I.A. ATTENDANCE

II. ADMINISTER OATH OF OFFICE TO NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

III. PREVIEW OF AGENDA – Dr. James Hess

IV. APPROVAL OF AGENDA    
The motion was offered by ________, seconded by ________, and carried (    ) to approve the agenda.

V. ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD

V.A. Elections

V.A.1. Ann Long Voelkner Presiding

____ was nominated by ____, seconded by ____, and upon vote being taken, ____ was duly elected to that office.

V.A.2. Vice Chairperson - Chairperson ____ Presiding

____ was nominated by ____, seconded by ____, and upon vote being taken, ____ was duly elected to that office.

V.A.3. Clerk

____ was nominated by ____, seconded by ____, and upon vote being taken, ____ was duly elected to that office.

V.A.4. Treasurer

____ was nominated by ____, seconded by ____, and upon vote being taken, ____ was duly elected to that office.

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and carried (    ) to authorize Chris Leinen, Director of Business Services, to perform the duties of Treasurer of the School Board.

V.B. Other Organizational Considerations

V.B.1. School Board Member Compensation

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and duly carried (    ) to set the compensation received by School Board Members for the 2015 calendar year at ____ per ____.

V.B.2. School Board Chairperson Compensation

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and duly carried (    ) to set the compensation received by the School Board Chairperson for the 2015 calendar year at ____ per ____.

V.B.3. Table Negotiator Compensation

The motion was offered by ____ seconded by ____, and duly carried (    ) to set the compensation received by the School Board Table Negotiators for the 2015 calendar year at ____ per year.

V.B.4. Regular Monthly Meetings - Date and Time

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and duly carried (    ) that the regular meeting of the Board of Education be held on the _____ of the ____, at ____ p.m., in the Downtown Education Center Board Room.  Special Meetings shall be held as needed.

V.B.5. Enabling Act

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and duly carried (    ) establishing the Enabling Act for the guidance of the Superintendent as follows:  

a.      to maintain a Petty Cash fund of $100 for various small expenditures, which are required from time-to-time and which by the nature, would make it inconvenient to go through regular channels of the Board.  The Director of Business Services is appointed as custodian of this fund;

 b.      to certify payment of membership in state and national organizations whose functions support the educational program;

c.      to certify reimbursement for expenses of School Board members, the Superintendent, and other school personnel to such state and national meetings as it may seem advisable to attend;

d.      call the officers of the Board as a special committee on ways and means between regular Board meetings on the Superintendent’s own initiative or at the request of a member of the Board;

e.      to employ/discharge nonlicensed personnel, to certify wages and salaries for payment in accordance with schedules adopted by the Board, and to administer the provisions of the negotiated agreements;

f.       to accept employee resignations when deemed to be in the best interest of District No. 31;

g.      to certify to the officers for their facsimile signatures such items as:

(1)    payment of items covered by contract with the Board of Education,
(2)    payment of emergency bills in which it appears that financial loss or hardship will follow if there is a delay in payment,
(3)    payment of bills carrying penalties or discount,
(4)    payment of regular or reoccurring bills;

h.      to lease, purchase and contract for goods and services within the budget as approved by the Board, provided that any transaction in an amount of which bids are required must first be specifically authorized by the Board and fulfill all other applicable requirements of Minnesota Statute.  Under the provisions of M.S. 123B.52, Subd. 1, the Director of Business Services is also authorized to perform these actions;

i.       to make short-term investments of surplus current funds in legally approved securities.  The Director of Business Services is also authorized to perform these actions;

j.       to transfer monies on a continuing basis from a fund receiving a service or supply to another fund granting the services or supply.  This authorization shall include only those transfers that are for supplies or services;

k.      to conduct the day-to-day operations of the district, not specifically covered above, in accordance with the terms of the Superintendent’s contract, Board policy, and appropriate state and federal status;

l.       pursuant to M.S. 123B.02, Subd. 18, the School Board authorizes the Director of Business Services to make payment of claims prior to Board approval and requires that payments made prior to Board approval be acted upon at the next Board meeting;

m.     delegate the Director of Business Services the authority to make electronic transfers and approve electronic transfers made by other initiators;

n.      to sign grants on behalf of the school district when deemed to be in the best interest of District No. 31;

o.      to delegate the Director of Business Services the authority to refinance existing bonds when deemed to be in the best interest of District No. 31;

p.      to authorize the Director of Business Services to enter into emergency management agreements with organizations in the county, including the American Red Cross, in emergency situations.

q.      to authorize the Superintendent to accept donations with a value of up to $500 on behalf of the Board.    

