Casey-Westfield Superintendent Urges Board to Study County School Sales Tax

Casey-Westfield CUSD C-4 Board of Education Meeting | June 22, 2026

Article Summary: Casey-Westfield Superintendent Shackelford told the board Monday, June 22, 2026, that a countywide 1% school facility sales tax is drawing growing discussion among Clark County superintendents following this spring’s property reassessment in Casey, and recommended board members learn more about the mechanism before the conversation reaches them.

Superintendent’s Report Key Points:

• Shackelford said property taxes have dominated his recent meetings with area superintendents since the spring reassessment of real property in Casey.
• A county 1% school facility sales tax cannot be levied by school boards; it must be approved by voters, and boards representing 51% of the county’s total student body must first agree to place it on the ballot.
• Midwest Transit removed the district’s entire route bus fleet on June 16 and is transferring camera systems and adding outward-facing dashboard cameras; the new fleet is expected back July 8.
• The district received five Illinois Freedom of Information Act requests during the month.

CASEY — Casey-Westfield Community Unit School District C-4 Superintendent Shackelford told the Board of Education on Monday, June 22, 2026, that a countywide school facility sales tax is becoming a recurring topic among Clark County school leaders, and recommended board members educate themselves on the option before the discussion arrives in earnest.

Shackelford said that since the recent reassessment of real property in Casey this spring, property taxes have been a main topic of discussion at his meetings with area superintendents. The County 1% School Facility Sales Tax, he said, continues to come up as a possible tool to combat sharp property tax increases in the future.

He was explicit about the limits of the board’s role. School boards do not approve or levy the tax, Shackelford said. Only voters can approve the initiative. But the matter must have the approval of school boards representing 51% of the total student body of the county in order to be placed on a ballot in an election — a threshold that would put Casey-Westfield in the middle of any countywide effort.

No board action was taken on the sales tax question Monday. It was not an agenda item, and Shackelford’s remarks came during the administrator reports portion of the meeting. He recommended that members of the board learn more about the mechanism because, in his words as recorded in the minutes, the discussions are coming.

Bus Fleet Out, New Fleet Due July 8

Shackelford also delivered a detailed operations update. Midwest Transit came to the district on June 16 and took the entire route bus fleet back to Kankakee, he said. Over the following weeks, the vendor will transfer the district’s camera systems from the old buses to the new buses the board purchased in December, and will add outward-facing dashboard cameras to each bus. Shackelford said he expects the new fleet to be delivered on July 8.

The addition of outward-facing cameras represents a capability the district’s previous fleet did not have, according to the description in the minutes. The minutes do not state a cost associated with the camera transfer or the dashboard camera installation.

Summer Work Across Both Campuses

Shackelford reported that the floor crews at the junior/senior high school and Monroe Elementary are doing what he described as really nice work, that custodial crews are performing well under the district’s new cleaning system, and that paint crews are giving much of the campus a fresh look.

GRP is in the process of setting the new rooftop units at the junior/senior high school and tearing out the ceiling in the band room, he said.

At the football field, the City of Casey has completed the access to the water main, Shackelford reported. Whaley Plumbing is scheduled to connect the district’s watering system to the city main. He thanked Casey Public Works Director Ryan Staley and his team for completing the city-side work.

Two other administrators reported to the board. Sullivan said cleaning, waxing and painting is progressing at the junior/senior high school. Rhoads shared the 2025-26 Zone Room report, prepared by Littlejohn, and discussed the positive impact the resource has on students. Rhoads echoed Sullivan’s comments about the deep cleaning taking place at Monroe.

Shackelford closed by reporting that the district received five requests for information under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act during the month. The minutes do not describe the subject matter of those requests.

The board took no votes on any item raised during administrator reports. Following the reports, members adjourned to closed session at 7:43 p.m. and reconvened in open session at 8:38 p.m.