The Hutchinson School Board Monday held a public listening event, known as a linkage, prior to its regular Board meeting.
During the event, 17-patrons broke into three groups – one of the public, a second of real estate agents and a third of volunteers – to discuss issues important to them.
Listening events, such as Monday’s, are an integral piece of the board’s governing process.
Previous linkages had been with the public for bond issue improvements, with staff and with secondary students.
The board also met in regular session Monday and spent considerable time during the meeting discussing the geographic size of the taxing authority of the Hutchinson Recreation Commission.
Currently, the HRC’s taxing boundaries are the same as the school district’s boundaries. The boundaries were set in the 1960s and were Hutchinson’s city limits at the time – about 14 square miles.
Since the mid 1960s, Hutchinson’s city limits have expanded, and the city currently takes in about 22 square miles or 50 percent more land than the school district. Earlier this year, the Board began a discussion of the issue as a matter of equity for district taxpayers. Even though the HRC’s services are offered to patrons outside the school district, the property tax boundaries are limited to USD 308 taxpayers.
The board tabled formal action on the matter. Members directed Superintendent Shelly Kiblinger to meet with representatives of the City of Hutchinson and the Hutchinson Recreation Commission to clarify expectations of the two other agencies on any legislative options for changing boundaries and what each entity’s role would be after any change.
Watch the discussion here.
The board also heard a report on the multi-tier system of support for students in the district by Assistant Superintendent Donna Davis.
They also approved the annual work plan for the board, approved an out-of-state student trip.
They also approved a contract with Education Funding Group. The district’s elementary schools use the organization to sell discount cards as a fundraiser in the community.
Also given the go ahead for the annual agreement between Head Start and Horizons Mental Health Center to provide services to Head Start.
And the board approved delegate recommendations for the annual meeting of the Kansas Association of School Boards. KASB meets next weekend in Kansas City.