Board discusses Senate Bill 188, employee protections and lease revenue bond; approves intent to issue bonds

Alpine School District trustees discussed Senate Bill 188 and related financing options on March 25, and the board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution expressing intent to issue lease revenue bonds and to hold a related public hearing.

Superintendent Shane Farnsworth summarized key portions of the newly enacted SB 188 and staff counsel clarified how the bill affects district elections, employee protections and bond rules. The superintendent said the bill moves school board elections to Nov. 4 this year and provides transition protections for employees assigned to schools on the allocation date. "All the employees who are assigned to a school on allocation date stay at that school and in that district," Farnsworth said, explaining the staff interpretation of job protections in the statute.

Staff counsel and business staff described financing effects: SB 188 removes a statutory limit that would have constrained lease revenue bond capacity for areas that previously…