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Chester BOE accepts Asselmeier resignation

Posted June 18, 2015 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler The Herald Tribune

CHESTER -- The Chester District 139 Board of Education is now temporarily down to six members after it accepted the resignation of Larry Asselmeier at Thursday's meeting.

Asselmeier resigns with two years left in his term and the district will be accepting letters of interest in the position until July 8. Superintendent Chris Diddlebock said the BOE has 30 days to seat someone.

"It is personal," Diddlebock said of Asselmeier's decision to resign. "He's meant a lot to me personally, too. He was great to have on the board and be able to talk to as vice president for years and just an even-keeled person."

In other action, the board approved the services of the Illinois Association of School Boards to perform a professional executive search for Diddlebock's replacement as superintendent at a price of $5,950. Diddlebock's last day with the district is scheduled for June 30.

The board also approved the employment of interim superintendents Bill Riley and Rick Goodman on 100-day contracts at $500 per day, plus expenses.

"IASB will be running the official search," Diddlebock said in previous comments to the Herald Tribune. "Hopefully, they'll go through stuff and find someone by November or December and hire them for the 2016-17 school year."

Diddlebock said it is possible for the district to find a permanent superintendent prior to the end of the year who could take office on Jan. 1, but that would be dependent on the employment status of the candidate.

Riley is a former superintendent of Coulterville District 1, retiring in 2003. Goodman is a former superintendent of Thompsonville District 174 and Red Bud District 132 who retired in 2012.

Riley will be superintendent of Chester's district for the first semester of the 2015-16 school year, while Goodman will handle the second semester.

"It's kinda funny because when I was superintendent at Thompsonville, I started looking on a map because I live in Cape Girardeau," said Goodman, who attended Thursday's meeting. "I'm thinking 'Man, if I could just get to Chester or something,' but I heard there was a woman (Rebecca Kiem) who was going to be here for several years.

"In the meantime, Red Bud opened up and that's closer than Thompsonville and Red Bud's an excellent job and I ended up getting hired there."

Goodman said he plans to attend every meeting of the BOE until he takes office as superintendent and hopes to develop a communication with the current board members.

"I hope to have some kind of a relationship with the superintendent who's going to be here for the first six months," he said. "Hopefully, he'll be receptive to that and I think he probably will be.

"I probably won't be able to do a lot with the staff, because that's not my territory at that time."

Goodman said having a six-month term makes it difficult to have personal goals.

"I'm probably going to be taking other people's' goals and working with those and try and make sure those get done," he said. "That's pretty much what I expect to happen."

Under personnel, the board approved the half-time employment of Chester High School football/baseball coach Jeremy Blechle as the school's Dean of Students.

"We had two people at the high school apply and we had two great candidates, both with different strengths," said Diddlebock, who did not name the other candidate. "It came down to who we felt, at this point in time, was best for the team that was there."

Regarding the half-time designation, Diddlebock said the district is "moving some things around" so that it is not having to hire anyone in to fill the position.

"Functionally, he'll just be in the office half-time as Dean of Students," Diddlebock said. "Which is a lot of discipline and attendance and those type of things."

Diddlebock also announced to the board that the district had received a letter, addressed to "Whom it May Concern," that advised the district that the Capital Development Board will not be issuing any payments, effective July 1, related to the district's grant with the CDB.

Diddlebock said the effect this decision will have on the district will be minor, as the CDB has already paid out 90 percent of its share of the funds to build the new CGS gymnasium. The remaining $430,000 will be covered by sales tax funds to be reimbursed by the state.

"I figure we'll get the money, but it may be eight months," Diddlebock said.

Roundup

The BOE approved Jake Cowan as CHS boys basketball volunteer for 2015-16

The BOE approved Prevailing Rate of Wages resolution

The BOE approved donating surplus computer equipment to the Perandoe Education Cooperative

The BOE approved Silva Volleyball Club for use of Colbert and Juergens gymnasiums on Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. pending proof of liability insurance.

The BOE adopted two resolutions providing for the issue of two bonds.

The BOE approved the first reading of the 2015-16 CHS Student Handbook

The BOE appointed member Tom Welge to the Perandoe Representative Assembly

The BOE approved Chris Toledo as CHS JV boys basketball coach for 2015-16

The BOE approved Aaron Halstead as CHS freshman boys basketball coach for 2015-16

Principal's Report

Chester Grade School Principal Tim Lochhead gave an update on the construction of the school's new gymnasium.

Lochhead said the new scoreboards and HVAC have been installed and construction of the floor is scheduled to begin this week. Sound system, electric, sidewalks, trophy cases, basketball hoops and projector screen are all in various stages of installation.

"You name it, it's going on," he said.

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