Monmouth-Roseville Superintendent Ed Fletcher shared some insight on the school’s latest board meeting. Among the topics of Tuesday night’s meeting were the city’s efforts to revitalize the downtown area using TIF (tax increment financing) district taxing. Fletcher shared why he believes it’s important for District 238 to support the city and this 12-year plan:
“We understand that we’re just one cog in the machine in Monmouth and Warren County, so the board felt it was important to support the city and their efforts. The city is always supportive of us as well, so it’s good that we supported that,” he said.
Mayor Rod Davies and the city must discuss the plan with taxing bodies in Monmouth, including the school district, to help strengthen their case when they lobby for this project in Springfield.
Fletcher also discussed a partnership with Carl Sandburg College to create a grant called “Upward Bound.” The grant would help fund a program that would allow at-risk kids with low attendance and lower GPAs to visit the college to interact with college professors to acclimate them with college life. Superintendent Fletcher thinks this program could go a long way in helping prepare kids for college.
“We’re really excited about working with Carl Sandburg. They’re a good partner with us, and I appreciate all the folks there for working with us. We’re excited about that,” Fletcher said.
For more information on the school board or District 238, log on to www.mr238.org.
written by Jackson Kane
