Meeting Summary and Briefs: Casey-Westfield CUSD C-4 Board of Education for May 18, 2026

Casey-Westfield CUSD C-4 Board of Education Meeting | May 18, 2026

Overall Meeting Summary

The Casey-Westfield Community Unit School District C-4 Board of Education met in regular session at 7 p.m. Monday, May 18, 2026, at the Unit Office, 401 E. Main St. in Casey, with all seven members present. The board’s most significant actions were approving a scope-change request costing up to $560,000 to complete Phase 2 of HVAC replacement at the Jr/Sr High School and voting to petition the City of Casey to annex a district-owned parking lot — both covered in standalone stories above. The board also adopted a resolution reducing support staff by one position, covered separately. In other business, the board approved its 10-year Health/Life Safety Survey, set a public-display period and hearing date for an amended FY26 budget, approved updated maintenance and custodial plans, and acted on a slate of resignations and new hires. The board met in closed session for roughly an hour to discuss employment and closed-session minutes before reconvening and adjourning at 8:49 p.m.

News Briefs

Board Approves 10-Year Health/Life Safety Survey The board approved its 10-year Health/Life Safety Survey as presented by the district’s architect, Green & Associates. The survey is a mandatory, comprehensive inspection of all public school buildings, conducted by a licensed architect or engineer every decade to ensure compliance with Illinois State Board of Education safety standards. It covers structural, mechanical and fire-safety systems and results in a report identifying necessary repairs and improvements. The survey can be amended within its 10-year window by a licensed architect who attests to a new violation requiring correction. The motion, made by Sharp and seconded by Clement, passed unanimously among the seven members present.

Amended FY26 Budget Set for Display and June Hearing The board approved posting the FY 2026 Amended Budget for public display beginning May 20, 2026, and set a public hearing on the amended budget for 7 p.m. June 22, 2026. The motion was made by Clement and seconded by Huddlestun and passed unanimously. During consideration of the consent agenda earlier in the meeting, the district’s business official informed the board of an addition to the bills: a June 1 invoice for a long-term debt payment of $109,220.24 from UMB Bank, which was added to the bills.

Consent Agenda Approved With Co-op and HR Renewals The board approved a consent agenda that included minutes of the April 20 regular meeting, destruction of closed-session records 18 months and older, current invoices and financial reports, and 2026-27 memberships in the Illinois Association of School Boards and the Illinois High School Association. The slate also included the final FY26 school calendar, second reading and adoption of PRESS board policy updates as presented in PRESS Issue #120, renewal of membership in the LaSalle County Purchasing Co-op for 2026-27, and a three-year renewal agreement with Bushue Human Resources at a cost of $7,440 per year, beginning June 1, 2026, and ending May 31, 2029. The motion, made by Clement and seconded by Todd, passed unanimously.

Board Updates Maintenance and Custodial Plans The board approved updated district maintenance and custodial plans and handbooks for the 2026-27 school year. Andy Cox presented the updated custodial plans and handbooks to the board during the visitors portion of the meeting and informed members that the grounds and building maintenance plans are still being put together. The motion to approve was made by Huddlestun and seconded by Fouty and passed unanimously.

Resignations and New Hires Approved After returning from closed session, the board accepted eight resignations, including those of head cross country coach Jennifer Harris and assistant Jody Clark, girls basketball assistant coach Barry Eckerty, cheer coach Ashley Spittler, freshman/sophomore boys basketball coach Cole Borders, a Monroe cook and an evening custodian, and district financial assistant Brette Cummins, effective June 15, 2026. The board reassigned Shannon Justice from HS Spanish long-term substitute to Jr/Sr HS supervisory aide and made several hires for 2026-27: Dawson Dallape as junior high special education teacher under special ISBE approval, Courtney Koebel as HS head volleyball coach, and Heather Lee as HS cheerleading sponsor.

Resident Raises Title IX Concerns Over Volleyball Coach Search During the visitors portion of the meeting, resident Robin Karras addressed the board about the vacant volleyball coaching position, urging an exhaustive search equal to that conducted for a football coach. She told the board that job postings on the school website are out of date, do not include the volleyball position, and that she had seen the position posted in only one place. She referenced Title IX and points in the “PLAYING FAIR” acronym. President Tracy Gelb thanked her for her time and comments. The board later hired Courtney Koebel as head volleyball coach during its employment recommendations.

Closed Session Held on Personnel, Minutes The board voted to adjourn to closed session at 7:42 p.m. under exemptions for employment matters and discussion of closed-session minutes, citing Section 5 ILCS 120/1 et seq. of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Members reconvened in regular session at 8:44 p.m. No formal action may be taken in closed session under Illinois law. After reconvening, the board approved a consent agenda accepting the April 20 closed-session minutes and a recommendation to keep those minutes closed, then took up its employment recommendations in open session.