Broken Bow School Board Meeting August 21

Broken Bow School Board Meeting August 21
Broken Bow School Board held monthly meeting on August 21
Even the total solar eclipse could not block out the realities that the Broken Bow School Board and administration faces. Monday night’s school board meeting was peppered with back-and-forth arguments over the budget. On August 8, Superintendent Tom Bailey told KCNI/KBBN that the administration has already planned for a $10.99 million budget for the 2017-2018 school year. By the end of August after all expenditures have been paid and depreciation funds have been replenished, the approximate cash carryover will be $455,263.55. However, the ongoing debate is that amount is going toward next year’s budget rather than being saved as it normally is, according to Business Manager Heather Nichols. Nichols said that there are “no planned savings” in the $10.99 million budget. J.B. Atkins spoke to the 2016-2017 General Fund Status as of August 21 and reported that expenditures came to $10.8 million. He said any cuts being made to the budget were “cuts in the increase” in the board’s budget proposal. He also told the crowd that “we’re not in trouble, we’re in great shape.” Tom Bailey has told KCNI/KBBN that the difference between last year’s budget and this year’s is one million dollars. Rusty Kluender stated that in his opinion, the administration has been stretching certified staff and had let go para professionals in order to ensure that the $400,000+ would be available to go toward the budget, per the direction the board decided to go in. “We were told in January, January 1, so I sent nobody anywhere. We froze them [funds]. Nobody was able to go to a training, no one was able to travel. That money is there because we cut back and we saved. And I’m going to speak up right now and say it. I had folks that needed to go to some training and didn’t…That money is sitting there because we bound together here and shut the door on tons of spending starting January 1 and it continued through the summer,” Kluender said. The administration later said that they took 8% cuts in their operating budgets in order to provide for staff salary changes. Cuts were made in overtime hours and professional development. J.B. Atkins later thanked the administration for doing a good job, but reiterated that Broken Bow is an ag-based community. “We’ve been hurting long before last January. We’ve had to make tough decisions ourselves for the last two to three years. And so yeah, we’re now asking you to make the tough decisions. And you’ve done it, and we’re going to try to get there, and hopefully with a little less arguing back and forth,” Atkins told the board. He also said “if you’re going to get offended, you’re not going to get better,” when speaking about making difficult decisions with the budget. Other items on the agenda, Tom Bailey announced district accolades: Jeff and Karen Evans have thanked students for help with the Cattleman’s Ball. The Evans donated through the Custer County Foundation a total of $800 to the FFA, the speech, volleyball, and football teams. Dan Zach, CPA with Dana Cole, assists Broken Bow Schools with budget preparation and the state audit. According to Zach, valuations are in and up about 5% from last year (coming in at $982,677,679). Tracy Popp spoke on behalf of the Music Boosters, hoping to plant the seed of getting board assistance with new band uniforms in the next few years. Popp said the current uniforms were purchased in 2002 for $50,000 for 125 students and have lasted 15 years. She told the board that the boosters have raised $40,000 of the roughly $70,000 needed for new uniforms. Ryan Hogue agreed with Popp when she stated that band is the activity with the largest number of students, a little more than 100 students. No vote was taken but the board will likely discuss the topic at future meetings. Administrator Comments: Kim Jonas: Thanked maintenance staff for their work over the summer and spoke to a successful eclipse day, complete with the older students assisting younger students, parental involvement, and sack lunches Nikki Altig: Successful preschool open house; Melanee Nixon donated to the school lunch debt Rusty Kluender: Great new staff Ryan Hogue: Great start to new school year, fall sports teams have been practicing, powerful suicide-prevention presentation regarding social media and cyber bullying, band going to state fair this weekend, Indian Nation Banquet on August 26 Tom Bailey: Local beef donations starting, possible one-way street in front of North Park, covering two blocks—will be presented at City Council  
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