Public Meeting Minutes: June 12, 2023 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

1. Call to Order

1.1. Roll Call

Discussion:

Attendance Taken at at 6:30 PM
Agenda Item: Roll Call

Regular Board
Scott Barger
Tom Bredvick
Brad Hays
Mike Langan
Charlie McPherson
Teresa Thomas

1.2. Recognition of Open Meeting Law

1.3. Pledge of Allegiance

2. Reports, Communications & Public Participation

2.1. Board accepts public comments

Discussion: There were no public comments

3. Approve the consent agenda, which includes the minutes and financials

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

Motion to approve consent agenda Passed with a motion by Tom Bredvick and a second by Scott Barger.

Brad Hays: Yea
Scott Barger: Yea
Mike Langan: Yea
Charlie McPherson: Yea
Teresa Thomas: Yea
Tom Bredvick: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Attachments: (1)

McCook Public Schools - Board of Education Regular Meeting

6/5/2023 at 8:51 AM

3.1. Approval of Expenditures/Payroll for May 2023

Attachments: (5)

Accounts Payable - May 2023

6/8/2023 at 6:33 AM
Activity Account Revenue - May 2023

6/8/2023 at 6:34 AM
Activity Account Expenditures - May 2023

6/8/2023 at 6:34 AM
Activity Adjustments - May 2023

6/8/2023 at 6:34 AM
Financials - May 2023

6/8/2023 at 6:34 AM

4. Reports from Staff Members and Committees

Discussion: There were no reports.

5. Administrator's written reports: Please review prior to the board meeting

Attachments: (5)

SPED - J. Hanson

6/5/2023 at 8:48 AM
Elementary - G. Borland

6/5/2023 at 8:59 AM
Central - J. Bednar

6/7/2023 at 8:40 AM
Jr. High - C. Lyons

6/5/2023 at 8:18 AM
Sr. High - C. Dickes

6/7/2023 at 10:29 AM

6. Superintendent's comments:

Principal evaluations

Principal evaluations have been completed with only one district level evaluation remaining.

McCook Elementary Playground

Progress is being made on McCook Elementary's playground update. Designs have been rendered and currently modifications are being made. While it is unlikely that the updates to the playground will be complete by the start of the 2023-2024 school year, they could very well be completed prior to the end of the first semester. The funds for the project are coming from several sources: school depreciation, grants, and fundraising.

Committee on American Civics

The Committee on American Civics will meet prior to the board meeting next month. The start time will be at 5:45 p.m., if that works for the committee members. Committee members will review criterion reference test folders, which include the district curriculum and local benchmark assessments.

Finance and Facilities Committees

The Finance and Facilities Committees will need to meet in the next several weeks to discuss movement on the Jr. High bond issue.

Central/Business Office

The updates for the central/business office have begun. The district's maintenance crew is working hard to complete the task by mid July. The updates will include new drywall, ceiling and lights, electrical, and technology upgrades.

Tax Equity & Educational Opportunities Support Act (TEEOSA)

The act was originally passed in 1990, and has undergone several revisions since that date.
The purpose of TEEOSA is to provide tax equity for both taxpayers and schools, and to provide equity of educational opportunity for students no matter what school district you attend.
TEEOSA is broken into several parts and one of the main parts of TEEOSA is equalization aid. This is aid that is distributed to schools who cannot fully fund their school systems from local efforts, generally due to low property values. This support is supposed to help provide dollars to schools with low property values so that they can provide their students a quality education.
Most schools receive some amount of TEEOSA dollars, but only schools that qualify via a needs assessment receive equalization aid.

Equalized and Unequalized School Districts (Part of the state aid formula also known as TEEOSA)

An equalized school district is a school district that cannot raise enough money to operate their school system off of local property tax and needs additional support from the state in the form of equalization aid, which is part of the state aid formula. These districts have low property values compared to the number of students they educate. McCook is an equalized district.
An unequalized school district is a school district that can raise enough money to operate their school system off of local property tax and does not need additional support from the state. These districts have high poverty values compared to the number of students they educate.
For the most part, unequalized school districts have lower levies than equalized school districts.

