Board approves consent items, staffing amendment and budget revisions; votes on regulations, cooperative purchases and childcare changes

The Bullhead City School Board on March 20 conducted routine business including adoption of the agenda, approval of consent items, and a package of motions covering staffing, procurement, policy regulations and budget revisions.

Votes at a glance

- Agenda adoption (Item 2.7): Motion to adopt the agenda as presented passed unanimously (5–0). Motion maker and seconder recorded on the meeting record; roll call votes recorded as Melinda Zabrowski, Charlene Diaz, Fred Rushton, Barb Zarczicki and Judy Reed voting yes.

- Consent agenda (Item 3): Board approved the consent agenda with the exception of Item 3.1, which was pulled for separate consideration. Vote: unanimous (5–0).

- Item 3.1 — Third amendment to renew ESI staffing agreement (substitute staffing): The board approved the third amendment for school year 2025–26 (vote recorded as unanimous). The amendment revises and renews the district’s staffing agreement with ESI for substitute support.

- Item 4.1 — Correction of salaries offered for renewal contracts and work agreements: The board voted to correct renewal offers to include step increases as previously discussed. Motion passed unanimously.

- Item 5.1 — Cooperative purchasing agreement for ETC (Synergy support): The board approved a cooperative purchasing agreement with ETC (Northern Arizona University intermediary for Synergy student information system support). The one-line recurring ETC fee is shown in the meeting materials; vote passed unanimously.

- Items 5.2–5.5 — Regulations and exhibits for booster organizations: The board approved a new regulatory framework and related exhibits for booster/parent organizations (Regulation KJARA, KJARB and exhibits KJA‑EA and KJA‑EB). The changes specify organizational reporting, allowable activities, and standard forms for district‑affiliated booster groups. Vote passed unanimously on each item.

- Item 5.6 — Board direction regarding presentation of regulations and exhibits: The board approved a change in practice (allowing the superintendent to present regulations and exhibits as discussion items rather than action items, with the board able to agendize any it wants to change). Vote passed unanimously.

- Item 5.7 — Proposed changes to the operation of the district childcare center for 2025–26: The board approved expanded eligibility for the district childcare center, including grandchildren of employees and children of employees from adjacent districts (Mohave Valley Elementary, Mohave Accelerated Learning Consortium, Young Scholars and Desert Star) when space is available; rates were set to remain competitive with local childcare centers. Vote passed unanimously.

- Item 5.8 — Budget recommendations and revisions for fiscal year 2024–25 and proposals for fiscal year 2025–26: The board voted to accept the superintendent’s recommended budget revisions and the set of proposals described in the meeting packet. The roll call recorded two abstentions: Board President Melinda Zabrowski and Board Member Barb Zarczicki abstained; Board Members Charlene Diaz, Fred Rushton and Judy Reed voted to accept the recommendation. Outcome: motion carried (3 yes, 2 abstain). The packet and discussion included the superintendent’s recommendation to use the state Instructional Improvement fund to provide an immediate teacher stipend in 2024–25 and to contribute toward continuing Instructional Empowerment contract costs in 2025–26 (see details below).

Votes: procedure and thresholds

All votes were recorded by roll call as shown in the meeting minutes. Where the motion text was recorded, the board approved the motions as presented on the meeting agenda or as amended during discussion. No charter‑level ordinances or bonding approvals were on tonight’s agenda; the motions concerned contracts, regulations, budget allocations and administrative practice.

Budget items and instructional-improvement allocations discussed

The superintendent reported a state correction that restored roughly $531,000 to the district’s current‑year budget, bringing combined M&O/UCO reserves to about $2.78 million. As part of the May budget finalization process the superintendent recommended:

- Using Instructional Improvement funding (a state designated fund) to support district instructional priorities: a one‑time $750 stipend for teachers in 2024–25 (estimated at $137,000 including benefits) and to earmark $650,000 from the Instructional Improvement fund toward continued Instructional Empowerment/IE work in 2025–26.

- Combining that $650,000 with M&O contributions (the superintendent proposed $350,000 from M&O in the initial plan) to approach a roughly $1.0 million funding commitment for IE support next year; superintendent warned contracted pricing is still under negotiation and could be higher and will return with a detailed contract and funding plan.

Board action summary and next steps

Board members approved the immediate consent and contract items and asked administration to return with a contract offer from Instructional Empowerment, a precise list of deliverables and a funding plan for 2025–26. The board also asked that regulations for booster organizations be shared with principals and parent groups and that the district finalize the childcare center program changes for the coming year.

Formal vote records and motion language are part of the district’s official minutes. Below: structured record of formal actions taken at the March 20 meeting.