Unit 40 Says Farewell, Welcome to Board Members

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education Monday bid farewell to three members and said hello to three others.

Those ending the terms on the Board are Brian Wick who served two hitches totaling 22 years, Steve Bone who served one full four-year term, and Chris Koester who filled out the term of Laurie Borrelli who moved out of the district.

Koester was not present for the meeting.

(RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS BRIAN WICK AND STEVE BONE WERE RECOGNIZED WITH PLAQUES AND COMMEMORATIVE PAVER BRICKS FOR THEIR SERVICE. RETIRING MEMBER CHRIS KOESTER WAS NOT PRESENT FOR THE MEETING)

The three new Board members are Angela Byers, Kathleen Smith and Patty Russell. They were sworn in to four-year terms.

(NEW UNIT 40 BOARD MEMBERS ANGELA BYERS, KATHLEEN SMITH AND PATTY RUSSELL)

The Board also reorganized for the next term, with the current officers being retained; Jeff Michael as President, Todd Schaefer as Vice President, and Carol Ruffner as Secretary. Jane Willenborg is the fourth board member in mid-term.

The Board took no action on any hirings of personnel.

Midland States Bank will remain the depository for school district funds; Rem Woodruff was retained as school district treasurer through June 30, when Jason Fox will take over when he succeeds Woodruff as assistant superintendent, with Penny Wiedman performing those duties in the absence of Woodruff or Fox; Taylor Law Office of Effingham will be the district's attorney firm on local matters, with Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan and Jackstadt and Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton and Taylor retained as school district attorneys; Glass and Shuffett was retained as district auditor; and Woodruff, Fox, Superintendent Mark Doan and Director of Curriculum Chelle Beck will continue as Freedom of Information Act attorneys.