Reeds Spring R‑IV board update: strategic plan teams, cell tower due diligence, lodging tax and budget planning

At the February post‑meeting update, a district staff member summarized several ongoing initiatives in the Reeds Spring R‑IV School District, including strategic planning work, a private cell tower proposal undergoing multi‑year due diligence, information about a lodging‑tax ballot question, and near‑term salary and budget planning.

Strategic plan: The staff member said five action teams are developing strategies and research questions, focusing on five priorities: future‑ready learning (including career exploration and personalized learning), increasing student agency and voice, expanding student opportunities (academic and extracurricular), addressing student behavior and social‑emotional needs, and optimizing facilities, technology and resources. The teams will continue work through about May, then perform cost analyses and return recommendations to the strategic plan team and ultimately to the board for approval in May or June.

Student Ready Success Network and counseling: Dr. Kite provided updates on the Student Ready Success Network (SRSN) and proposed high school counseling work; the staff member said those items are under further development.

Cell tower project: The staff member said the district is under contract with a company to install a cell tower but that the private developer is in a “couple years” of due diligence to ensure compliance with local, state and federal regulations. “So it's still moving. The cell tower project is moving, but it's a slow again, a slow process,” the staff member said.

Lodging tax ballot measure: The update included information about a proposed 3% lodging tax that the Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce plans to place on the April ballot for hotels, motels, bed‑and‑breakfasts and short‑term rentals. The staff member said the tax is paid by visitors, not local residents, and is intended to fund tourism promotion; the staff member compared Branson's roughly $10 million tourism marketing spend with Stone County's approximately $460,000 to explain the chamber's rationale. The staff member directed questions about the ballot measure to Sheila Thomas or the Chamber.

Salaries and budgets: The staff member said the district has been evaluating salaries for several months and expects to present a salary proposal and budget figures at the March board meeting so contracts can be renewed. “Our goal is to be the number 1 compensating district in the region,” the staff member said.

Events and other items: The staff member also noted upcoming events (a Golden Friends luncheon, an excellence awards banquet May 3, and a community "pack night" at the Stampede on April 11) and said district teams are exploring water and utility planning to support potential district growth.

No formal vote outcomes were reported for these informational items in the update.