Steeleville Board of Education hears 403B choices

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[In a short meeting, the Steeleville Board of Education met this past Monday at their new time to hear proposals from Dan Colvis from Primerica in Chester and Alan Gerstenschlager of Edward Jones in Sparta regarding their 403B choices. Both companies gave interesting presentations on what each company had to offer teachers for their investments.

"What ever decision you make, the biggest is having a good plan for your teachers," says Dan Colvis who proposed the company CPI for Steeleville teachers. With CPI teachers would have a wider scope of investment companies to choose from. However, upfront fees would have to be applied either by the school or it's teachers. There would also be three different types of investment levels to choose from.

Alan Gerstenschlager of Edward Jones was next. He proposed his company Edward Jones as a platform. Much like that of Colvis' CPI, there would be a fair amount of investors to choose from. One of the differences is that most of fees are free in the beginning.

"I don't feel comfortable with making this decision," said board member Pat Ennis, after hearing both parties' proposals. The board asked Steeleville Education Association President, Mike Richie, if there would be any way to have a meeting with the teachers to see which one they would like to invest with. Richie agreed and will set up a meeting with the investment representatives and teachers. Superintendent Stephanie Mulholland asked that it be made prior to the October meeting.

Approval was given on the Title 1 Federal Funds. These funds help the staff prepare the students to excel in learning and become more prepared for testing at each level. The plan has been set in place by Mulholland and can be accessed at any time by administrators to ensure the plan is being met.

There was no word on the School Facility Occupational Tax. The board tabled this item until next month's meeting.

The meeting has been changed for next month. The board will meet on October 20, 2008 at 6:45 p.m.