August 29, 2016 at 12:30 PM - Special Meeting for the Purpose of Approving Final Bills & Transfers for 2015-16 School Year

Rationale:  The Nebraska Open Meetings Act Law Requires that a copy of the Open Meetings Acts Law be posted in the meeting room and is accessible to the public.  A printed copy of the Open Meetings Act was available at the meeting.

Rationale:  Much of the furniture in the Youth Center (see attached pictures) has been donated over the years.  As part of the "face lift" in the Youth Center, that furniture is being replaced utilizing activity fund money from the Youth Center's Activity Fund.  Because these items are being disposed of, the superintendent wants to make sure the public is aware of the intent to dispose of these items.  Any member of the public interested in purchasing any of the furniture is encouraged to contact the superintendent.

Rationale: 

The following accounts have the following negative balances, making the transfer necessary:

Athletics-$14,022.80

Cheerleaders-$215.53

Science-$191.94

Total-$14,430.27

Rationale: 

This $50,000 transfer from the general fund to the depreciation fund will be "earmarked" for the computer refresh that the technology department plans on making in 2017-18.  An estimated $160,000 will be needed to complete the computer refresh.

The money being proposed to be transferred was originally budget during the 2015-16 budget cycle as an expenditure for Secondary Computer Equipment in the amount of $55,486.  None of that budgeted money was spent throughout the course of the 2015-16 budget cycle.  It is recommended the money be transferred for the purpose of building up funds for the anticipated computer "refresh" that is scheduled to occur in 2017-18.

Rationale:  A new bus was purchased.  Two buses were advertised as surplus for sale.  The company the bus was purchased from took the two buses in on trade, paying $500 for each of them.  The price of the bus was $65,150.  Less the trade in value of the two new buses, the actual amount paid was $64,150.

Rationale: 

The draft of the 2016-17 Budget is attached to this agenda item.  

Certified taxable valuation figures, as certified by the county assessors' offices at Buffalo and Sherman Counties, are attached to this agenda item.

*Total Disbursements & Transfers for 2015-16 General Fund Budget were $6,536,882.  The Total Proposed Disbursements & Transfers for the 2016-17 General Fund Budget are $6,970,962.  This represents a 6.6% increase in Total Budgeted Disbursements & Transfers from the General Fund of $434,080.

*Total Disbursements & Transfers for 2015-16 Non-SPED Expenditures were $5,328,819.  The Total Proposed Disbursements & Transfers for 2016-17 Non-SPED Expenditures are $5,617,438.  This represents a 5.4% increase in Non-SPED Total Disbursements & Transfers of $288,619.

*Total Budgeted Disbursement for 2015-16 SPED Expenditures were $1,208,063.  Total Proposed SPED Disbursements for 2016-17 are $1,353,524.  This represents a 12% increase in Total Proposed SPED Expenditures or an increase of $145,461.  (Notations: One Additional Staff Member, Contracting for 18-21 Services & Transportation, Increased Cost of Staff Advancing on Salary Schedule)

*2015-16 total taxable valuation was $621,362,235.  The 2016-17 total taxable valuation is certified as $672,634,115.  This represents a 8.25% increase in total taxable valuation or an increase of $51,271,880.

*Total Property Tax Request in 2015-16 was $5,589,570.  Total Property Tax Request for 2016-17 is proposed to be $5,822,621.  This represents a 4.17% increase in the amount requested or an increase of $233,051.

*Total Property Tax Request for the General Fund in 2015-16 was $5,231,086.  Total Property Tax Request for the General Fund in 2016-17 is proposed to be $5,559,406.  This represents a 6.27% increase in the amount requested or an increase of $328,320. 

*Total Levy Rate for 2015-16 was $0.90.  Total Proposed Levy Rate for 2016-17 is $0.865645.  This represents a 3.97% decrease in the Total Levy Rate.  (The Total Levy Rate includes taxes levied in the General Fund, Special Building Fund, & Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund.  The Bond Fund will be retired at the end of the 2015-16 budget cycle for the purpose of levying taxes.  However, it will be maintained for the purpose of collecting tax proceeds that continue to trickle in to the fund.)