SC, L-N School Boards vote to not reunify in 2024
By Rita Brhel-Clay County News
Come May 2024, Sandy Creek and Lawrence-Nelson public schools will go their separate ways as their individual school boards allow the current unification agreement to expire.
Lawrence-Nelson’s Board of Education met Sept. 14, at the LN High School, in Nelson, to vote on a linked resolution regarding the unification agreement. The motion to approve the resolution was made by Becky Miller and seconded by Philip Brockman, both of Lawrence. The motion carried at a vote of 6-0.
Sandy Creek’s Board of Education met at LN High School immediately following the adjournment of LN’s Board. The motion to approve the linked resolution was made by Chad Dane, of Clay Center, and seconded by Ryan Petr, of Glenvil. The motion carried at a vote of 6-0.
SC’s Board also discussed closing the Highway 14 pedestrian underpass at the Clay Center school site. South Central Nebraska Unified School District #5 (SCNUSD) superintendent Julie Otero explained that the Nebraska Department of Transportation recently contacted SC, asking to replace the underpass with above-ground crosswalk lights, pending approval by the City of Clay Center. The motion to close the underpass was made by Brian Shaw, of Fairfield, and seconded by Dane. The motion carried at a vote of 6-0.
SCNUSD’s Board of Education, which consists of both the SC and LN individual school boards, met at LN High School immediately following the close of the SC Board meeting.
The SCNUSD Board held a public hearing on the then-proposed 2022-23 budget for the unified district, as well as the levy. Two members of the public addressed the board with concerns about their property taxes.
Dane made the motion, which was seconded by Phil Janda of Lawrence, to approve the 2022-23 General Fund of $11,316,982 for the unified district. This represents a 5 percent increase in the operating budget over the 2021-22 school year. The motion carried 12-0.
Donita Furman, of Clay Center, made the motion to approve the 2022-23 property tax request for the unified district. Shaw seconded. The motion carried 12-0. Petr then made the motion, seconded by Miller, to set the property tax request. The motion carried 12-0.
The 2022-23 tax request for the unified district is $0.785439, a 1-percent reduction since the 2021-22 tax request.
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