V.B.6. Depository Resolution           

____ offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: 

DEPOSITORY RESOLUTION           

BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Directors of Independent School District No. 31, Bemidji, Beltrami and Hubbard Counties, Minnesota, at a meeting held on January 26, 2015, do hereby designate as depositories of district funds those national, insured state banks or thrift institutions as defined in 51A.54, Subdivision 23, and the MSDLAF family of accounts for a period beginning on the 31st of January 2015, and ending on the 30th of January 2016.           

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in accordance with M.S. 123B.14, Subdivision 3, the Treasurer is authorized to exercise the powers of this governing body in designating the depositories of such funds.  This authorization is subject to the right to said Board of Directors to modify, vacate or revoke at any time.            

The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by ____, and upon vote thereon a tabulation of votes is as follows:   
       
AYES:         
NOES:       
ABSENT:         

WHEREUPON, said resolution was declared passed and adopted.

VI. REQUEST TO REMOVE TOPIC(S) FROM THE CONSENT ITEMS

VII. CONSENT AGENDA
The motion was offered by ________, seconded by _______, and carried (        ) to approve the following consent items:

VII.A. Minutes from the December 15, 2014 School Board Meeting.

VII.B. Current Bills and Special Checks Totaling:  $3,412,615.47

VII.C. Certified Staff Appointment

VII.D. Release From Contract Request

VII.E. Confirmation of Resignation

VII.F. Noncertified Staff Resignations

VII.G. Request to Submit Grant Application - Target Field Trip Grant

VII.H. Request to Submit Grant Application - JROTC Equipment Upgrade

VII.I. Request to Submit Grant Application - Enbridge Community Investments

VII.J. Request to Accept Grant - JROTC Equipment Upgrade

VII.K. Request to Accept Grant - Solway Library Grant

VII.L. Request to Submit Grant Application - Arts & Cultural Heritage Grant Program

VII.M. Request to Accept Grant - Farm to School Grant

VIII. SPECIAL TOPICS

VIII.A. Annual Audit - FY 2013-2014

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and the vote was ____ to approve the FY 2013-2014 annual audits as presented.

IX. STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS

X. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

XI. LISTENING SESSION REVIEW

XII. DONATIONS

XIII. EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT OPERATIONS

XIII.A. Award Legal Advertising Quotation

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and carried (    ) awarding the quotation for legal advertisements for 2015 to The Pioneer in the amount of $5.75 S.A.U. for the first insertion and $5.18 S.A.U. for subsequent insertions.

XIII.B. Bids for School Buses

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and carried (    ) to approve the purchase of three Transit style 83 passenger buses from North Central Bus Co. for a net after trade-in allowance of $313,760.

XIII.C. Resolution for Bond Reimbursement

Member ____________________ introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption, which motion was seconded by Member ____________________:    

RESOLUTION RELATING TO THE FINANCING OF A PROPOSED PROJECT TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT; ESTABLISHING COMPLIANCE WITH REIMBURSEMENT BOND REGULATIONS UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE    

BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board (the Board) of Independent School District No. 31 (Bemidji), Minnesota (the School District) as follows:    

1.     Recitals.  
(a)    The Internal Revenue Service has issued Section 1.150-2 of the Income Tax Regulations (the Regulations) dealing with the issuance of tax-exempt obligations all or a portion of the proceeds of which are to be used to reimburse the School District for project expenditures made by the School District prior to the date of issuance (the Reimbursement Obligations).  
(b)    The Regulations generally require that the School District make a declaration of its official intent to reimburse itself for such prior expenditures out of the proceeds of a subsequently issued series of tax-exempt obligations within 60 days after payment of the expenditures, that such obligations be issued and the reimbursement allocation be made from the proceeds of such obligations within the reimbursement period (as defined in the Regulations), and that the expenditures reimbursed be capital expenditures or costs of issuance of the obligations.  
(c)    The School District desires to comply with requirements of the Regulations with respect to the project hereinafter identified.  

2.     Official Intent Declaration.  
(a)    The School District proposes to undertake the following project and to make original expenditures with respect thereto prior to the issuance of Reimbursement Obligations, and reasonably expects to issue Reimbursement Obligations for such project in the maximum principal amounts shown below:    

Maximum Amount of Obligations Expected to be Issued for Project $39,815,000

Project:   Construction of a new fourth and fifth grade elementary school and renovation of the middle school’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems    
(b)    Other than (i) de minimis amounts permitted to be reimbursed pursuant to Section 1.150-2(f)(1) of the Regulations or (ii) expenditures constituting preliminary expenditures as defined in Section 1.150-2(f)(2) of the Regulations, the School District will not seek reimbursement for any original expenditures with respect to the foregoing Project paid more than 60 days prior to the date of adoption of  this resolution.  All original expenditures for which reimbursement is sought will be capital expenditures or costs of issuance of the Reimbursement Obligations.  

