September 12, 2017 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education ESU 18 Regular Meeting

The Governing Body of Educational Service Unit Number 18 is conducting this hearing pursuant to Section 77-1601.02 and other Nebraska laws. These laws provide that the property tax request for the Educational Service Unit for 2017-18 shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the Unit holds a hearing and modifies the property tax request.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2017-18 budget which has already been formally adopted by this Educational Service Unit.  The testimony received in this hearing will be taken into consideration by the Governing Body when we take action to approve or modify the preliminary property tax request prior to October 13, 2017.       

At some meetings, the Board is asked to approve certain items of routine business of the ESU. 

EXPLANATION
The item included in routine business for this meeting is: 

• BIDS/CONTRACTS - An agreement will be presented for approval for Early Development Network Services coordination. 

PROPOSAL
That the Board approve the following item of routine business:

Agreements for Early Development Network Services coordination.

A hearing was held earlier this evening on whether the governing body should approve or modify the preliminary property tax request for Educational Service Unit No. 18 (Attachment One). 

EXPLANATION
The 2017-18 budget of Educational Service Unit No. 18 has already been adopted. According to state law Section 77-1601.02, the preliminary tax request for the unit shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the governing body holds a hearing and sets the property tax request at a different amount.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2017-18 budget which has already been formally adopted by the Board of Educational Service Unit No. 18.  Attachment Two reflects last year’s property tax rate, this year’s initial estimate, and the final property tax rate for 2017-18. 

Staff recommends that the following resolution be adopted so that the 2017-18 budget may be funded as adopted.  A simple majority vote is required. 

PROPOSAL
That the Board discuss the following proposal: 

THEREFORE Be it resolved that the Board of Educational Service Unit No. 18 hereby sets the unit’s 2017-18 property tax request at a different amount from that of the 2016-17 fiscal year and that, pursuant to State Law Section 77-1601.02 and other Nebraska laws, does hereby set the 2017-18 Educational Service Unit No. 18 property tax request, including the county’s collection fee and any delinquent tax allowances, at $3,176,861.07; and 

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if updated valuation, budget, or other pertinent information is subsequently received by Educational Service Unit No. 18 or by Lancaster County, the unit, its administration, and the County shall adjust the property tax request to reflect the updated information pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601 and other Nebraska laws.

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

• Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose.
• A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker.  At the discretion of the chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time.  Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
• Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment.  A "Record of Appearance" card is provided for this purpose.
• Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
• In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
• If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
• Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may hand out printed materials to the Board but may not use any other form of media.
• If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations or become abusive in language or behavior, the Chair may declare that person out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board, require a change in behavior and may require the person or persons to leave the premises of the Board meeting.