WELLMAN

On Monday, Nov. 13, the Mid-Prairie school board’s regular meeting ranged over a variety of matters, but action was taken on just one: a School Budget Review Committee (SBRC) Budget Resolution for 2024-2025.

Business manager Jeff Swartzentruber recommended the board pass the regular program budget adjustment now so “we aren’t forgetting to do it in two or three months and then losing out on this opportunity.”

The budget adjustment comes in response to certified enrollment numbers being down 34 students; although open enrollment is up 19.2 students, due to complexities in state funding, the district faces an effective loss of 24.9 full-time students in the current school year.

The board passed the resolution.

Financial matters were also a topic during the work session preceding the business meeting. Swartzentruber noted that audit fieldwork was conducted in October for FY22-23 and that “it went pretty smoothly. It’s a huge undertaking.”

In regard to the 2024-2025 Certified Budget, Swartzentruber informed the board that “there’s a whole host of new steps that we need to take” to do the certified budget for the next school year, as there are new state requirements in place.

“We have about six new steps in the budget process, and it will be a bit complicated,” Swartzentruber said. It will take some effort to schedule the required public hearings and make sure items in the budget process are included on the agenda for board meetings held early next year.

Moving forward

The Iowa Association of School Boards holds its convention Nov. 15-17, and board member Jake Snider will represent the Mid-Prairie school board.

With board president Jeremy Pickard’s term expiring, new board members Randy Billups and Ryan Schlabaugh having been elected, and board members Mary Allred and Denise Chittick reelected to another term, the board looks forward to being turned over at their next meeting on Monday, Nov. 27, to be held at 6:15 p.m. at the Central Office.