Audit Committee Report: Todd Preston - Recommend approval of the CAFR report. District when from High Risk to Low Risk. Revenues exceeded Expenses for the 4th year in a row. RFP is due next audit cycle, but they recommend to extend Ike a year to get through transition to new software. Motion: 1.) Approve the 2013-2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and authorize it to be submitted for the GFOAand ASBO review and award programs. Also authorizing management to make minor changes as needed to complete submission. Passed.
Superintendent Report: K-12 Expansion. MSBA decided to take neutral position. SD2 is against it. SD2 is trying to get a quality schools grant (energy projects). Ranked 25th out of 50 and it must be approved by the MT Legislature. Stroebe requests that SD2 should have a financial statement of impacts made like was done in Helena and Missoula in event K-12 Expansion happens. Impacts were presented already last May to justify SD2 opposition.
Career Technical Education - SD2 met with a bi-partisan group of legislators to get more state funding for this activity. Positive reaction from legislators and looks like they work to get this passed. Don Jones is working on LC1672. Funding stuck at $1 million since the 1990s.
Food Service Presentation: Betty Hunt (moving) and Sid Taylor (taking over). Smarter Lunch Rooms - SD2 is a pilot program to get students to make healthier choices. There was a small grant to purchase equipment. The conducted a waste study before the start of the program and they will check waste again to evaluate the program. Initially high schools...looking at middle and elementary schools next year. Free and Reduced Numbers - Students are now automatically approved if parents are in SNAP. Eliminates parents having to sign the form sent home. This has caused a jump in numbers of students receiving Free and Reduced Lunch. Breakfast in the classroom? Concerned about spills. A few schools have breakfast for all students. There are equipment costs and Sodexo are looking for grants.
Broadwater and McKinley update: Warm weather last week helped progress. One year of progress. Weather have not impacted them yet.
Heights Middle School update: Looking for cost savings without reducing quality of construction. Current market conditions is causing higher costs. They are looking for value engineering ideas. Looking at alternative flooring and ceiling tiles. Less landscaping. Different conduit in walls, etc. Found 1.3 million in savings and they are getting much closer. All are these are estimates. Nothing have been bid yet. Can they reduce square footage? They are trying to reduce impact on education and they will do everything to not reduce square footage.
Redistricting update: Public forum Dec 16. Team is reviewing drafts at every meeting. Cropper is printing off options for review. Three options will be presented to the public each for the Heights and elsewhere. They are staying true to the guidelines that the board provided. Grandfathering - eventually there has to be a cut-off for siblings. Board operations will be developing a policy soon.
5 year financial forecast: Hudetz is asking if the board has any questions beyond what was presented at the Planning and Development Committee meeting. There are lots of assumptions built in the projections and the forecast can get off. They are creating room in the budget for the fixed costs of the middle schools. SD2 was up about 100 students K-8 last year and up 100 students this year. SD2 administration reviews budget about 4 times a year to ensure SD2 is making targets. Why are they talking drop-out rates. Has no impact on K-8 funding. Stroebe wants busing financials in 5 year plan. SD2 administration is confident that we can operate a second middle school. Hafer wants SD2 to let public know when they are planning to put mill levies to the voters. Toohill asks how sensitive numbers are to enrollment.
Start Process for West-End Middle School design and construction: Current middle schools and elementary schools on west-end are over-crowded, so additional middle school is needed. 60 percent of west-enders voted for the bond. SD2 wants to hire A&E to start work. Earlier A&E starts, the better chance they can find cost savings. A&E is already doing some of the leg-work on their dime so they can keep deadlines. Motion has made to start a number of processes. One nay, Six yays.
General Fund Levies: Committee recommends to not do levies next May. Superintendent says there is too much going on to properly run a campaign. Bond cost per taxpayer is lower than expected and that will be promoted if they put a mill levy on the ballot in 2016. Motion to not run mill levies: elementary passes 7-0 and high school passes 9-0.
Middle school naming update: Committee of 6 parents and one is a staff member. They established a process and it will involve students. They have 42 grade submissions. Tomorrow, the will narrow down to 3-5 per category. Board will get to decide on final recommendations in January.
AA Caucus: Day of lobbying Feb 23rd. Caucus will start meeting twice a week because of legislative session.
Legislative Committee duties and responsibilities: Will meet along with AA Caucus. Committee will have power to act in what the best interests of SD2. Motion on Committee. Concern about stated priorities. Motion amended to take out "stated priorities". That amendment has been dumped to get board to make board provide input when possible. Motion passes 9-0
Legislative Lobbyists: Paid employees must register as lobbyists. Superintendent appointed to represent SD2 and anyone he designates. Leo, Patricia, and Scott Anderson potential designates. Motion passes 9-0.
Career and Technical Education lobbying effort: Most MT districts do not have money to hire teachers for this effort. SD2 is working with Don Jones on bill. May be folded in HB2 in terms of just increased funding. $89,000 to $890,000. SD2 will use this to expand programs (medical).
Committee Policies: Fixing SD2 polices to formalize new committee structure. 1st reading tonight. Passed.
National Convention attendees: Not up for election. Priority to committee chairs and haven't attended last year. Motion made. Passes 9-0
Budget Committee: Board Operations Committee will develop guidelines and membership. Present to Jan Board Meeting. Motion made. Passes 9-0.
2015 Trustee Election. 4 trustees are up for election. Dist 4 (Joe), 5 (Rob), 6 (Allen), and High School A (Teresa).
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