The Blue Earth Area School Board has received four applications for the open board seat.

Kara Drake, Sheila Ripley, Lori Frisk-Thompson and Kimberly Johnson will be interviewed on July 31 at a special school board meeting.

The meeting will be held starting at 6:30 p.m. in the high school conference room. Each interview will last approximately 30 minutes.

The chosen candidate out of the four will be appointed at the regular August School Board meeting.

At the July meeting, the School Board filled the treasurer position. Mark Maher was nominated and voted in as the treasurer. Vickie Hanson previously held that seat.

Chairperson Frankie Bly pointed out the changes in activity prices from the previous school year to the 2013-2014 school year.

“Just to highlight the changes, under music for middle school and senior high, those are free concerts,” says Bly.

“That’s a change?” asks Dawn Fellows.

“That’s a change,” confirms Bly.

Other changes include the cost of lunch. For the elementary school it was raised from $2 to $2.10. Secondary education meals were raised from $2.25 to $2.30. Little Giants was raised from $2 to $2.10.

These rate changes were approved by the School Board.

In other business;

The School Board member reimbursement rates remained the same as previous years: $300 annual for chair, clerk and treasurer, $50 per meeting up to half-day meeting, and $70 per full-day meeting; A first reading was done for the student handbooks for the 2013-2014 school year. It will be approved at the August meeting;

An engagement letter with Van Iwaarden Associates for GASB 45 actuarial services was approved; and

The following personnel contracts were approved: Carissa Weiss, middle school math; Sara Petrowiak, Blue Earth elementary third grade; Colby Swanson, middle school social studies; Hannah Martel, Winnebago third grade; Sarah Anderson, Blue Earth elementary second grade; Christian Olson, middle school social studies; and Courtney Luniewski, shared staff at Southern Plains Education Cooperative.