July 10, 2023 at 8:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Rationale: 

1.  Review monthly bills using the EMeetings Software.

2.  Review all credit card transactions for the month.

3.  Finance Committee Members Sign-off on review of monthly bills, credit card transactions, and district fund balances.

4.  Approve superintendent's expenses (credit card transactions & mileage).

5.  Lunch Fund Review-Monthly Lunch Fund Balance Worksheet Attached

6.  Payroll Ledger Review

7.  Insurance Billing Review

8.  ACH Payroll Review

9.  Bank Statements Review

10. End of the Fiscal Year Fund Transfers



 

Rationale:  The banking resolution had to be modified as Kenneth Schroeder is now Superintendent of Ravenna Public Schools. All other privileges on the account remain the same. A copy of the new banking resolution is attached to this agenda item.

Rationale:  Mr. Cyboron has requested to have a shelf, desk, and cabinet that are no longer in use and in the way declared as surplus for immediate sale or disposal.  Photos of the items are attached to this agenda item for review and consideration by the board of education.
 

Rationale:  The Safe Return/Stay in School Plan is available for review at
https://www.ravennabluejays.org/district/return-to-school-plan

Rationale: 

Members of the Public, 

This is the portion of the board meeting when we invite anyone in attendance to address the board of education. If you would like to speak to the board regarding any of the items on tonight's agenda or a public concern, now is your opportunity to do so.  Please review the orange sheet (found on the visitors' chairs) of paper that contains the guidelines for public participation.  If you wish to speak to the board at this time, please let me know.  "Would anyone like to address the board at this time?"

 

AFTER THE PERSON(S) INDICATE(S) THEY WISH TO SPEAK

1.  Please stand and state your name?

2.  What topic will you be speaking on?

3.  Are there others in the room who wish to speak to the same topic? (If so, ask that they be recognized so that 30 minutes of time for public comment can be apportioned as per the policy-5 minutes per person).

4.  Read to Speaker(s): "Please understand that public comment is your opportunity to speak to the board and present your concerns, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and observations.  Members of the board are happy to hear from members of the public, but the board will not engage in conversation or dialogue with you during public comment.  You'll have approximately 5 minutes to address the board, as we allow 5 minutes per person and a total of 30 minutes for public comment.  You may begin when you are ready?

 

 

 

Rationale:  The board is required to hold an annual hearing and review its parental involvement policy (Policy #5018).  After the review they may adopt it in its current form or make changes as needed.  The school district's attorney and the administration are not recommending any changes to the policy.

Rationale:  The school board must review its Title I Parental Policy annually.

Rationale:  The board is required to annually review its student fees policy (#5045) and the amount collected in student fees during the last school year.  The school district collected $0 in student fees during the 2022-2023 school year.  

Rationale:  The board must review its bullying policy (#5054) annually.  The current copy is attached in addition to the suggested revised copy from the superintendent and the school district's attorney.

Rationale:  The board must review its attendance and excessive absenteeism policy (#5001) annually.  The school district attorney and administration are not recommending any changes to this policy.

Rationale:  Each year, we host a junior high track meet.  Due to the large number of staff out of the building during the afternoon of that track meet, its not a very productive time for student learning.  It also creates many logistical issues for the office staff.  The recommendation would be to utilize a noon dismissal on this day and make the corresponding calendar adjustment.

 

Rationale:  The electricians from Middleton Electric have been on site installing new electrical service for the project.  Jerry's Sheetmetal has not yet been on site.  Superintendent Schroeder is working with NDE, the contractor, and the engineer to ensure Davis Bacon requirements are being followed, since a large portion of this project will be funded with ESSERs III Funds.

Rationale:  The new superintendent will need some guidance regarding:

1) Which board member(s) will want to attend the LB644 Joint Public Hearing Meeting with the superintendent?

2) When will the budget workshop will be held with the board members and the public?

3) Any special budget considerations the superintendent needs to be aware of (special building projects, additional staffing costs, etc., anything out of the ordinary)?

4) End of the year transfers?
-Activities Fund - $30,000 (estimate)
-Lunch Fund - Discussed in Finance Committee.  Will follow up with Hilary and consider an end of the year transfer, rather than doing it at the beginning or midway through the 2023-24 budget cycle.
-Depreciation Fund - As much as spending authority will allow.
-Employee Benefit Fund - As much as spending authority will allow.

5) Guidance on whether or not the board will want to approve an additional 7% of property tax authority through a 70% majority vote of the board for 2023-24 budgeting purposes.  Recently, legislation was enacted that restricts the property tax request for school districts.  For the first time, in budget year 2023-24, the state will certify the allowable property tax request for school districts.  The property tax request is only applicable to the combined total of the tax levy in the General Fund and the Special Building Fund.  That current certified property tax request authority amount is $5,655,602.  The new law also allows for boards to approve additional property tax request authority through a 70% (4 out of 6 board members) majority vote of the local board of education.  If such a vote were taken and approved, that would increase the school district's property tax authority by $487,129 to $6,142,731.  The superintendent would encourage the board to approve the additional property tax authority because word has it that the amount approved by the board will be the "base property tax authority amount" used to calculate the property tax authority for future years, so during the inaugural year of the property tax authority, the board will want to secure the maximum amount of property tax authority possible.  Bryce Wilson from NDE has assured superintendents that the legislature will likely correct this current loophole in the law during the upcoming legislative session.  Also, as always, the district will not tax anymore than is absolutely necessary.  All the board would be doing by approving such a motion is securing the future authority to levy taxes.  Just because we are securing the property tax authority, it does NOT mean we are actually going to "tax to the max" and request $6,142,731 in taxes.

Rationale:  NASB Area Membership Meetings will be held in Kearney on the evening of September 13th from 4:30 PM - 7:25 PM.  Do any board members wish to attend this event?

Rationale:  As part of the superintendent search service, NRCSA will facilitate a "transition meeting" for the superintendent and the board of education.  This generally takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. The meeting can be conducted as a stand-alone meeting or it can be done immediately before a board meeting.  The board will need to decide whether they would like to schedule such a meeting or forgo it.

A copy of the tentative agenda for such a meeting is attached to this agenda item for the board's review and consideration.

Rationale:  A group of private investors have requested that the school board grant them an easement on a piece of school district owned land for the purpose of providing access to a real estate housing development they are pursuing.  The group presented their proposal at the June 2023 Board Meeting.  The board will discuss and consider the matter in executive session.

Rationale: