THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA
MINUTES, SEPTEMBER 9, 2003
The School Board of Escambia County, Florida, convened in Special Meeting/Public Hearing at 5:30 p.m., in the Board Room, at the Dr. Vernon McDaniel Building, 215 West Garden Street, Pensacola, Florida, with the following present:
Chair: Ms. Linda Finkelstein Vice Chair: Mrs. Cary Stidham
Board
Members: Mrs. Carissa Bergosh
(was not present)
Mr.
Ronnie L. Clark (was not present)
Dr.
John DeWitt
School
Board Attorney: Mr. Francisco
M. Negron, Jr. (was not present)
Superintendent
of Schools: Mr. Jim Paul
I.
CALL TO ORDER/ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Ms. Finkelstein called the
Special Meeting/Public Hearing to order at 5:30 p.m. On motion by Mrs. Stidham, seconded by Dr.
DeWitt, adoption of the agenda, was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr.
Clark absent for vote.
II.
BUDGET AMENDMENT, RESOLUTION 12: GENERAL OPERATING FUND
Mrs. Stidham moved to
approve “Budget Amendment, Resolution 12: General Operating Fund.” Motion was
seconded by Dr. Dewitt for discussion purposes.
Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business
Affairs, briefly explained why this final budget amendment for the 2002-2003
fiscal year was necessary. Motion was
approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
III.
APPROVAL OF ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2003
Motion by Mrs. Stidham,
seconded by Dr. DeWitt, to approve the “Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year
Ended June 30, 2003,” was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark
absent for vote.
DELETED IV. CONDUCT
PUBLIC HEARING FOR INPUT ON DISTRICT’S TENTATIVE (FIVE-YEAR)
FACILITIES WORK PROGRAM
DELETED V. ADOPTION OF DISTRICT’S
TENTATIVE (FIVE-YEAR) FACILITIES WORK PROGRAM
VI.
CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING FOR INPUT ON MILLAGE RATES AND DISTRICT SCHOOL
BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003-2004
Mrs. Laura Shaud, Director of Budgeting, recapped the budget materials and briefly discussed “rolled-back rate.”
Ms. Finkelstein called for
public hearing for input on millage rates and the District school budget for
the 2003-2004 fiscal year.
Mr. Paul Vierthuler
addressed the Board regarding property taxes.
Ms. Finkelstein explained that the School Board did not set property tax
and referred Mr. Vierthuler to the appropriate governmental agency.
Mr. Terry Swiontek addressed
the Board regarding the “strain” that increased taxes place on individuals with
a fixed income.
VII.
ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION DETERMINING REVENUES AND MILLAGES LEVIED
On motion by Mrs. Stidham, second by Dr. DeWitt, adoption of a “Resolution Determining Revenues and Millages Levied,” was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
VIII.
FINAL ADOPTION OF MILLAGE RATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003-2004
1. Required Local Effort
On motion by Dr. DeWitt, second by Mrs. Stidham, final adoption of the Required Local Effort [6.049], was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
2. Discretionary – Basic
On motion by Mrs. Stidham, second by Dr. DeWitt, final adoption of Discretionary – Basic [0.510], was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
3. Discretionary – Supplemental
On motion by Dr. DeWitt, second by Mrs. Stidham, final adoption of Discretionary – Supplemental [0.229], was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
4. Capital Outlay
On motion by Mrs. Stidham, second by Dr. DeWitt, final adoption of Capital Outlay [2.000], was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
5. Total Millage
On motion by Dr. DeWitt, second by Mrs. Stidham, final adoption of Total Millage [8.788], was approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
IX.
FINAL ADOPTION OF DISTRICT SCHOOL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003-2004
Board Members indicated that
they had not had an opportunity to thoroughly review all the information that
had been provided regarding the final adoption of the District school budget
for fiscal year 2003-2004. Motion was
made by Dr. DeWitt, to recess the Special Meeting/Public Hearing (7:03 p.m.)
and to reconvene at 10:00 a.m. on September 11, 2003, in the Board Room at the
Dr. Vernon McDaniel Building, pending advice from General Counsel. Motion was seconded by Mrs. Stidham and
approved 3 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh and Mr. Clark absent for vote.
Upon advice from General
Counsel, the Special Meeting was reconvened at 5:30 p.m. on September 17, 2003
in the Board Room at the Dr. Vernon McDaniel Building, with the following
present: Ms. Finkelstein, Mrs. Stidham, Mr. Clark, Dr. DeWitt, Mr. Negron and
Mr. Norm Ross, representing Mr. Jim Paul, Superintendent. (NOTE: Mrs. Bergosh was not present.)
Motion was made by Mrs.
Stidham, seconded by Dr. DeWitt, for final adoption of the “District
School Budget for Fiscal Year
2003-2004.” (NOTE: No vote was taken on this motion.)
Mrs. Stidham believed that
the expenses associated with the former Coordinator I – Information Services
position, (deleted from the Personnel Planning Document for 2003-2004, when it
was approved at the May 20, 2003 Regular Meeting) should be eliminated from the
budget. Motion was made by Mrs. Stidham,
seconded by Dr. DeWitt, to eliminate the following expenses from Cost Center 4008 – Information Services:
Object Number 331 Travel – Local
Object Number 731 Professional Organization Dues & Fees,
Object Number 732 Training Tuition Fees
Object Number 793 Other Miscellaneous Expenses
Motion was approved 4 to 0,
with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote. (NOTE:
At the request of Mrs. Barbara Linker,
Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Business Affairs, Board Members agreed
to allow this action to be handled as a “budget amendment for the 2003-2004
fiscal year” which would appear as an item on the October Regular Meeting
agenda.)
