August 8, 2017 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education ESU 18 Regular Meeting

The Board held a public hearing on August 8, 2017, on the proposed budget for Educational Service Unit No. 18. 

EXPLANATION
Staff recommends that the Board review the budget statement (Attachment One) prepared in compliance with the Nebraska Budget Act, State Law Section 79-1225, and other Nebraska laws.  After Board review, the following resolution will be presented for approval on August 22, 2017. 

RESOLVED by the Board of Educational Service Unit 18 of the State of Nebraska: 

1. That $3,150,502 is the Board’s estimate of the total amount under its adopted budget statement to be received from taxation of the taxable property within the Educational Service Unit for the fiscal year beginning September 1, 2017, and ending August 31, 2018. 

2. That the County Commissioners of Lancaster County be requested and directed to levy and collect for said mentioned purposes the tax rate necessary to produce $3,150,502, after the county’s tax collection fee has been deducted, the same as other property taxes are levied and collected. 

3. That the officers of the Board be directed to report the action of the Board of Educational Service Unit 18 to the County Commissioners of Lancaster County (in their capacity as the levying board) and to the Auditor of Public Accounts not later than September 20, 2017, in accordance with State Law Section 13-508 and other Nebraska laws. 

4. That the 2017-18 budget as presented and all supporting documents (copies of which are on file with official Unit records and which are hereby incorporated herein by this reference as though set forth in full) as developed by the administration be hereby approved and adopted. 

5. That the administration is hereby authorized to take all action necessary to implement the adopted budget herein, and to make any necessary changes or adjustments as required by Nebraska laws to properly reflect such adopted budget statement hereby approved, due to new requirements, assessed valuation certifications or re-certifications or such other matters which require necessary fiscal adjustments to complete the budgeting process for the 2017-18 fiscal year adopted budget and budget statement hereby approved. 

6. That in accordance with Section 003.04C of Title 92, Nebraska Administrative Code, Chapter 2, Section 79-1070 R.R.S. Neb., and Section 79-1244 R.R.S. Neb., and other Nebraska laws and regulations, the Board authorizes that at any time during the 2017-18 school fiscal year there is temporarily insufficient money in any of the Educational Services Unit’s funds, or in any of the funds of any entity of which the Educational Service Unit is a "blended component unit" as such term is defined in the Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statement 14, the Associate Superintendent for Business Affairs or a designee may transfer money from other funds to such fund, such transfer to be considered a loan subject to repayment as soon as funds are available to do so.

 PROPOSAL
That the Board review and discuss the 2017-18 budget statement and resolution.  Please note that these numbers are preliminary and subject to change before actual adoption.

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.

The Lincoln Board of Education is authorized by state statute to hold closed sessions.  Closed sessions may be held when clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual.  Reasons that meet this standard include but are not limited to:  (a) strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining, real estate matters, pending litigation, or litigation which is imminent as evidenced by communication of a claim or threat of litigation to or by the public body; (b) discussion regarding deployment of security personnel or devices; (c) investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct; (d) evaluation of the job performance of a person when necessary to prevent needless injury to the reputation of a person and if such person has not requested a public meeting; and (e) legal advice.