Last month the board decided it could do without the first Regular board meeting of the month. They fiddled around with wording, got it wrong, and passed it, anyway.
Now, all of a sudden, they can't stand not seeing each other and have called a Special Meeting for Thursday, June 17, at 5:30PM.
They'll run into Executive Session for some legal advice about a "claim" and then re-convene in open session. The Agenda is supposed to state the location of the Special-Called Meeting, but it does not. Will it be at R2i2?
Even though everyone is seated so far apart, they will probably persist with the silly mask requirement. You'll notice just how far apart the board members sit from one another, and they are further guarded by the plastic partitions. And they still wear their own masks, which often make it hard to understand what they are saying.
On the agenda for the budget work session is the 2021-2022 budget. Be sure to look at it. It is attached to the agenda.
Unlike The Summit HOA's budget and financial statements, Richland 2 follows good accounting principles and reveals the percentage change in the numbers. That, of course, is where the real story is in any budget.
Some account items show an increase from the 2020-2021 Budget to the 2021-2022 Projected Budget. Some account items show a decrease.
General Revenue is projected to increase 4.32% over the current year.
Expenditures are projected to increase 4.32% over the current year. Funny how it works out that way.
If that's all you look at, and most of the school board members are not financial wizards, you'd think, "Fine. No problem."
BUT LOOK AT THE LAST ITEM IN EXPENDITURES!
"Other Expenditures" are projected to rise from $2,284,324 to $5,584,324! This is an increase of $3,300,000. This is an increase of 144.46%.
Ho-hum, Just an increase on 144.46%. Just lump all those increases into one item, and maybe nobody will ask any questions.
What are Other Expenditures? "Other Expenditures includes items not broken out in the above categories. Some examples are organization membership, other insurance costs (including costs associated with workers' compensation), and transfers to other funds". $3,300,000 worth???
No real business would ever let the worker-bees schlep a 144.46% past the decision-makers. They'd break it down and account for the $3,300,000 increase. But wait; this is just a school board. It's just play money. The problem is the board has no "skin in the game". They just show up, nod their heads, and go home.
Also, notice where the Board Chair and the Superintendent are handling this. In a Special-Called Session. Where the public does NOT get to ask questions.
At least the board will not get a chance to take action on the budget. At the public meeting where action will be taken, the public will get time in front of the board to grill them on the numbers. Will that be on June 29, when the board also elects its officers for the next School Year?