Mrs. Stidham believed that
expenses associated with the vehicle of the former Property Records Technician
position (deleted from the Personnel Planning Document for 2003-2004, when it
was approved at the May 20, 2003 Regular Meeting) should be eliminated from the
budget. Mrs. Laura Shaud, Director of
Budgeting, explained that some expenses had already been incurred, as the
employee had continued to perform the duties of the deleted position until
placed in a different position (as per Master Contract). Motion was made by Mrs. Stidham, seconded by
Dr. DeWitt, to eliminate all expenses associated with the vehicle for the
former Property Records Technician position, as well as Object Number 374 Beepers, but excluding any expenses that had
already been incurred. Motion was
approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote. (NOTE: At the request of Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant Superintendent for
Finance and Business Affairs, Board Members agreed to allow this action to be
handled as a “budget amendment for the 2003-2004 fiscal year” which would
appear as an item on the October Regular Meeting agenda.)
Dr. DeWitt noted that Object 510 – Supplies included $3500 for
in-service training for high school deans.
Upon inquiry by Dr. DeWitt, Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant
Superintendent for Finance and Business Affairs, stated that while high school
deans used to fall under the Student Transfers department, they now fell under
the Secondary Education department and therefore, the $3500 for in-service
training should in fact, be listed elsewhere.
Motion was made by Dr. DeWitt, to transfer the $3500 for in-service
training for high school deans (included in Object
510 Supplies) from Student Transfers & Special Projects to Unrestricted
Reserves, with “staff to come back and tell us where it should go.” Motion was seconded by Mrs. Stidham and
approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote. (NOTE: At the request of Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant Superintendent for
Finance and Business Affairs, Board Members agreed to allow this action to be
handled as a “budget amendment for the 2003-2004 fiscal year” which would
appear as an item on the October Regular Meeting agenda.)
Dr. DeWitt noted for the
record, that Object 375 Data
Communication Lines included an item titled “Charter School Frame Relay,”
which should have actually read “Data Circuit Board.”
Dr. DeWitt addressed the
issue of computer purchases in general, and questioned why there was not a
computer replacement cycle for administrative departments similar to the cycle
administered at the school-level. Mr.
Ross stated that a computer replacement cycle for administrative departments
was something that could certainly be developed in the future.
BOOK II – LOCAL PROJECTS
Mrs. Stidham addressed the
issue of “away travel” in general, noting that she wanted to “focus on teaching
training, not for administration to travel.”
BOOK III – CATERGORICAL PROJECTS
Upon inquiry by Mrs. Stidham
and Dr. DeWitt, Mrs. Barbara Linker, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and
Business Affairs, stated that Book III – Categorical Projects, would be presented
to the Board within the next three weeks.
CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET
[NOTE: The following discussion refers to the
following “finding” from the Auditor General’s Operational Audit of the
District: Finding 7 - The District had not corrected many deficiencies noted
during the District’s annual facility safety inspections. Some deficiencies had been cited up to 14
previous times (years).] Mrs.
Stidham expressed concerns with the safety deficiencies cited on the
Operational Audit of the District, especially those that had been cited up to
14 previous times (years). She stressed
the need for an “action plan” regarding the correction of those deficiencies,
and stated that she would “rather freeze all requests by administration for new
equipment/computer equipment until safety issues at school facilities are dealt
with first.” Dr. Doug Garber, Assistant
Superintendent for Finance and Business Affairs, explained that the District
does attempt to correct deficiencies in a timely manner, including the immediate
correction of hazards deemed to present an imminent danger. However, he noted that many of the recurring
discrepancies are found in older buildings which were constructed many years
before current fire and safety codes were developed and were either “too
expensive” to correct or would require “tearing the school apart” in order to
correct. Motion was made by Mrs.
Stidham, seconded by Mr. Clark, to freeze funding for Item Numbers (Reference
Numbers) 8 through 29, listed on page 19 of the Capital Outlay Budget, until a
Risk Assessment (regarding safety deficiencies) was received in December. Motion was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh
absent for vote.
1. General Fund
On motion by Mrs. Stidham, second by Dr. DeWitt, final adoption
of the General Fund [$257,083,962.69], was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh
absent for vote.
2. Special Revenue – Food
Service
On motion by Mr. Clark,
second by Mrs. Stidham, final adoption of Special Revenue – Food Service
[$22,348,901.40], was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote.
3. Special Revenue – Other
On motion by Mrs. Stidham,
second by Mr. Clark, final adoption of Special Revenue – Other
[$34,754,161.98], was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote.
4. Debt Service Funds
On motion by Mr. Clark,
second by Dr. DeWitt, final adoption of Debt Service Funds [$10,827,108.93],
was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote.
5. Capital Project Funds
On motion by Mrs. Stidham,
second by Dr. DeWitt, final adoption of Debt Service Funds [$87,691,927.80],
was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote.
6. Internal Service Funds
On motion by Mr. Clark,
second by Dr. DeWitt, final adoption of Internal Service Funds
[$46,778,401.90], was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote.
7. Total Budget (excluding
transfers)
On motion by Mrs. Stidham,
second by Mr. Clark, final adoption of the Total Budget (excluding transfers)
[$445,648,299.20], was approved 4 to 0, with Mrs. Bergosh absent for vote.
X.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the Special Meeting
adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
Attest: Approved:
________________________________ ________________________________
Superintendent Chairman