AMBOY – There was one main mission for the Amboy Community Unit School District #272 meeting held on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Pass the 2024-25 school budget.

The past budget had big projects such as the new track and the secured entrance at Central School. With those projects being officially paid off on the newly passed budget, new projects can rise to the top of the priority list.

“It’s a tough duty to decide which project is a higher priority. Thankfully since I’ve been superintendent, we were able to pass a referendum and were able to build a new junior high and high school,” Amboy Schools Superintendent Josh Nichols said. “The old junior high drained money. You could funnel as much as you could into the building, and it was never enough. Some of the equipment was so obsolete. We had to have parts machined, made, because they weren’t available anymore.

“That was the big one. Now that it isn’t a concern anymore, funds and time free up to look at the other buildings. Every 10 years, we have a health, safety plan where they come through and they figure out what is the worst in the district. Then the district has 10 years to fix it.

“Ideally when we look at a building, it’s how do we keep the water on, and the heat and cooling in. Then you build from there. What’s in the worst shape? What’s in the roughest shape? How do we get it taken care of? Do we have enough in the bank if something bad happens?”

The next project set for next year is replacing the exterior windows and doors at Central, which will use the remaining funds on the 2024-25 budget and some reserve funds.

Hirings and retirements also took place at the meeting.

James Brown, STEM and physics teacher, is retiring at the end of the year after 19 years at Amboy High School.