Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
At-a-glance: Hendry County School Board votes — millage, budget, contracts and audits approved
Summary
At its meeting the Hendry County School Board approved the final millage rates and the 2025–26 budget, approved several personnel and benefit-related contracts, adopted policy revisions, and accepted the annual financial report (AFR); the consent agenda passed with one item pulled for correction.
The Hendry County School Board took several formal actions during the meeting: the board approved the district’s millage rates required by the state, adopted the final 2025–26 budget, approved negotiated non‑instructional staff increases, accepted the annual financial report and authorized policy revisions. The consent agenda was approved with one item pulled for correction.
Key votes and motions
- Final millage and rollback rates: The board approved the district’s millage levies needed to participate in the Florida Education Finance Program. The superintendent recommended a total millage levy for the final budget of 5.346 mills. The board moved, seconded and voted to adopt the millage levies as presented; the motion carried.
- 2025–26 final budget adoption: The board approved a total 2025–26 budget of $271,311,428, including Fund 1 (general) at $147,325,621; Fund 3 (capital projects) at $83,861,827; and other funds as presented. The superintendent recommended approval and the motion carried.
- Consent agenda: The board approved the consent agenda as presented with one item pulled (administrative/ instructional support salary schedules) for corrections and return at the next regular meeting. The motion to approve the consent agenda (minus the pulled item) passed.
- HESPA (non‑instructional staff) agreement: The board approved an annual agreement that includes an average 4% wage increase for the non‑instructional bargaining unit; the superintendent and staff recommended approval and the board voted to approve.
- Policy revisions and advertising: The board authorized advertisement of proposed policy revisions as presented; the motion passed.
- Annual Financial Report (AFR): The board voted to accept the AFR as presented. Board members expressed dissatisfaction with the timeliness of state-provided data but accepted staff’s explanation that final fourth‑count figures had arrived late; a motion to approve the AFR passed.
What board members said
A board member said the state’s timing for providing fourth-count data made AFR work difficult and said the board was being placed in a tight timeline. Another member noted the district’s healthy fund position reflected in the AFR.
Process notes
- Vote tallies were recorded by voice; the transcript records motions, seconds and members saying “aye,” but it does not supply a roll-call tally of yes/no votes for each member. The transcript shows motions were moved and seconded and approved by the board during the meeting.
- Several approvals (for example, advertising policy changes and the HESPA agreement) were routine, while the AFR approval drew comment about state data timeliness.
Ending
Board members approved the items listed above; staff will bring the pulled consent item back to the next regular meeting after the requested corrections.
