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USD 431 adopts 2018-2019 budget
Duties eliminated for one middle school coach
Hoisington cardinal logo
The Hoisington girls tennis team features Annabelle Gonzalez, Aubree Martin, Jaylin Kolas, Decelia Bray, Jillian Axman, Brennley Reif, Coach Kiley Klug

HOISINGTON — The Unified School District 431 Board of Education convened a special meeting Monday night in order to hold the 2018 budget hearing. No members of the public were present, so the hearing went quickly. Also, following an executive session at the end of the meeting, the board approved a motion to eliminate coaching duties for Kyle Jeffrey. No explanation for this action was provided. Jeffrey is the special services teacher at Hoisington Middle School, and he coached middle school girls basketball and middle school track.

Budget approved
Superintendent Bill Lowry reported the local option budget (LOB) has been reduced by $230,000 this year. After reducing the LOB, this budget has a .777 mill decrease, Lowry said. Last year’s levy was 51.591 and this budget estimates the tax rate at 50.814 mills. A mill is equal to $1 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
The total proposed expenditures for the 2017-2018 school year is $13,229,552, with $1,952,270 the amount of 2017 tax to be levied.
He went over specifics of the various funds that make up the school budget, and answered questions concerning new statutes requiring all at-risk funds to be spent, leaving no carry-over from that fund. All students will be identified through the criteria of at-risk to ensure students that are found to be at-risk receive the resources they need.
A unanimous vote approved the budget.
The board then discussed out-of-district transportation requests. Fifteen students are from USD 428 in Great Bend and two from USD 495 in Larned. These are in addition to the 77 requests approved at the last meeting.
Students from USD 428 are picked up at the 4-H building on U.S. 281. The board approved the requests.

Executive session
Board President Dean Stoskopf requested an executive session to discuss personnel issues as they pertained to negotiations, hiring decisions of classified personnel and supplemental contracts, as well as a contract with Education First. Board members and Lowry entered into executive session at 7:20 p.m. for 25 minutes. Visitors were asked to vacate the meeting room.
At 7:40, USD 431 high school athletic director Matt Shultz was requested to join the executive session. At 7:55 p.m., visitors and USD 431 Clerk Bonnie Smith were invited to return to the meeting room, and the board returned to regular session.
The board then approved the negotiated agreement for the 2017-2018 school year as presented and approved a contract with Education First LLC for the 2017-2018 school year as presented.
According to the company website, Education First LLC is an advisory organization that consults with districts to improve opportunities for children.
The board also approved hiring the following individuals: Ron Owens, district custodian; DeWayne Davidson, KPERS-covered position, custodian; Susan Lamb, KPERS-covered position, food service; and Phyllis Whitcomb, KPERS-covered position, food service;
Finally, the board approved the elimination of coaching duties for Jeffrey.
With no further business, the board adjourned.
The next meeting of the USD 431 Board of Education will be 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the District Office.