Bogota Board of Education approves routine resolutions, forwards primary budget to county

The Bogota Board of Education voted March 16 to approve a series of routine resolutions and to submit its primary budget to the county for review, Superintendent Damen Kennedy said. The board recorded roll-call votes in favor of minutes, policy items, education and personnel bundles, finance items, and a buildings-and-grounds item.

The action begins the district's formal budget process. "Tonight, the board will be voting on the primary budget to submit to the county for review," Superintendent Damen Kennedy said; he said a public budget hearing will be held in April so the district can present the plan and provide fuller explanations of the financial plan for the coming year.

The board approved the open and executive session minutes from the Feb. 24 meeting (Resolution 4.3), a policy item (Resolution 5.1), bundled education items listed as Resolution 6.13 (agenda items 6.1'6.12), personnel items grouped under Resolution 7.9 (agenda items 7.1'7.8), finance items grouped under Resolution 8.13 (agenda items 8.1'8.12), and a buildings-and-grounds item (9.1). Each motion was moved and seconded and carried by roll-call vote of members present.

Roll-call voting recorded the following members as voting 'yes' on the carried motions: Mrs. Alvarez, Mr. Alvarez, Mrs. Naim, Mrs. Olivo and Miss Ruckett; several members had been recorded as absent earlier in the meeting. Where movers or seconders were spoken aloud in the meeting record, they were noted (for example, Mrs. Olivo moved approval of the minutes and a speaker identified as Italia seconded). The meeting transcript records no substantive discussion amending these items prior to the votes.

The superintendent and business administrator were both acknowledged for their work preparing the budget and supporting documents. The board will present the draft at the April public hearing and then continue the statutorily required steps to finalize the budget.