The Crookston School Board met on Monday evening in the Crookston High School Orchestra/Choir room and approved an increased meal rate reimbursement for staff. They were informed Brady Martz wasn’t finished with the audit that was supposed to be presented at the meeting, and they certified the levy payable for 2024. The meeting recap is below.
FINAL AUDIT –
The board expressed their disappointment when they found out Brady Martz did not complete the final audit in time for the meeting. “I am disappointed,” said Superintendent Randy Bergquist. “I am working with business manager Blake Stoltman to determine our next steps. We will communicate with that company and find out why we are waiting. I wanted it done in November, and we discovered late that the board won’t look at it until January.”
SECOND READING OF POLICY 101 –
The board held the second reading of the policy at the request of the Minnesota School Board Association. The change to Policy 101 is the following verbiage –
“The school district has authority to make contracts with other governmental agencies and units for the purchase, lease or other acquisition of equipment, supplies, materials, or other property, including real property.” Superintendent Bergquist said it is to protect the school district. “It is to protect the district in case we want to work with another entity to purchase Chrome books or anything like that. We want to ensure we are covering the district at the request of the Minnesota School Board’s lawyers.”
The board unanimously approved the reading.
APPROVAL OF MEAL RATES FOR STAFF-
Superintendent Bergquist proposed the board approve an increase in meal rate reimbursement for staff that attend professional development/training events. The board approved the following increases –
Breakfast from $8 to $12
Lunch from $12 to $15
Dinner/Supper from $16 to $23
“We felt like it was a good increase because prices have risen,” said Superintendent Bergquist. “They will need a detailed itemized receipt, and if they spend $10.95 on breakfast, they will get reimbursed $10.95, but we must have them, myself included, turn in the receipts.”
Superintendent Bergquist wanted the public to know that the district does not reimburse alcoholic beverage purchases.
TRUTH IN TAXATION HEARING –
Nobody from the public attended the Truth in Taxation Hearing as the board unanimously approved a levy increase of 4.55%. The total levy was $3,609,846.51. “It pretty much stayed flat in the general fund and community service fund regarding the total dollars being levied,” said Crookston School District Business Manager Blake Stoltman. “The increase is primarily the outdoor multi-purpose facility voted on by the taxpayers.”
The complete financial breakdown is pictured below.
OTHER NEWS –
The board approved the World’s Best Workforce Achievement and Integration report, as the State of Minnesota requires. For the full report, CLICK HERE.
The next scheduled Crookston School Board meeting is Monday, January 22, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. in the Crookston High School Choir/Orchestra room.
