LCC Board passes budget, approves van purchase
— Angie Steffen
Laurel Advocate
LAUREL — There’s a lot going on with the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Schools budget.
You’ve got property valuations, adjustments to the general fund, lease purchase and special building fund requirements and the bond fund requirements.
Given all that, Superintendent Jeremy Christiansen calls the school system’s overall tax ask “reasonable.”
The school board met last week for a budget hearing and passed its annual budget of nearly $10.3 million.
While that’s a sizable increase from last year, it includes federal COVID stimulus funds of $602,000 that will be spent over three years as well as $100,000 placed in the depreciation fund, Christiansen said.
Without those two factors, the budget would have only increased a little more than 3 percent which is in line with past year’s growth, he said.
The total tax levy was set at .888542.
No one attended the public budget hearing.
The board also discussed the need for another 10-passenger van for its fleet of five and the difficulty in finding a suitable vehicle that meets the state requirements and has low mileage.
“Manufacturing has been delayed nationwide and just recently dealerships were permitted to place orders for vehicles,” Christiansen said.
A 2020 Ford Transit XL was purchased in September 2020. The other four vans were purchased in 2011 with one handicapped accessible and used strictly for special education transportation.
Another van is used for cargo such as band instruments and athletic equipment. The other two are used for student activity transportation.
“Unfortunately, one of those two vans is no longer reliable to be sent out on highway trips,” Christiansen said.
He presented a quote from Diers Ford of Fremont for a 2022 Ford Transit XL for $37,471 and the school board approved the purchase.
The school board also discussed the online superintendent evaluation tool and process timeline.
Christiansen will receive a link to complete the self-evaluation tool the week of Oct. 11 and has the week to complete it. Once completed, board members will receive the results and receive their own link to complete their own assessments of Christiansen.
The final report will be available Nov. 8 when at that time board members will meet with Christiansen to review the results and develop performance goals.
In December, the board will consider approval of the superintendent evaluation and performance goals and a signed copy will be placed in his personnel file.
Board members will undergo their own self-assessment process and will use those results to develop board goals.
At its last meeting, the LCC school board also:
- Discussed current COVID-19 protocols. “Times are different now due to the absence of a directed health measure and lack of official state pandemic status,” Christiansen said.
- Discussed plans for a surplus sale of well used and slightly damaged equipment, furniture and other items. A similar sale took place last Fall. Items will be posted on the school website with descriptions, photos and a non-negotiable price. Items are sold on a first-claimed basis with payment.
- Heard that the annual audit is scheduled for Sept. 28. Board members will receive a written summary report of findings following the annual audit.
- Heard a report from Middle School Principal Mark Leonard and learned about a new reading block class for fifth and sixth graders to incorporate additional reading intervention time for those who need it based on the AIMS Web Plus Assessment. He also described the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports program in which middle schoolers are awarded for good behavior; and gave updates on past and upcoming student activities.
- Heard a report from Elementary Principal Paige Parsons on current reading assessments and interventions; paraprofessional appraisal tools; math committee updates; and past and upcoming student activities.
- Heard a report from High School Principal Ken Swanson about school enrollment, and past and upcoming events.
- Heard a report from student board member, Reggan Kuhlman, about sports activities and Homecoming events.
- Set its next meeting for 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 11 at the Laurel campus board room.
