September 9, 2025 at 7:45 PM - Budget Hearing/Regular Meeting

Discussion:  The hearing was called to order at 7:50 PM. There were 18 guests of the public present.

Discussion:  No one in attendance was here to address the board about the 2025-26 budget.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow shared budget information with the board that included the tax asking for the 2025-26 budget cycle and the impact on the levy.  The levy will stay under $0.70 for the upcoming year, the general fund tax asking will increase $300,000, and the special building fund tax asking will increase $100,000. General Fund = $3,532,428 Special Building Fund = $150,000.

Discussion:  Hearing was adjourned at 7:54 PM

Discussion:  The meeting was called to order at 8:00 PM.  There were 21 guest of the public present.

Discussion:  4 County Heating & Air, 729.00; Amazon Capital Services, 3420.83; AT&T, 119.70; Callahan-Smith Electric, 428.70; Callaway Market, 210.49; Callaway True Value, 453.75; Cash, 150.00; Cash-Wa Distributing, 79.96; Conditiond Air Mechanical Systems, 1635.00; Country Partners Cooperative, 2248.95; Culligan Water, 1709.75; Eakes Office, 159.98; Earl's AutoGlass, 342.44; Elliot Plumbing & Home Improvement, 400.00; ESU 5, 22,260.00; ESU 10, 10,201.50; EZ IT Solutions, 2212.10; Follett School Solutions, 1147.68; Great Plains Com, 890.26; Hinton's Lock & Alarm, 625.35; Hireright Solutions, 81.55; Integrates Security Solutions, 462.00; JW Pepper, 89.99; A Johnson, 30.96; KDAgency. 300.00; LIPS Printing Service, 54.94; McGraw-Hill Education, 70.29; MARC, 232.54; Mid-Plains Community College, 50.00; Myers Iron Salvage & Roll-Offs, 1796.20; NASB, 65.00;l NCS Pearson, 21.00; NCSA, 149.00; One Source the Background Check Company, 19.00; Perry, Guthery, Haase, & Gessford, 208.80; Praire View Roofing, 11,516.00; Quill, 4222.87; School Food Service, 302.90; South Loup Community Pharmacy, 5.95; Syndicate Publishing, 1002.35; TEAM PT, 1496.53; Unity School Bus Parts, 68.10; University of Nebraska High School, 2700.00; US Bank, 438.61; Verizon, 85.11; Village of Callaway, 4584.23; Wenquist, 2049.14; Yandas, 153.00; Bill Total: 81,681.50. Fixed Payroll: 101,346.35; Total Payroll: 319,859.33.

Discussion:  There was public comment regarding the school's policy 504.06 Student Dress Code and Grooming.
Rhonda Pandorf spoke in favor of keeping the policy language that had been previously voted on and making changes to the current handbook that would align both documents.
Amy Birkel spoke in favor of focusing on making a policy that emphasized student appearance, not distracting from the learning environment.  
Lana Phelps addressed the board to question why the two documents were voted on to be approved with Incongruent language and pointed out that the policy on the schools website was not the most recently approved policy.
Dean Haidle addressed the board over concerns for student safety and the need to enforce whatever policy the board passes.
Sue Phelps addressed the board to encourage the board and administration to listen to our teaching staff when establishing dress protocols.
David Pandorf spoke in favor of the policy that had been presented at the previous board meeting.

Discussion:  Mr. Birkel shared recent activities and professional development opportunities our staff has attended.  He also shared a list of upcoming events. 

Discussion:  The October regular board meeting is set for October 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM.

Discussion:  There will be a tax levy hearing on September 24, 2025 at 7:30 AM with a special meeting to follow.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow and Mr. Reiff will attend the joint public hearing in Broken Bow to represent the school.  The school is required to attend the meeting because the tax asking is going up more than the 2% + real growth limit.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow informed the board that he had a video call with George and Todd Garlick in regard to the land acquisition adjacent to the bus barn.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow informed the board that the NDE sent a letter confirming that Callaway Public Schools was in complete Rule 10 Compliance.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow updated the board on conversations about purchasing student computers.  It is still the plan not to buy any new devices at this time, but it is likely that we will need some student computers before the end of the year.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow informed the board that Mrs. Tiana Lisby found a list of updated job descriptions and said that the administration would begin to edit the list to fit our staff and staff expectations.  Job descriptions would not be board approved, but the board would be informed when the task is complete.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow updated the board on our new protocols involving unpaid lunch bills.  There were 6 families who were over the threshold and received a letter from Mr. Furrow outlining the legal process for claiming the funds.  There were 3 of these families that paid their bill in full, 2 of these families made a payment and then set a payment plan with Mr. Furrow, and Mr. Furrow filed a small claims case against the family that has not responded to the letter.  This case will go to mediation on December 8th.

Discussion:  The board continued to deliberate on the policy over student dress.  It was agreed upon that the handbook and the policy should be aligned.  There was debate about what constituted a distraction to the learning environment.  After discussion, the proposed policy was amended and set to be voted on in the action items of tonight's meeting.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow brought forward the superintendent's goals for review to make sure that the board's priorities were being followed through with.  Mr. Reiff also discussed using a living document to track progress towards our board-superintendent goals.

Discussion:  It was decided to move this action item to the regular October board meeting to coincide with the final reading of the new policy on dress code.

Discussion:  Mr. Furrow informed the board of upcoming development opportunities.

Discussion:  Meeting adjourned at 10:04 PM.