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Finance committee reviews laptop procurement, parking tax pass-through and Bearcats Cyber enrollment timing
Summary
The finance committee discussed a proposed purchase of roughly 1,100 student laptops (~$426 average per device), continued payments of a 15% city parking tax on certain rental income, and enrollment windows for the district's Bearcats Cyber program.
Director Orr opened the finance committee segment and asked committee member Sean Haines to present the monthly financial reports and updates.
“Most of the items on the report are the standard monthly reports,” Haines said, noting one major technology procurement under review: a bid for about 1,100 Lenovo laptops at an average unit cost of roughly $426, for a total near $468,000.
“That covers about 1,100 laptops. The average cost when you average the cost, it's about 426 per device,” Haines said.
Board members discussed whether the devices are replacements or new purchases; Haines said many are replacements for aging devices purchased during the COVID era and that the district plans to build a multi-year replacement cycle into its budget.
The committee also questioned a recurring cash-disbursement line described as a city parking tax. Finance staff explained that a city ordinance requires a 15 percent tax on rental income tied to parking, and the district remits the tax on revenue it receives from outside groups using district parking for events (for example, a local Revolution franchise that rents district parking for games).
“We've been paying parking tax for years,” a finance staff member said. “If you rent any of your space for parking purposes in the city, you have to pay a 15% tax on that.”
Board members requested clarification on pass-through items and grant-funded line items appearing in the reports; finance staff agreed to correct item labeling if necessary.
Committee members also asked about online programs and enrollment timing. District staff explained that new students can enroll directly into Bearcats Cyber at initial enrollment, but transfers from in-person instruction into Bearcats Cyber are generally processed at the end of a marking period to avoid repeated mid-term movements.
“If they enroll, they have the option to go straight into Bearcats Cyber,” a district staff member said. “If you are enrolled in our school district and you choose to go to Bearcats Cyber, we do it at the end of the marking period” for current students moving from in-person to full-time cyber enrollment.
Staff said the Lincoln Edge cyber program contract and other professional-development contracts for virtual instruction and ELD coaching are on the agenda for board consideration; the committee asked for clearer cost breakdowns on those items ahead of the board meeting.
The committee did not take formal votes on procurement or policy during the meeting; items were discussed for clarification and will return to the full board packet with requested details.
