We’re spending right now for our schematic designs from our operations [fund], but we’re going to be able to pay it back from our bond proceeds.”

Superintendent Matt Vosberg said the planning process for the renovations is “still on schedule.”

“We’re revising the schematic designs right now and getting input from different groups of staff members,” he said.

A presentation of the schematic designs is scheduled for the board’s May 29 operations committee meeting, followed by a full board vote slated for June 9.