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Nebraska Arts Council approves FY25 budget, grant amendment and executive director bonus
Summary
At its Norfolk meeting the Nebraska Arts Council approved the FY2025 budget report, authorized a deficit request to the Legislature, amended a prior $100,000 NACDC grant to move $25,000 in school-bus awards, and approved a bonus for the executive director after a brief executive session. Several items tied to federal funding uncertainty and program carryovers were discussed.
The Nebraska Arts Council meeting in Norfolk on Aug. 1 approved several governance and financial items, including the FY2025 budget report and a staff recommendation to adjust a previously approved grant.
Board members voted to approve the FY2025 budget report as of July 31 after staff presented appropriation and carryover details. Staff said federal carryover dollars (about $92,000 and $174,000 in two program lines) and a recent drawdown from the Cultural Preservation Fund left the corpus reported at roughly $15,455,000, with a recent drawdown of about $436,804. The council’s finance chair told members the agency closed FY24 near expectations, using about 97.3% of general funds and carrying a small encumbrance primarily for salaries.
The board approved a staff motion to submit a deficit-budget request to the Legislature seeking funds to cover a $29,446 health-cost increase and to request the $1,000,000 for creative districts that was not funded last year. Chair and staff said the government-relations committee will coordinate with the council’s retained lobbyist before the legislative session.
The board also voted to amend a previously approved $100,000 grant to the NAC Development Corporation (NACDC) to remove $25,000 previously earmarked for school-bus grants and have those awards administered through the Nebraska Arts Council instead; staff said changes in NEA guidelines made the original mechanism problematic.
After a brief executive session to address unfinished business from the June meeting, the board returned to open session and adopted a motion to award a bonus to the executive director in the amount discussed in executive session. The motion passed on a roll-call vote; board minutes record both yes and no votes from members during the roll call. The board adjourned and set its next meeting as a virtual session on Dec. 9.
Board members who made motions or were recorded in discussion included David Wright (moved approval of the FY25 budget report) and Zach (moved the deficit request). Several votes and roll-call recordings were taken during the meeting; board members present included Sherry Hockshire, Brian Botsberg, Zachary Chee, Michelle Dudley, Crystal Dunning, Anna Goranson, Julie Jacobson, Clark Colterman, Mark Laughlin, Clark Roush, Jeanne Salerno and James Wright.
The meeting record shows the council continues to manage carryover federal dollars and is preparing for a potentially difficult state budget year; staff said contingency plans are in place and the council will continue advocacy work around arts funding.
