September 23, 2024 at 12:00 PM - Board of Education 2nd Monthly Meeting

Rationale:  The Norfolk Public School District's board of education meeting is called to order.
 

Rationale:  If any board member is absent, there will need to be a  motion to excuse the absence.

Rationale:  This is a legal meeting of the board of education, as advertised by the means specified in board policy. A complete copy of the Open Meetings Act is posted in the board room for your review. A copy of the agenda is available at the desk of the recording secretary.

Rationale:  Please stand and join us in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rationale:  This is the time during the meeting when the public may request to address the Board. According to state law, if you wish to comment, you must identify yourself, including your address, the name of the organization you represent and the topic that you wish to address. "Public Comment" cards are located at the media table, in the back of the room.  Please pick up a card and provide the required information if you plan to speak.  Each individual’s comments will be limited to three minutes and the total cumulative time for all public comments will be limited to 30 minutes.

Please note that the Board cannot discuss or act upon matters that are not listed on the agenda. Therefore, Board members will not respond to your comments or questions. If you wish to request that an item be placed on a future Board agenda, you may contact the Superintendent or her assistant during normal business hours.

Also, note that concerns related to school personnel need to be addressed to the Superintendent using the approved district protocol. Individuals who make false, defamatory, or slanderous statements during public comments may be held legally liable. Slanderous comments are not protected just because they are made at Board meetings.

Additional procedural guidelines are available at the media table.

Rationale: 

The total amount of claims to be approved on the consent agenda by specific fund are listed below:

General Fund = $207,567.39

Nutrition Fund = $12,469.48

Cooperative Fund = $60,948.24

Subsidiary Fund = $10,746.69

Special Building Fund = $10,035.00

Senior High Activity Fund = $49,886.45

Junior High Activity Fund = $4,647.27

Student Fee Fund = $14,468.37

Rationale:  see attached

Rationale:  Minutes from the meetings on September 9th, 2024 are attached for review. 

Rationale:  Attached are the claims. These claims were reviewed earlier by our Finance and Facilities Committee. 

There are two conflict statements that will need to be read before voting.

Rationale: 

On Aug 12th I presented a budget preview for the Board and community members. The proposed 2024-2025 budget options were reviewed by all Board members and discussed at a public budget workshop on August 26th. That information was published in the paper and on our website. The public also had an opportunity for comment and input at our budget hearing on September 9th.  Multiple options have been presented over the past 2 months. I was contacted by 1 community member to explain the budget more in depth and met with them on Sept. 12th to do so.

In Option #4, which was published, our total general fund budget, which covers all operating expenses including staff, transportation, instructional materials, utilities, and maintenance, is set at $70,195,261.92.  This is $1,078,097.08 (or 2%) less than last year's general fund budget. The large majority of this decrease is due to the ending of ESSERs grant funds.

Our Special Building Fund budget is set at $7,484,572. This is $793,193 less than last year. There are no property tax dollars budgeted to add to this fund in 2024-2025. $5,801,601 of this amount will be utilized to complete our Middle School addition. $1,573,950 has already been allocated to the replacement of the chiller system at the senior high school. 

Our Depreciation Budget is set at $6,863,592. This fund is used for larger district projects such as Technology, Curriculum, Bus/Vehicle Purchase and Maintenance projects. $978,196 from this fund will be used to complete the Middle School addition.

Additional fund budgets require less explanation and are included in the attachment.

The budget options that have been presented and discussed by the board are in the attachment.

Rationale: 

Public notice was given at least five days in advance of the district’s Special Public Hearing on Sept. 9th which was called for the purpose of discussing and receiving public input regarding the District’s Tax Requests for the 2024-2025 school’s fiscal year for the General Fund, and Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund of Madison County School District 59-0002.

A Special Public Hearing was held before the Board of Education of Madison County School District 59-0002 at the time, date, and place announced in the notice published in a newspaper of general circulation, a copy of which notice and proof of publication is attached hereto as Exhibit A-1, which is required by law.

The Board has taken action on the district budget which sets our tax request at _____. 

RESOLUTION SETTING THE PROPERTY TAX REQUEST (based on Option #4)

WHEREAS, Nebraska Revised Statute 77-1632 and 77-1633 provides that the Governing Body of Norfolk Public Schools passes by a majority vote a resolution or ordinance setting the tax request; and

WHEREAS, a special public hearing was held as required by law to hear and consider comments concerning the property tax request;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Governing Body of Norfolk Public Schools resolves that:

1. The 2024-2025 property tax request be set at:

General Fund:

$  34,293,070.00

Bond Fund:

$               -  

Special Building Fund:

$               -  

Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund:

$  782,525.00

2. The total assessed value of property differs from last year’s total assessed value by 12.33 percent.

3. The tax rate which would levy the same amount of property taxes as last year, when multiplied by the new total assessed value of property would be 0.912246 per $100 of assessed value.

4. Norfolk Public Schools proposes to adopt a property tax request that will cause its tax rate to be 0.925142 per $100 of assessed value.

5. Based on the proposed property tax request and changes in other revenue, the total operating budget of Norfolk Public Schools will increase (or decrease) last year’s budget by -2.04 percent.

6. A copy of this resolution be certified and forwarded to the County Clerk on or before October 15, 2024.

 

Rationale: 

The next regular meeting of the Board of Education will be held on Monday, October 14th, 2024 at 5:30 PM. 

The 2nd monthly meeting of the Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, October 28th, 2024 at Noon.

All components of these meetings will be held at the NPS Central Administration Offices and will be open to the public unless an Executive Session is needed in order to protect the interest of the district or the reputation of an individual.

Rationale:  Resignation - Caitlin Sharp, Kindergarten teacher, Lincoln Montessori Elementary School