Foundation Aid

Dollars are only distributed to unequalized schools based on an amount per pupil. For example, $1,5000 per student times 100 students equals $150,000 of foundation aid.
Please note: foundation aid comes from state coffers and ultimately affects the amount of financial support the state can provide for the needs of equalized school districts.

New School Finance Formula

Projections have been released for the new school finance formula, also known as the Pillen plan, and McCook Public Schools does not benefit from the plan as was previously believed. According to the projections provided by the Nebraska Department of Education, McCook is advised to raise its current levy to the maximum amount allowed by law to offset losses in state aid and to help with inflationary costs. This is due to the fact that the plan cuts state aid to MPS by about $450,000 rather than seeing an increase, which is generally the expectation. The reason for a sizable portion of the cut in state aid is due to a reduction in allocated poverty dollars and the formula's distribution of state dollars to schools that had not received state dollars previously because they could generate the funds needed to operate their schools. These are schools that had high property values and low student numbers who previously did not receive such state support (unequalized school districts). Under the Pillen Plan, they now do in the form of foundation aid.
State resources once focused on helping schools with low revenues so they could provide their students with a quality education are now being shared universally. This lowers the amount of funding available for equalized schools because more state dollars are now being funneled to school districts that almost universally had lower levies before the plan existed. This means that schools around MPS and across the state that already had lower levies will most likely be able to lower them even more.
The plan may be more nuanced than how I have explained it above, but the fact of the matter is that McCook, which already had a high levy, will be left with a high levy, and schools with lower levies will likely maintain them or lower them further. The plan clearly did not help McCook patrons, and most class B and A schools across the state.
We hope to find some reprieve via increases to special education funding, so we will have to wait to see how this will all ultimately impact our 2023-2024 budget. But, considering how this projection forecasts our finances for next year, it is hard to see how we can avoid a levy increase.
Please note: the current projection does not match projections we received earlier in the year. Likely due to inaccurate projection process and changes to the plan.

7. Business Manager Report/Comments

Discussion:

Monthly Business Manager Board of Education Report

June 2023

Monthly Lunch #’s = 11,028 Meals served. Summer School food services in progress
Financial #’s = After 75%% of fiscal year = General Fund YTD Revenue is 86%% YTD Expense is 74%
Projects - Updates
Tennis/Track Concessions
Work in progress
Remodel Superintendent/Central Office Space
Work in Progress
New sidewalk and curb @ Wieland
Water damage
In Progress
Overseeding and aeration is done
Paint Crew
Work in Progress

Summer Projects - scheduled
Central Roof Scheduled for July - Tillotson Roofing
SH Gym Roof Scheduled for June - Eco Gaurd Roofing
Carpet classrooms
Federal/state Reports filed in April:

Attachments: (1)

June 2023 Monthly Business Manager Board of Education Report

6/5/2023 at 8:18 AM

8. Board member comments

Discussion: Mr. Hays will be contacting board members concerning Mr. Norgaard salary as a follow up to his approved contract.

9. New Business

9.1. Approve new contract for Jill Patel - SH Special Education Teacher

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

I move to approve a contract with Jill Patel - McCook High School SPED BA + 27, Step 5 Passed with a motion by Tom Bredvick and a second by Charlie McPherson.

Scott Barger: Yea
Mike Langan: Yea
Charlie McPherson: Yea
Teresa Thomas: Yea
Tom Bredvick: Yea
Brad Hays: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Attachments: (1)

patel.resume

5/11/2023 at 7:18 AM

9.2. Approve a district administrator salary package with a maximum total salary increase of $35,500.

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

I move to Approve district administrator salary package with a maximum total salary increase of $35,500. Passed with a motion by Scott Barger and a second by Mike Langan.

Mike Langan: Yea
Charlie McPherson: Yea
Teresa Thomas: Yea
Tom Bredvick: Yea
Brad Hays: Yea
Scott Barger: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Discussion: While the percentage of salary increase for the district administration will be fairly close, not all administrators will receive the same percentage increase. Variations occur based on evaluations and comparability studies with other school districts. It should also be noted that I do not always utilize the total amount granted to me.

