MEETING NOTICE
The Special meeting of the Ellsworth City Council will be held on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 6:15 PM in the Ellsworth City Hall Council Chambers
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AGENDA
- Call to Order.
- Pledge of Allegiance.
NEW BUSINESS
3. Public Hearing and action on Council Order #042410 authorizing loans of up to $1,844,341 through the State School Revolving Renovation Fund. (Public hearing notices run 2x in the Bangor Daily News on these dates.
4. #042411, the Ellsworth School Budget Resolutions for FY 2025.
Actions taken pursuant to items 1 – 4 must be taken by a recorded vote.
ORDER APPROVING STATE/LOCAL EPS FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR PULIC EDUCATION FROM PRE-KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 12 FOR ELLSWORTH SCHOOLS FOR FY 2025
School Administrative Unit Contribution to Total Cost of Funding Public Education from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 (as required by Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, §15690(1 A-B)):
City Council Order #042411A: ORDERED that the City will appropriate for the total cost of funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act (Recommend $7,950,399.34) and to see what sum the municipality will raise as the municipality’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688.
The School Board Recommends $7,950,399.34
“Explanation: The school administrative unit’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act is the amount of money determined by state law to be the minimum amount that a municipality must raise in order to receive the full amount of state dollars.”
ORDER APPROVING NON-STATE FUNDED SCHOOLS CONSTRUCTION DEBT SERVICE FOR ELLSWORTH SCHOOLS FOR FY2025
Appropriation for Non-state-funded Debt Service Allocation (as required by Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, §15690 (2A)):
City Council Order #042411B: ORDERED that the City will raise and appropriate for the annual payments on debt service previously approved by the legislative body for non-state-funded school construction projects, or non-state-funded portions of school construction projects in addition to the funds appropriated as the local share of the school administrative unit’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12.
The School Board Recommends $82,345.63
“Explanation: Non-state-funded debt service is the amount of money needed for the annual payments on the municipality/district long-term debt for major capital school construction projects that are not approved for state subsidy. The bonding of this long-term debt was previously approved by the voters or other legislative body.”
ORDER RAISING AND APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL LOCAL FUNDS FOR ELLSWORTH SCHOOLS FOR FY2025
Appropriation of Additional Local Funds (as required by Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, §15690 (3 A-B)):
City Council Order #042411C: ORDERED that the City of Ellsworth raise and appropriate $6,211,261.52 in additional local funds, which exceeds the State’s Essential Programs and Services allocation model by $6,211,261.52 as required to fund the budget recommended by the school board?
The School Board recommends $6,211,261.52 for additional local funds and gives the following reasons for exceeding the State’s Essential Programs and Services funding model by $6,211,261.52. This amount is needed to cover the School Department’s expenses that are not recognized or fully funded by the State’s funding model: Facilities/Maintenance costs, Special Education costs, Technology costs, Transportation costs, Professional Development costs, and System Administration costs.
Explanation: The additional local funds are those locally raised funds over and above the school administrative unit’s local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act and local amounts raised for the annual payment on non-state funded debt service that will help achieve the (municipality/district) budget for educational programs.
NOTE: City council approval of this order requires 4 affirmative votes, see 20-A M.R.S.A. section 15671-A(5)(B)(2) (requiring for council approval “a majority of the entire membership of the council”)
ORDER APPROVING TOTAL SCHOOL OPERATING BUDGET FOR ELLSWORTH SCHOOLS FOR FY2025
Total Budget Article (as required by Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, §15690 (4A)): (A school administrative unit must include a summary article indicating the total annual budget for funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 in the school administrative unit. The amount recommended must be the gross budget of the school system. This article does not provide money unless the other articles are approved.)
City Council Order #042411D: ORDERED that the City of Ellsworth will authorize the School Board to expend for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025 from the school administrative unit’s contribution to the total cost of funding public education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act, non-state-funded school construction projects, additional local funds for school purposes under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15690, unexpended balances, tuition receipts, state subsidy and other receipts for the support of schools.
Recommend $29,729,280.28
ORDER APPROPRIATING AND RAISING FUNDS FOR ADULT EDUCATION FOR FY2025 AS REQUIRED BY THE MAINE REVISED STATUTES, TITLE 20-A M.R.S.A. §8603-A(1)
Adult Education as required by Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, §8603-A (1):
City Council Order #042411E: ORDERED that the City of Ellsworth appropriate $288,250.31 for Adult Education and raise $288,250.31 as the local share; with authorization to expend any additional, incidental, or miscellaneous receipts in the interest and for the well-being of the adult education program.
ORDER TO RAISE LOCAL FUNDS FOR FOOD SERVICE IN THE ELLSWORTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FY2025
City Council Order 042411F: ORDERED that the City authorizes that the sum of $132,323.74 is hereby raised for All Other Expenditures (the Food Service Program) for Fiscal Year 2024-25; and that the Ellsworth School Department is authorized to expend any unexpended balances, and additional, incidental, or miscellaneous receipts in the interest and for the well-being of the food service program.
ORDER TO AUTHORIZE EXPENDITURE OF GRANTS, RESERVES AND OTHER RECEIPTS FOR SCHOOL DEPARTMENT PROGRAMS
City Council Order #042411G: ORDERED that in addition to amounts approved for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 School Operating Budget, the School Board be hereby authorized to expend such other sums as may be received from federal or state grants or programs or other sources during the fiscal year for school purposes, provided that such grants, programs or other sources do not require the expenditure of other funds not appropriated for the School Operating budget
ORDERS TO AUTHORIZE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RESERVES FROM BALANCE OF FUNDS AT YEAR END
City Council Order #042411H: ORDERED that the City authorizes the School Board to appropriate funds from the ending balance of the school general operating funds for Fiscal Year 2023-24 to establish a reserve for unanticipated Facilities and Maintenance costs, and authorizes the School Board to expend those funds.
Recommend: $100,000.00
- Adjournment