The Broken Bow Public School board held their regular meeting Monday, September 18, 2023 and primarily focused on two action items–the 2023-24 fiscal year budget and the facilities/bond issue. All members were present. The board approved the minutes of the previous meeting, the treasurer’s report and claims, and acknowledged Broken Bow agriculture teacher Caleb tenBensel who was recently awarded funds by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation in support of agricultural education and FFA programs in Nebraska.
The board unanimously passed a budget that reduced the property tax request from 95.5 cents per $100.00 valuation to 79.4 cents per $100.00 valuation. The budget shows a $7,537,453 General Fund and a Special Building Fund of $311,571 for a total property tax request of $7,849,024. Superintendent Darren Toby, explained that the reduction in the property tax request was driven by legislative changes and state aid.
The next agenda item tackled by the board was the facilities/bond issue and that generated considerable discussion. Superintendent Tobey reviewed several building renovation/addition options that have been considered the past several months. After those options were presented, the board focused on the option that would update the science rooms, improve Career and Technical Education, renovate the existing middle school for use as a fine arts facility, and replace HVAC as well as the roof on the high school. All buildings on the school campus would be connected and there would be one main entrance.
Ultimately, a motion was made by Board member Pam Holcomb to pass a resolution setting a special election on November 14th requesting $27.5 million dollars for the project. There was no second to that motion and it died. Further discussion regarding the amount of the bond request was held with Board member Tim Chancellor eventually making made a motion to “approve a resolution of the Board of Education of Custer County School District 0025…calling for a special election on November 14, 2023 to be held in the District regarding a proposition to issue General Obligation Bonds for $26.5 million of the District and approving matters related thereto”. That motion passed on a 5-1 vote with J.B. Atkins the lone vote against.
In November of 2021, voters in the Broken Bow Public Schools District chose not to pass a $29.9 million bond issue that would have seen classroom upgrades, improved Career and Technical Education within the school, a new auditorium, and athletics upgrades. Voters rejected that bond 503-848 and for nearly two years, the school board has been revisiting how to best plan for the future of the district’s facilities.