9.3. Approve Municipal Advisory Contract with First National Capital Markets.

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

I move to Approve Municipal Advisory Contract with First National Capital Markets. Passed with a motion by Teresa Thomas and a second by Mike Langan.

Charlie McPherson: Yea
Teresa Thomas: Yea
Tom Bredvick: Yea
Brad Hays: Yea
Scott Barger: Yea
Mike Langan: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Discussion: The Municipal Advisory Contract with First National Capital Markets will provide support and guidance to the school district as we continue to move forward with the Jr. High bond issue. The individuals at First National Capital Markets have demonstrated knowledge and success with multiple bond issues and have provided wise counsel for other school districts.

The Superintendent recommends the Board approve this action item..

Attachments: (1)

FNCM Red Willow County SD 0017 (McCook Public Schools) MA Contract - FINAL (1)

6/12/2023 at 11:59 AM

9.4. Approve an increase to school lunch and breakfast prices by $0.10 for the 2023-2024 school year, which is in accordance with federal guidance.

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

I move to approve an increase to school lunch and breakfast prices by $0.10 for the 2023-2024 school year, which is in accordance with federal guidance Passed with a motion by Mike Langan and a second by Teresa Thomas.

Teresa Thomas: Yea
Tom Bredvick: Yea
Brad Hays: Yea
Scott Barger: Yea
Mike Langan: Yea
Charlie McPherson: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Discussion: The increase in school lunch and breakfast prices is in accordance with directions we have received from federal lunch program authorities. Approving this increase in prices will enable the district to continue to apply for and receive federal reimbursement for many of the lunches that are served at McCook Public Schools.

Attachments: (1)

Lunch Prices - 2023-2024

6/8/2023 at 6:33 AM

9.5. Approve the 2023-2024 Jr. and Sr. High student handbook

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

I move to approve the 2023-2024 Jr. and Sr. High student handbook Passed with a motion by Brad Hays and a second by Scott Barger.

Tom Bredvick: Yea
Brad Hays: Yea
Scott Barger: Yea
Mike Langan: Yea
Charlie McPherson: Yea
Teresa Thomas: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Discussion: Changes have been highlighted.

Attachments: (1)

Jr. High & Sr. High Student Handbook 2023-2024

6/8/2023 at 7:10 AM

9.6. Approve the 2023-2024 McCook Elementary and Central Elementary student handbook

Action(s):

Motion Passed:

I move to approve the 2023-2024 McCook Elementary and Central Elementary student handbook Passed with a motion by Charlie McPherson and a second by Mike Langan.

Brad Hays: Yea
Scott Barger: Yea
Mike Langan: Yea
Charlie McPherson: Yea
Teresa Thomas: Yea
Tom Bredvick: Yea

No Action(s) have been added to this Agenda Item.

Attachments: (1)

McCook & Central Elementary Student Handbook 2023-2024

6/8/2023 at 7:12 AM

10. Positive Comments

Discussion: Theresa Thomas has heard a lot of positive comments about summer school. It is a place students want to be in.
Charlie McPherson would like to thank the maintenance department for all the summer work.
Mike Langan recognized Coach Wiemers for his awards and the Shrine bowl and East West Football all star game for the great representation.
Tom Bredvick recognized the great work by the teachers that give their time to reading programs and coaching little league and volunteering for our community. Be a advocate for our students and patrons at the state level.
Scott Barger commented on how great graduation was, and he really enjoyed the central track meet.
Brad Hays commented on how great the spring elementary track and field meets were.
Jeff Gross thanked the dedicated teaching staff for all the differences they made with students during the 2022-2023 school year.
Grant Norgaard wanted to thank Sherri Wallace for her hard work and dedication to leading the summer school program. Grant also thanked all the paras and summer staff.

11. Adjournment

Discussion: Adjourned @ 7:31pm

12. Items for Review

June 12, 2023 at 6:30 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

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