Rolling Hills Local board approves treasurer’s slate, moves forward on solar financing and renews insurance plans

The Rolling Hills Local School Board unanimously approved a package of financial measures on a voice-registered roll call, including minutes and the May financial report, final amendments to permanent appropriations, renewal of reliability and cyber insurance policies and a resolution to advance solar project financing.

Treasurer Mr. Gray told the board the slate included three certificates and an annual contract with the auditor to prepare financial statements. He said establishing improvement districts is a necessary step to wrap up solar financing and that the process has faced delays because multiple government entities must approve the arrangements. "We're the first in the area," Mr. Gray said of the district's solar plans, adding the improvements will be permanent once completed.

Board members questioned insurance costs during the discussion. A figure cited in the meeting placed cyber-insurance costs at about $20,000 a year and general liability coverage in the $40,000–$50,000 range. One participant also asserted a recent state-level change related to negotiation policies for cyber incidents; that assertion was made during discussion and was not independently substantiated in the meeting record.

The motion to approve the treasurer's items was moved, seconded and carried by roll call with all recorded votes in favor (Mr. Dudley, Mr. Humphrey, Mr. Jones, Mr. Singleton and Mr. Dolan). The board did not amend the items following discussion. The board indicated the solar financing resolution and the auditor contract will proceed under the terms approved.

Next steps: staff will continue work on improvement-district paperwork and coordination with other government entities needed to finalize solar financing; the board took no separate action to fund the project beyond the resolution to enable financing.