The Salem R-80 Board of Education held a regular meeting on June 20. The meeting began at 5:30 with an executive session to discuss student issues. At 6:00 p.m., the meeting moved to open session. Present were Board President Steven Patterson, board members Chris Heavin, Dru Howard, Phillip Mercer, Sammi Parker, Marjorie Pyatt, and Andrew Wynn.
After minutes, communications, and administration reports, the board began to discuss surplus bids received. In a previous meeting, the board had declared three school buses as surplus property to be sold. Two bids for the buses were received, one at $500 each, and one for $1,000 each for the two running buses and $800 for the one that doesn’t start. The board, after brief discussion, decided to take the high bid. The motion passed unanimously.
The board then discussed bids for bank depository services. Two bids were received, one from Progressive Ozark Bank and one from the Bank of Salem. Progressive Ozark’s package included interest accrual at the FEDFUNDS rate minus .50%. The Bank of Salem included an interest rate of -100 basis points off of the FEDFUNDS rate, or 4.25%, with a floor rate of 1%. After reviewing the packages and discussion, board member Mercer moved to accept the bid from the Bank of Salem. The motion was seconded by Wynn. The vote was 6-0-1 in favor, with Howard abstaining.
The board declared some old desks, chairs, and other equipment as surplus property to be sold. The vote was 7-0 in favor, passing the motion unanimously.
The board approved the SRCSP by a 7-0 vote. “We have to vote on that Safe Return to Learning Plan every six months. It hasn’t changed since the last time you voted on it,” said Superintendent Dr. Lynne Reed.
The board amended the 2022-2023 budget to reflect actual expenditures and revenues. The motion passed by a 7-0 vote.
Reed gave a presentation on the 2023-2024 budget. The presentation included demographic information, assumptions used when creating the budget, expected revenues and expenditures, and fund balances.
In terms of enrollment, Reed noted 1,341 students, served by 120 licensed staff, and 74 classified staff. The assessed valuation of the district was reported at $78,528,420.
Projected fund balances for June 30, 2023, were reported at $2,708,143 for Fund 1—Operations, $0 for Fund 2—Special/Teacher, $271,694 for Fund 3—Debt Service, and $2,276,190 for Fund 4—Capital Projects, for a total of $5,256,027.
Reed reported anticipated revenues for Fiscal Year 2024 at $4,504,937 from local sources, $6,245,987 from state sources, and $3,807,053 from federal sources. The presentation also noted $160,211 from county sources, as well as $2,442,275 from tuition, or $8881 per enrolled student. The presentation noted a total anticipated revenue from all sources of $18,989,212.
The presentation turned to anticipated expenditures for 2024. Instruction & Support were projected to spend a total of $14,621,222. The budget also includes $6,540,025 for certified employee salaries, $1,679,107 for non-certified employee salaries, $2,629,107 for benefits, $1,672,386 for purchased services, $1,590,042 for supplies, $380,350 for debt service, and $1,677,659 for capital projects. Reed said the total expenditures for FY 2024 were anticipated at $16,169,291.
Reed then discussed the anticipated ending fund balances for 2023-2024. $4,431,755 for Fund 1—Operations, $0 for Fund 2—Special/Teacher, $252,638 for Fund 3—Debt Service, and $3,546,101 for Fund 4—Capital Projects, for a total estimated ending balance of $8,230,493.
After Reed’s presentation, Pyatt moved to accept the budget, and Howard seconded the motion. The vote was 7-0, passing the budget.
The board also approved a transfer of funds from Fund 1—Operations to Fund 4—Capital Projects for the purpose of paying off a lease purchase with Signature Bank, as well as other capital projects. The transfer was approved by a 7-0 vote.
The board also approved participation in the State Baseline Salary Grant by a 7-0 vote.
The board discussed and approved the contract with Build-Tec LLC for the construction trades building project. Reed said that the contract was just for the shell of the building. The board approved the contract by a 7-0 vote.
The board then accepted the resignations of teachers Rocky Wade, Tania Wood, and Jennie Brakensiek; and principal Sarah Russell, by a 7-0 vote.
At 6:39 p.m., the meeting moved back into closed session by a 7-0 vote.
