Board approves budget amendments, naming of Rye Ranch Elementary and other routine actions; advertises policy amendments with added board-member letterhead item

The School Board of Manatee County recorded a series of unanimous votes on routine and non-routine agenda items during its Feb. 11 meeting. Several items were approved by recorded voice roll calls of 5–0 where noted.

Key formal outcomes

- Approval of the Feb. 11 agenda as amended (vote recorded 5–0). The chair announced the agenda was amended to include items posted as agenda amendments on the district website.

- Approval of prior meeting minutes (Jan. 21 regular meeting and Jan. 24 workshop) (vote recorded 5–0).

- Adoption of a Black History Month proclamation for February 2025 (ceremonial proclamation referencing Public Law 99-244 and Florida Statute 1003.42(2)(f)). The proclamation was adopted with a quorum present; no contested votes were recorded.

- Approval of consent agenda items (20 items on consent; passed 5–0).

- Approval of budget amendments for December 2024 (presented by Miss Sellers): the district reported 464 budget amendments affecting approximately 2,200 chart strings; three chart strings were over $1 million related to a computer refresh in the general fund. The board approved the budget amendments 5–0.

- Revision of a job description: approved renaming chief human resources officer to executive director for human resources and updating duties to reflect a shift in responsibilities; board voted 5–0; the superintendent said the change carries no salary-band impact.

- Approval to advertise notice of intent to amend several school board policies (public hearing set for the March 11 board meeting) and adoption of new policies where applicable. During the discussion the board amended the advertising notice to add the following provision to Policy 2149.1 (public notice language): “Board members shall be provided a copy of official school board member letterhead upon request.” The board voted to advertise with that amendment 5–0. Staff and legal counsel clarified that any substantial material change to a proposed policy language would require re-notice; the board confirmed the exact wording and directed staff to include it in the 30-day public notice.

- Approval of a First Amendment to the agreement for purchase and sale with Rye Ranch LLC (property for a future school site slated to open in August 2026); motion passed 5–0. The superintendent said the amendment moves the transaction toward closing and the timetable for the future school opening.

- Naming the future elementary school on the Rye Ranch site as Rye Ranch Elementary School (per policy 7250); board approved 5–0. The board discussed why naming negotiations were handled separately from the purchase contract.

- Acceptance of a resignation from a Citizens Financial Oversight Committee member (Michael Bennett) and appointment of Mary Foreman to the audit committee for a three-year term; both actions approved 5–0.

- Approval of travel expense authorization for board members to attend the Greater Florida Consortium of School Boards legislative meeting in Tallahassee (April 2–4, 2025), not to exceed $3,000; approved 5–0.

Votes were taken publicly during the meeting or recorded as 5–0 in the meeting minutes. No motions failed or were tabled during the Feb. 11 meeting. Several items were discussed in the workshop beforehand; the board used the Feb. 11 meeting to finalize approvals and set the public hearing date for policy amendments.

A board amendment: During the policy-notice discussion a board member asked that the draft public notice include language guaranteeing board members access to official board-member letterhead upon request. Legal counsel and staff advised that specific wording should be included in the advertised draft so the 30-day notice would be accurate; the board carried that amendment 5–0. Staff agreed to publish the amended draft and bring final adoption to the March 11 meeting.