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FSUS Charter Board extends auditor contract, approves memorandums with FSU and adopts 2023–24 calendar
Summary
At a workshop meeting the FSUS Charter Board voted to extend its auditor contract for one year, approved a set of memorandums of agreement with Florida State University, adopted the 2023–24 school calendar and directed staff to return with a procurement recommendation to begin a strategic plan process.
The FSUS Charter Board of Directors voted to extend its financial audit contract for one year, approved a bundle of memorandums of agreement with Florida State University, adopted the 2023–24 school calendar and directed staff to return with a recommendation on next steps for a strategic plan.
The board’s finance update said the most recent audit produced no material findings and two nonmaterial findings that are being addressed. "We wrapped up our audit ... We had no material findings. We did have 2 nonmaterial findings," said Lindsay Grooms, associate director with the University Business Affairs at Florida State, who is serving as interim chief financial officer for the school. The two findings were that a physical inventory of capital items over $5,000 had not been completed and that last year’s budget had not been posted on the school website at the start of the fiscal year; both issues, Grooms said, are being corrected.
The board approved exercising a one-year extension to continue working with Curtis Gray for next year’s financial audit. A motion to extend the audit contract passed on a voice vote.
The policy committee presented a set of agreements between FSUS and Florida State University that had been reviewed by university legal staff and school representatives. Board discussion characterized the relationship as cooperative; John (board member) told directors the documents contained "no material changes" from prior versions and recommended approval and authorization for the chair to execute the renewals. The board approved the memorandums of agreement by voice vote.
On operational matters, the board adopted the 2023–24 school calendar. Director Dr. Chambers said the calendar had been reviewed by Florida State University and shared with the school’s collective bargaining unit to satisfy contractual requirements. She noted that the calendar includes two Thanksgiving holidays to reflect separate days for students and for all employees, and staff explained the calendar aligns with a 217-day counting requirement in the collective bargaining agreement.
The board also voted to move its March meeting one week later to March 21 to avoid conflict with spring break.
On strategic planning, the board voted to direct staff to return at the next regularly noticed board meeting with a recommendation and procurement steps to initiate a strategic planning process, including timing and cost estimates. Board members discussed timelines ranging from a three-month draft to a six-month process and noted that consultant costs the board has surveyed run "anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000," according to staff estimates provided during the discussion. The board will consider procurement rules and whether an RFP is required before engaging a consultant.
Attorney’s business included a brief report that disciplinary cases have arisen in recent weeks and that the law office continues to monitor contractual matters tied to property adjacent to the school; no formal action on those legal matters was taken at the workshop.
Next steps: staff will prepare an agenda item that outlines procurement options, estimated costs, and a recommended timeline for the strategic plan and will present that recommendation at the board’s March meeting.
