SE Illinois News

Harrisburg Community Unit School District 3 Board of Education met April 24.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

The Special meeting of the Board of Education of Harrisburg Community Unit School District #3, Saline County, Illinois, was held at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2025, as announced by posted public notice and by mail. The following members of the Board were present: Mr. Billy Smith, Mr. Kevin Dowdy, Mr. Ryan Lambert, Mr. Brandon Henshaw, Mr. Steve Smothers and Mr. Nathan Howton (Via Zoom). Jonathan Russell was absent.

The following administrators were present: Dr. Amy Dixon, Scott Dewar, Natalie Fry, Pam Rizkallah, Brady Mayer, Debbie McGowan, John Crabb, Alesha Allen, Lana Bell, Amanda Stone, Elizabeth Dawe, Jason Varner, and Andy Fehrenbacher.

The following Unit #3 staff members were present: Keri Holland, Russell Hunt, Kyle Brames, Jennifer Irvin, Joy Butler,

The following members of the public were present:

With a quorum of the members of the Board being present, President Smith called the meeting to order and declared the Board to be in session for the transaction of business.

Public Comment - None

Dr. Dixon recognized the out going Board member. The Board appreciated Jonathan Russell for all he has done while serving on the Board of Education. Mr. Russell was unable to attend du to being out of town.

Dr. Dixon presented the canvassing of votes from the general election.

President Smith called for a motion to seat Dr. Amy Dixon President Pro-Tem for purpose of nominations and election of officers. Mr. Henshaw moved and Mr. Dowdy seconded the motion. On a call of the roll, the motion received a unanimous vote of yea.

Mr. Lambert moved and Mr. Smothers seconded the motion that the 2024-2025 school board adjourn sine die and that the new board reconvene immediately following the swearing in of the newly elected board members.

Superintendent Dixon asked for any discussion. Hearing none, the secretary called roll. On the motion, there are 6 voting aye, and 0 voting nay. The motion carries.

At this time, the newly-elected Board members stood to take their oath of office.

“I, (Billy Smith, Kevin Dowdy, Steven Smothers, Nathan Howton, and Randy Smithpeters), do solemnly swear that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of member of the Board of Education of Harrisburg Community Unit School District No. 3, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States of Illinois, and the laws of the State of Illinois, to the best of my ability.

I further swear that:

I shall respect taxpayer interests by serving as a faithful protector of the school district’s assets;

I shall encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow board members and others who seek of hearing before the board, while respecting the privacy of students and employees;

I shall recognize that a board member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote at a public board meeting; and

I shall abide by majority decisions of the board, while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.”

A quorum of the new board is present. The first order of business will be the election of board officers. Superintendent Dixon called for nominations for the position of board president.

Mr. Lambert moved to nominate Billy Smith for Board President. Mr. Dowdy seconded the motion. The secretary called the roll. On the motion, there are 6 voting aye, and 0 voting nay, I voting abstain. The motion carried and Billy Smith was elected as Board President.

President Smith called for a motion to remove Dr. Amy Dixon as President Pro-Tem. Mr. Henshaw moved and Mr. Smothers seconded the motion. On a call of the roll, the motion received a unanimous vote of yea.

The next order of business was to call for nominations for the position of Board Vice President. Mr. Dowdy moved and Mr. Smothers seconded the motion to nominate Ryan Lambert for Board Vice-President. Hearing no further nominations, the secretary called the roll. On the motion, there are 6 voting aye, and 0 voting nay, 1 voting abstain. The motion carried and Ryan Lambert was elected as Board Vice-President.

The next order of business was to call for nominations for the position of Board Secretary. Mr. Lambert moved and Mr. Smothers seconded the motion to nominate Nathan Howton for Board Secretary. Hearing no further nominations, the secretary called the roll. On the motion, there are 6 voting aye, and 0 voting nay, 1 voting abstain. The motion carried and Nathan Howton was elected as Board Secretary.

Mr. Henshaw moved and Mr. Dowdy seconded the motion to adopt Robert’s Rules of Order. The motion received a unanimous vote of yea.

Mr. Lambert moved and Mr. Henshaw seconded the motion as per the recommendation of the Superintendent to accept all past contracts and policies. The motion received a unanimous vote of yea.

The President will assign committee positions in May. Board members should please send any preferences you may have.

Mr. Dowdy moved and Mr. Smothers seconded the motion to approve the Board Meeting Dates as the third Tuesday of the month, 5:00 p.m., at Harrisburg Middle School Media Center. The motion received a unanimous vote of yea.

Mr. Dowdy moved and Mr. Smothers seconded the motion to adjourn the meeting. Upon a call of the President for a voice vote to be taken, it was determined the result of said motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 4:56 p.m.

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/967/hbg3/5709517/4-24-25_Sp._Bd._Mtg.___Reorginational_Meeting_.pdf