3.  Budgetary Matters.  As of the date hereof, there are no School District funds reserved, pledged, allocated on a long term basis or otherwise set aside (or reasonably expected to be reserved, pledged, allocated on a long term basis or otherwise set aside) to provide permanent financing for the original expenditures related to the Project other than pursuant to the issuance of the Reimbursement Obligations.  Consequently, it is not expected that the issuance of the Reimbursement Obligations will result in the creation of any replacement proceeds.              

4.  Reimbursement Allocations. The School District's financial officer shall be responsible for making the “reimbursement allocations” described in the Regulations, being generally the transfer of the appropriate amount of proceeds of the Reimbursement Obligations to reimburse the source of temporary financing used by the School District to make payment of the original expenditures relating to the Project. Each reimbursement allocation shall be made not later than (i) eighteen (18) months after the date of the original expenditure or (ii) eighteen (18) months after the date the Project are placed in service or abandoned (but in no event later than three (3) years after the original expenditure is paid) and shall be evidenced by an entry on the official books and records of the School District maintained for the Reimbursement Obligations and shall specifically identify the original expenditures being reimbursed.    

Upon vote being taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereof:____   and the following voted against the same:____.

 WHEREUPON, the resolution was declared duly passed and adopted.

XIII.D. Pay Equity Implementation Report

The motion was offered by ____, seconded by ____, and carried (    ) to approve the pay equity report.

XIII.E. Designating a Local Education Agency Representative for Various Federal Programs

____ introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption:  

RESOLUTION REGARDING VARIOUS FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND DESIGNATING AN AUTHORIZED LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE AS RELATED HERETO  

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the School Board of Bemidji Area Schools, Independent School District No. 31, Bemidji, Minnesota, to participate in various programs available through the federal government; and  

WHEREAS, each of these programs require the designation of an authorized Local Education Agency Representative;  

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Stephanie Hubbard, Director of Special Education, be designated as the authorized Local Education Agency Representative relating to the following federal programs; and that she is hereby authorized to prepare and submit applications for funding relating hereto.  

Federal Funds for Special Education, IDEIA 2004, Public Law 105-17
Federal Flow-Through Funds
Federal Preschool Initiative Funds
Flow-Through Personnel Development 3-21
Preschool Incentive Personnel Development 3-5
Federal Low Incidence Discretionary
Federal Part C Infants and Toddlers
Federal IEIC Committees
Federal Early Intervention Family Services
Development of Coordinated Services
Federal Splinter Funds
Federal Discretionary CSPD Regional
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
P.L. 81-874 Impact Aid
Limited English Proficient
Early Intervening Funds  

The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by ____,  and a tabulation of votes is as follows:  

AYES             
NOES             
ABSENT          

WHEREUPON, said resolution was declared passed and adopted:

XIII.F. Designating a Local Education Agency Representative for Title I

____introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption:  

RESOLUTION REGARDING THE TITLE I PROGRAM AND DESIGNATING AN AUTHORIZED LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE AS RELATED HERETO            

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the School Board of Bemidji Area Schools, Independent School District No. 31, Bemidji, Minnesota, to participate in the Title I program;  

WHEREAS, this program requires the designation of an authorized Local Education Agency Representative;  

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Kathy Palm, Director of Curriculum and Administrative Services, be designated as the authorized Local Education Agency Representative relating to Title I; and that she is hereby authorized to prepare and submit applications for funding relating hereto.  

The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by ____ and a tabulation of votes is as follows:    
                     
AYES             
NOES             
ABSENT        

WHEREUPON, said resolution was declared passed and adopted.

XIV. HIGHEST LEVEL OF STUDENT SUCCESS

XIV.A. 2014-2015 Free and Reduced Lunch Percentages

XIV.B. Bemidji Lumberjack Academy - Post-secondary Pathways

XV. SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT

XVI. UPCOMING EVENTS

XVI.A. February School Board Meeting - Monday, February 23, 2015, 6:30 p.m.  (Date change due to Presidents' Day Holiday Observance)

XVII. OTHER

XVII.A. 2015 Bemidji Area Schools Legislative Handbooks

XVII.B. Once Around the Table

XVIII. ADJOURNMENT