The Fayette Board of Education heard complaints from parents about possible criminal behavior by several graduating seniors, approved increases to meal prices for the next school year, and passed the 2023-24 budget during a lengthy meeting on Wednesday, June 21.

Parents Ashley Thieme and Derrick Powell addressed the board over vandalism to students’ cars that took place on the last day of school for seniors. Graduating seniors are released a week before the other classes. Before leaving school for the last time on May 17, many seniors spent the afternoon decorating their cars for their final exit. Allegedly, some of these seniors also wrote derogatory and pornographic slogans on the vehicles of underclass girls, even tagging the graffiti with initials.

“This behavior was witnessed by staff faculty, staff administration, and nothing was done,” Thieme told the board. “Nobody intervened. There were no repercussions, to our knowledge.”

Thieme and Powell passed out photos of some of the graffiti and told board members they had made a criminal complaint about the matter.

“I think if we felt the school had done anything, we probably wouldn’t have made any contact with law enforcement,” said Powell, the father of one victim, who also serves as a trooper for the Missouri State Highway Patrol. “I understand that kids will be kids. But the fact of the matter is it is a criminal offense.” 

One message that was written on a car was “GKY,” which means “Go Kill Yourself.”

Powell said that a response from the board could determine what happens with regard to law enforcement. “We’ll have some say in that,” he said.

“We want feedback,” Thieme said. “These students hadn’t graduated yet. There could have been some kind of response, some kind of follow-up.”

BOE President Skip Vandelicht said the board would discuss the matter in closed session because it is a student issue. He insisted the board would address the concern and that Superintendent Brent Doolin would contact Thieme and Powell. 

“We can guarantee you it will be talked about, and you will get feedback,” Vandelicht said.

Amid a long agenda, the board elected to raise breakfast, lunch, and milk prices starting next school year. Breakfast and lunch will increase by 50 cents each to $2 and $2.50, respectively. Milk prices will increase by 10 cents.

The district was charging the minimum allowed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). 

A significant task of the Board of Education is to pass a new budget before the next fiscal year begins on July 1, which is required by state law. The district will finish the current fiscal year with a fund balance of around 50%, which is far higher than the board minimum of 25%. Like most other school districts, Fayette benefitted from massive federal government spending during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2023-24 school year operating expenses are projected to be $7,482,173, higher than anticipated revenues of $7,204,554. Doolin said the district plans to run at a deficit of $277,619 to reduce the fund balance, which he expects will be 47.98% by the end of the next fiscal year.

Additional spending for capital improvements increases the district’s total expenditures to $11,608,280. Those additional funds were approved by voters in April.

The 2023-24 budget accounts for salary increases, higher janitorial costs, and a projected purchase of a new school bus.

The board also approved a resolution allowing the sale of no more than $3.4 million worth of bonds. Voters overwhelmingly passed a no-tax bond issue in April for capital improvements. The interest on the bonds will not exceed 5.45%, according to Matt DeLeo of Sentry Financial Services, the company that handles the district’s bond issues.

DeLeo is also overseeing the district’s loan to purchase LED lights. The bond issues will not be high enough to cover the new lights, so the district will borrow money for the improvements. The 10-year loan of $191,294 will be financed at an interest rate of 2.39% and is expected to generate energy savings of around $30,000 annually.

In other business, the board approved a trip to the National FFA convention next year and the purchases of a new floor scrubber and reach-in freezer. After a lengthy discussion, board members tabled a decision on proposals for fire alarm security and door access bids to clarify several details.

The Board of Education meets regularly at 6:30 p.m. in the administration building on the third Wednesday of every month except for July. Meetings are open, and the public is invited.