Brandon Valley board approves routine financial items; hears updates on construction, staffing and enrollment

The Brandon Valley School District 49-2 Board of Education on Feb. 16 approved routine agenda items, including bills and claims and the monthly financial report, and heard updates from Superintendent Larson on construction, staffing and open-enrollment work.

Board Chair (Speaker 1) opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance and led roll call; two members were absent. The board passed a motion to approve the meeting agenda and then approved minutes from Jan. 12 and Jan. 26 without recorded opposition.

In the financial packet, district finance staff (Speaker 2) said the current batch of bills totaled about $1,633,000, with advanced payments of $54,966 and pay vouchers of about $85,000. Notable line items called out included roughly $32,000 for building repairs from Curran Blaine, a Teachwell invoice for $183,683 and a Sioux Valley Energy charge cited as $99,000 within an annual electricity figure described as about $1.2 million. Food-service bills for the month were listed at about $190,000, and the food-service budget showed an accrued loss of $218,000 as of Jan. 31, versus a budgeted loss of $95,000.

Speaker 2 summarized the cash report for January: receipts of $3,680,000 and disbursements of $6,736,000, leaving approximately $25,000,000 on hand. He reported fund balances across the district: roughly $9,000,000 in the general fund, $4,000,000 in capital outlay, $1,100,000 in special education, $88,000 in the enterprise fund and approximately $10,685,000 in capital projects. The general fund was roughly 57.5% expended, slightly higher than the same point last year.

The board voted to approve the bills and claims and then approved the financial report after motions and seconds were recorded.

Superintendent Larson (Speaker 5) provided the administration report, saying Berkman Valley Elementary’s work is progressing ‘‘on time and on budget’’ with finishes, drywall and cabinetry underway, and that the Brandon Valley Middle School project also remains on schedule. Larson said the district is still analyzing parent input and open-enrollment requests and has not yet produced specific counts for requests to stay at current buildings; he told trustees a staffing/administrative assignment decision is expected in the coming weeks.

Larson also urged attention to the South Dakota legislative session, stressing the importance of funding and local control and saying it is ‘‘truly disappointing to see that, legislators would bring things that harm public education, and ultimately work against those 2 respective priorities.’’

Board members praised recent events at the high school, including a State 1 Act performance that earned Superior distinctions and drew community attendance.

Votes at a glance - Approve agenda as presented — Mover: Speaker 4; Second: Speaker 4; Outcome: approved. - Approve minutes (Jan. 12 and Jan. 26) — Outcome: approved. - Approve bills and claims (packet totalling reported $1,633,000) — Mover: Speaker 3; Outcome: approved. - Approve financial report (January cash and fund reports) — Mover: Speaker 4; Outcome: approved. - Approve consent agenda items 1–4 — Outcome: approved. - Approve personnel items 1–7 — Outcome: approved. - Adjourn meeting — Outcome: approved.

The board noted item 8, a request for medical leave, and several building permit applications were provided under communications for review. Superintendent Larson said the district will present the preliminary capital outlay budget approval process in March; trustees agreed that having bid numbers before final budget decisions is important. The meeting adjourned after routine business was completed.